Breaking News Archive 2008

It's a Fundamental Question

Recently Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama spoke at the Compassion Forum. It was an event held at Messiah College on April 13th and nationally televised. Both were asked when they believed human life begins.

The correct answer - supported by medical and scientific research - is human life begins upon conception or fertilization. That is when the ovum and sperm unite. It is at this time, medically speaking, a living being with 46 human chromosomes comes into existence. At this point, nothing but nutrition and maturation is added. Everything that you are today is present at this earliest stage of life.

The question of when human life begins is simple to answer. However, these presidential candidates gave a convoluted political response.

Hillary Clinton said, "I believe the potential for life begins at conception." After "searching [her] own mind and heart", Senator Clinton believes abortion-on-demand throughout pregnancy should continue. She added that protecting unborn babies from abortion "would be very difficult to sustain in our kind of open society."

First, Senator Clinton doesn't seem to understand basic medical science. Upon conception or fertilization, there isn't "potential" human life, but human life with potential. Second, we can't base a life or death decision regarding tens of millions of preborn children on Mrs. Clinton's personal "mind and heart." Our national policy on abortion must be based on medical fact - a human life begins at conception and it should be protected. Third, for many decades our open society had maintained laws protecting the most vulnerable among us - unborn babies. There's no reason we can't muster the strength to once again protect unborn babies and their mothers from abortion.

Senator Barack Obama was even less sure about his position on the most crucial social issue of our day. He said abortion "is something that I have not, I think, come to a firm resolution on." Mr. Obama further stated, "I think it's very hard to know what that means, when life begins."

Here a candidate for the most powerful position in the world - President of the United States - publicly admits that he doesn't know when life begins, and even more astounding says, "it's very hard to know" when human life begins.

Medical experts on both sides of the abortion debate understand the basic medical fact that a unique human individual is present upon conception or fertilization. The debate raging in America is when that human life should be protected.

If these presidential candidates are unable to come to terms with when human life begins, can they be depended upon to make sound decisions on abortion policy? Knowing when human life begins is fundamental to the process.

You, and those around you, need to be informed voters this November. Please share this information with others.

Sincerely for LIFE,
Bradley Mattes
Executive Director
Life Issues Institute

4/15/08

Life Issues Institute is dedicated to changing hearts and minds of millions of people through education. Organizations and individuals around the world depend upon Life Issues Institute to provide the latest information and effective tools to protect innocent human life from womb to tomb.

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