We know a great deal more about the development of life than we did in 1973 due to scientific advancements. No longer can abortion defenders claim that the fetus is merely a blob of tissue, a non-person. A heartbeat is clear by then and brain waves can be picked up by our current technology a few weeks later. Surgeons can now operate on unborn patients to mend a urinary tract or fix a hernia in the diaphragm. And legal precedents establish that if a drunk driver hits a pregnant woman and kills her baby he can be charged with a crime in the event of that baby's death.
Life has value simply because it's life.
In reevaluating this issue, it is instructive to recall a sad chapter of our nation's history. The abortion debate is not dissimilar to the slavery issue that divided our nation 140 years ago. For the latter group, the issue of slavery was a personal and private matter. Fortunately, President Lincoln felt differently. The same can be said for abortion.