Currently, in Prince Edward Island, several young adults are campaigning to win a $1,000 regional youth leadership award. The two leading candidates at the moment are Kandace Hagen and Tara Brinston.
Hagen’s mission is to provide free access to abortion for women in P.E.I. because currently women must leave the island for abortion services. Hagen says “we are fighting for a reproductive right that we have as Canadians – a right that Island women do not have full access to yet.”
The problem with abortion is that is not a reproductive issue, it is a human rights issue. Many atheists agree that abortion is an injustice (please see Feminists Choosing Life & Confessions of a pro-life atheist if you are interested in non-religious pro-life arguments). The right to life of the unborn child is greater than a woman’s right to her own body because from conception, a new life is formed, and it is clearly identifiable as separate from its mother’s body.
Hagen talks about “reproductive justice”, but what does she mean by this? In her video, Hagen does not once mention the huge controversy that surrounds abortion- she seems to take it for granted that because abortion is offered in all other Canadian provinces, people should support her in providing abortion in P.E.I. The problem is that many of us are unhappy with the state of abortion in Canada, and wish to see laws placed on restricting abortion. Why? - Because abortion is an injustice towards the unborn child. We are slowly starting to see the bitter fruits of this tree: sex-selective abortion (i.e., sexual discrimination all over again). Every year, there are far more baby girls aborted than baby boys. How is this creating a more just, loving society?
The idea that abortion should be offered to women in Prince Edward Island is reflective of what Plato called the “dictatorship of the majority.” It is flawed reasoning to believe that because women in other provinces have access to abortion, P.E.I. should provide access to abortion too. This is like claiming that since polygamy is legal in other countries, it should be legal here too.
Ask yourself: Is abortion really making the world a better place? Or should we orient our efforts to helping the poor and people with disabilities, as candidate Tara Brinston emphasizes?
There is so much work to be done to improve society- starting with eliminating violence, pornography, child prostitution, abuse, and providing better services to the mentally and physically ill. Has government-spending in the abortion industry really led to greater happiness and peace? Be honest with yourself. Anyone that has lived at least 10 years can see that the world is suffering from sexual perversity, lack of fidelity, sexually-transmitted disease, broken marriages, and wounded relationships.
Please make your choice: Vote for whoever you think will make the world a better place. This pledge isn’t about women’s access to abortion- this pledge is about making the right decision for all members of society, including unborn children, the most vulnerable members of society. As Tara Brinston says, "I want to live in a world that is welcoming and accepting, a world that celebrates diversity"--- well, so do I.
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