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[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb]]

[[Image:Baby.jpg|right|thumb|250px|An unborn child in the womb]]

'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. As of 2012, it is estimated there have been over 54 million babies murdered by abortion in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''National Right to Life Committee''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012.<br>(Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref> Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned_Parenthood.27s_Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref>  

'''Abortion''' is the induced termination of a [[pregnancy]],<ref>American Heritage Dictionary definition, [http://www.bartleby.com/61/7/A0020700.html abortion].</ref> often causing [[fetal pain]]. As of 2012, it is estimated there have been over 54 million babies murdered by abortion in the [[United States]] since 1973.<ref name=factsheet>''National Right to Life Committee''. [http://www.christianliferesources.com/?/library/view.php&articleid=1042 U.S. Abortion Statistics By Year (1973-Current)]. National Right to Life Factsheet, January 2012.<br>(Privacy laws and likely desire to keep this silent holocaust from raising alarm hinders data collection on abortion. CDC researchers have admitted they probably undercount the total number of abortions because reporting laws vary from state to state and some abortionists probably do not report or under-report the abortions they perform. Abortions from CA and NH have not been counted by the CDC since 1998, and reports from other states are also missing for some years.)</ref> Abortion is a billion-dollar industry in the [[United States]]. Although [[Planned Parenthood likes to claim abortion accounts for just 3% of its services, according to its 2007-08 budget, it received $1.038 billion of revenue, and half to two-thirds relates to its abortion services. (''See [[Abortion#Planned_Parenthood.27s_Budget|Planned Parenthood's Budget]]'') Dr. George Tiller "estimated that he performed 250 to 300 late-term abortions in 2003, each costing an average of $6,000."<ref>Hegeman, R. (2009, March 25). [http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2009/03/25/kan_doctor_testifies_in_abortion_case_against_him/ Kan. doctor testifies in abortion case against him]. ''Associated Press''.</ref>  

'''''About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort'''''.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref> Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref>  Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]].  He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref>

'''''About 80% of women who see an ultrasound of their fetus (unborn child) decide not to abort'''''.<ref>(2005, April 22). [http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/145703/abortion_foes_use_ultrasound__focus_on_the_family_budgets/ Abortion Foes Use Ultrasound ; Focus on the Family Budgets Millions for Pricey Equipment]. ''RedOrbit''.</ref> Millions of women who had an abortion later suffer psychologically or physically from it, and support groups exist to help.<ref>Rodgers-Melnick, A. (2002, January 20). [http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/20020120abortion0120p3.asp Groups support those who regret abortions]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''.</ref>  Many victims of abortion find healing by speaking out against, and discouraging, similar harm to other mothers and their children.<ref>"I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born," observed President [[Ronald Reagan]].  He also observed, "With me, abortion is not a problem of religion, it's a problem of the Constitution. I believe that until and unless someone can establish that the unborn child ''is not a living human being'', then that child is already protected by the Constitution, which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all of us."</ref>

===Women Choose, Not Men===

===Women Choose, Not Men===

The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."

The Pro-Choice movement likes to say men and fathers should have no say in the abortion debate, only women. However, as Thomas J. Lucente Jr. points out, this is similar to saying one can't criticize the President unless one is the President. {{cquote|"The pro-abortion crowd will argue that because I am a man, I should not be allowed to have an opinion on abortion, unless, of course, I support the mass murder of 50 million babies in the last 39 years. That's akin to saying I can't criticize the president unless I have been the president."

-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref>Lucente Jr., T.J. (2012, January 29). [http://www.limaohio.com/articles/right-78475-privacy-one.html Right to Privacy is Not a License to Kill]. ''LimaOhio.com.'' Freedom Communications, Inc.</ref>}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."

-Thomas J. Lucente Jr.<ref name=lucente />}} As [[Alan Keyes]] has pointed out, the Pro-Choice movement essentially is arguing for the baby's rights to be dependent on the mother's desire for it, making women slave-owners, essentially - this is very different from the [[Declaration of Independence]] which says the Creator gives us our unalienable rights, rather than them being dependent upon other people.<ref>Jefferson, T. (1776, July 4). [http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm The Declaration of Independence]. Retrieved from ''USHistory.org''. Independence Hall Association.</ref> {{cquote|"Either you can subscribe to the American creed which says that God endowed us with our rights, or you can subscribe to the abortion creed which says that those rights are the consequences of our mother's will."

-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}

-Alan Keyes, speech at Southern Methodist University, Feb. 24, 1997.<ref>[http://www.abortiontv.com/Words/Slavery.htm Former Presidential candidate, Alan Keyes shares his views on the commonalities between abortion and slavery]. ''AbortionTV.com''.</ref>}}

{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."

{{cquote|"... abortion is to our time what slavery was to the 19th Century, and if anyone of conscience went anywhere in the 19th Century and did not confront the American people with the evil of slavery, then they were not doing what statesmanship required... Well, it's a part of her body utterly dependent on her body, not viable apart from her body. She has, therefore, absolute power over this being, and given that absolute power she has the absolute right to dispose of it according to her will. We don't recognize what that's saying? What that's saying is that power makes for right. Might makes for right. If I have you in my power, I may dispose of you and your life according to my will. And if that argument is now accepted, and we have embraced it as a fundamental principle of law, then we have rejected the right principle. For if our right, our most basic and conditional right, the right to life itself comes to us not from God but from our mother's choice, then there is no human right that transcends in its claim, human choice and human power. Abortion is the paradigm, the ultimate paradigm of despotism, tyranny, oppression, slavery, holocaust."

Logically, we ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref>  

Logically, we ought to be erring on the side of caution when potentially infringing on another person's inalienable right to life, rather than seeing how close we can come to committing murder without doing so. Abortion in the U.S. is legal in all 9 months (36 weeks) of pregnancy.<ref>[http://www.whyprolife.com/is-abortion-legal-all-9-months-of-pregnancy/ Is Abortion Legal All 9 Months of Pregnancy?] ''WhyProLife.com''.</ref>  

===Premature Birth===

===Premature Birth===

Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref>Rochman, B. (2011, May 27). [http://healthland.time.com/2011/05/27/baby-born-at-21-weeks-survives-how-young-is-too-young-to-save/ A 21-Week-Old Baby Survives and Doctors Ask, How Young is Too Young to Save?] ''Time Magazine''.</ref> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref>(2011, August). [http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html/ Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States]. ''Guttmacher Institute''.</ref> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16-20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth. Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

Even though children can be born as early as 21 weeks after pregnancy<ref name=tooyoung /> the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood's research arm, reports that 1.5% of the 1.21 million abortions in the United States occur after the 21st week of pregnancy.<ref name=induced /> Therefore, 18,150 abortions occur each year after the earliest point that children can be born prematurely and live. An additional 3.8% occur 16-20 weeks after pregnancy, an additional 45,980 abortions each year that are most certainly murder given proximity to time of premature birth.<ref name=induced /> Why is a baby considered human outside the womb, yet nothing more than a fetus to be aborted at or near the same point in pregnancy if still inside the womb? And what will abortionists argue? That this is "only" 50-60 thousand innocent lives being taken each year?

===Fetal Development===

===Fetal Development===

{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."

{{cquote|"Modern biology instructs that the genetic code that will dictate the entire future of the fetus is formed as early as the ___ day after conception; the fetus is thus something more than inert matter. The rules of property and of tort have come increasingly to recognize its rights."

-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}

-Judge Henry Friendly, [[Hall v. Lefkowitz]].<ref name=friendly>Randolph, A. Raymond. "[http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/jlpp/Vol29_No3_Randolph.pdf Before Roe v. Wade: Judge Friendly's Draft Abortion Opinion]." ''Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy''. Vol. 29.</ref>}}

According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D<ref>Clowes, Brian, PhD. 2001. [http://www.hli.org/index.php/the-facts-of-life/480?task=view The Facts of Life]. Ch. 12. Front Royal: Human Life International.

According to Brian Clowes, Ph.D<ref name=clowes />, as cited by the Pro-Life Action League<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref>, fetal development occurs as follows after conception:

Also in: Sharing the Pro-Life Message. Chicago: Pro-Life Action League, 2009. Print.</ref>, as cited by the Pro-Life Action League<ref>(2009). [http://www.whyprolife.com/life-in-the-womb/ Sharing the Pro-Life Message]. "Life in the Womb." Pro-Life Action League. Chicago.</ref>, fetal development occurs as follows after conception:

* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.

* 2 weeks: First completed brain cells appear.

* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.

* 3 weeks: Heart begins beating, eyes form; brain, spinal column, and nervous system virtually complete.