A paper in the UK recently reported outrage over full-term abortions when carried out simply because of a child’s disability. It may be more palatable to look at other countries’ shortcomings, instead of recognizing the failure within our own country, especially when we live in a democracy and have the ability to vote in and interact with our elected representatives.
The truth hurts, especially when the truth shows that in 2013 in the UK there were 190 abortions past the 24-week limit (including 2 for women at 37 weeks, 3 for women at 38 weeks and as described in the article, 1 for a woman who was just days away from giving birth). It hurts when we realize that Canada is no different and that unlike the UK, who have abortion laws, we have zero laws. No law to protect pre-born children who should be safest when growing inside their mother, and instead are at risk for being aborted because they are different, up to and including birth. It hurts when we realize that between 2000 and 2009, there were 491 children who died after birth as a result of a failed abortion. The truth hurts when instead of being outraged by injustice, we demand the right to carry it out.
MPs from the UK seem to understand the situation much better than many here in Canada:
“After birth we work hard to ensure equality, but before birth we have laws to prevent the disabled taking their first breath. This medieval, cruel, discriminatory law must change.” – MP Fiona Bruce
“This law desperately needs some sanity.” – MP Rob Flello
We are no different here in Canada. Let the outrage from some members of Parliament in the UK be a reminder to us as citizens and our own lawmakers here in Canada, that the injustice of killing a child because of a disability is not something to be celebrated in the name of choice. Let us choose life for everyone, regardless of size, level of development, environment or degree of dependency.