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Gazing into the abyss

Published: Friday, January 25, 2013

Updated: Thursday, January 24, 2013 21:01

Six million Jews were murdered by Hitler’s Nazi regime during WWII. Stalin dispatched roughly 20 million persons. In only 100 days, at least 500,000 Rwandans were murdered by their own countrymen. On Sept. 11, 2001, Osama bin Laden masterminded an attack that killed nearly 3,000 Americans and shattered the lives of so many others.

We rightfully cringe at these statistics. If it’s difficult to really process such absurd numbers, just start by imagining that everyone you love — no, everyone you have ever met or known or even know of — being removed from your life.

Half a million people will descend upon the national capital to protest a subtler genocide. Since 1973, nearly 56 million children have been slaughtered by the very same parents who gave them life. No empathetic endeavors can make that fact make sense.

There is simply no justification for this, one of the most horrific genocides in history. But if I had to think of an explanation for why Americans get up in arms, devote billions of dollars, hours of service and volunteer time, and dedicate their lives to preventing such atrocious episodes as those described above from continuing or happening again, while simultaneously citing a “right” that awards legal license to murder others (or their own) children for convenience?s sake ... well, I can’t finish that sentence after all.

Hitler and Stalin are universally acknowledged as embodiments of evil. We all remember the degree of rejoicing with which the news of bin Laden’s death was met. These men, all together, directly took less than half of the innocent lives that we ourselves have taken in the past four decades in the war against the unborn.

These men had justifications for their choices, though: they weren’t slaughtering the innocent so much as defending ideals, defending rights, defending themselves. Yet everyone agrees that these men and their philosophies epitomize evil. What does that say about us and ours?

But abortion isn’t murder because unborn babies aren’t really, or fully, persons?

Neither were the Jews. Neither were the Tutsis. Neither were the black slaves.

Michael Bradley
junior
off-campus
Jan. 24

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9 comments

Anonymous
Wed Jan 30 2013 19:30
I think Mr. Bradley's point with the line about "slaughtering innocents," is that the men who carried out these genocides weren't thinking, "I'm going to kill these people because they're innocent and I can," but actually, "I'm going to kill these people because they are hindering my bringing about a good result which I desire." In that sense, there is a certain similarity between the justifications given by these dictators, on the one hand, and those of supporters of a "woman's right to choose," on the other. He didn't compare them in order to magnify the atrocity of abortion in America compared to these other genocides-- the numbers themselves do that. But only after you recognize that the act in question (the deliberate killing of an innocent human being), and the justifications offered in support of each, are actually very similar.
Anonymous
Mon Jan 28 2013 09:19
"If that is the case, you should do a little research on all the atrocities and people killed in the name of religion."

Actually, it is YOU who should do a little research. Tens, perhaps hundreds of millions of people were slaughtered during the 20th century by atheistic totalitarian regimes. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, and the Kim dynasty in North Korea, whose gulags still imprison, torture, and murder hundreds of thousands well into the 21st century. The number of people allegedly killed "in the name of religion" is a drop in the bucket, so please spare us the sophomoric knee-jerk commentary.

FAB
Sun Jan 27 2013 17:09
My belief that microbes have a moral right to exist is not an "opinion", it is my belief based on the God that I worship (probably different than yours). I would appreciate it if you had some respect for that. And more importantly, I would like to see some legislation passed banning all use of antibacterial soap and antibiotic drugs. These are, according to my beliefs, tools of genocide and therefore nobody should have the right to use them.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 25 2013 22:45
Abortion is about a woman's right to choice. That is, it's about giving women power over their own bodies. Its really that simple. If a woman decides to have an abortion, for whatever reason, we'll that is between her and whomever else she decides to share that with. If she is religious, than it can also be between her and her God(s). If your worried about it being a sin, then leave that up to your God.

Also
You need to tone done the rhetoric - "war against the unborn." Really, is there a war against the unborn?

Did you rejoice at the death of BIn Laden? If so, at what point are you OK with terminating a life?

I am assuming your interest in abortion stems from your (Christian) religiosity. If that is the case, you should do a little research on all the atrocities and people killed in the name of religion. Also, you may not be aware, but the Catholic church doesn't think a 7 month old fetus is considered a person (see recent Colorado court case) and they seem to be OK with pedophilia. What are your thoughts about these aspects of the Catholic church?

Thinker
Fri Jan 25 2013 22:43
What a slap in the face to Holocaust and Khmer Rouge victims, Stalin's madness, Tutsis, Armenians, Native Americans, Darfur and all other genocides in history.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 25 2013 16:58
No compelling arguments given here that the fetus is not a human person. Come on people, this is Notre Dame. Your personal opinion that the fetus is morally equivalent to a microbe is worthless in this debate unless you bring real philosophical and biological arguments to the table. In the meantime, read a book on this topic.
Anon
Fri Jan 25 2013 15:31
Please look up the definition and etymology of "genocide". Referring to abortion as genocide makes no sense no matter how you frame it.

And to "These men had justification..." - are you trying to make an actual point there, or trying to lessen the impact of these events to try to make your "issue" seem more important? You really might want to frame that better or I, and many others, will have to assume the worst of you.

Also, that title is random/generic/trite/pointless. Quit trying to go for shock value and work on being able to construct an actual coherent statement.

FAB
Fri Jan 25 2013 14:47
But you aren't even mentioning the far more atrocious genocide that is occurring. Millions? That's nothing. How about TRILLIONS OF TRILLIONS OF TRILLIONS? And if you use antibacterial soap then you yourself are one of the bloody murderers. I suppose you're going to justify it by saying that germs aren't really people either... tell that to their families.
Anonymous
Fri Jan 25 2013 10:38
Hahaha oh my god you people are nuts




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