Republicans keep referring to fertilized eggs as an "unborn child". Their language suggests that there is no difference between a fertilized egg and a two year old child. Indeed, the 2012 republican party platform declares:
"the unborn child has a fundamental individual right to life which cannot be infringed."It takes 9 months to make a human being with many stages, egg, zygote, embryo, fetus etc. It's America and people are free to believe what they want, but republicans are legislating their mistaken beliefs into law.
HR 212, "The Sanctity of Human Life Act":
(B) the life of each human being begins with fertilization, cloning, or its functional equivalent, irrespective of sex, health, function or disability, defect, stage of biological development, or condition of dependency, at which time every human being shall have all the legal and constitutional attributes and privileges of personhood; and
(1) FERTILIZATION- The term `fertilization' means the process of a human spermatozoan penetrating the cell membrane of a human oocyte to create a human zygote, a one-celled human embryo, which is a new unique human being.
There is no scientific evidence to support republican claims that a human being is created the instant an egg is fertilized. Not that it would make any difference to evolution and climate change denying conservative republicans.
This isn't a human child
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| Zygote |
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| An egg isn't a chicken. |
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| A dozen eggs isn't a flock of chickens |
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| An Almond isn't a tree |
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| This isn't a forest |
If you can't see the forest for the almonds, congratulations, you are not a republican.
Excellent point! Ab o'vo us'que ad amygda'la.
ReplyDeleteThe zygote is not a human child, but he/she is a human person. "Zygote," "embryo," and "fetus" (just like "infant," "adolescent," and "adult") simply indicate stage of human development. That is scientific fact.
ReplyDeleteEvery person's inherent dignity ought to be acknowledged and protected, not just those with voice, viability, or utility. If the personhood of preborn is not acknowledged because they lack voice, viability, or "utility" -- then by the same measure, the mute, ventilator-dependent accident victims, or handicapped are not persons either. And I suspect you rightfully disagree with that.
Thank you for the photograph of the zygote. I was looking for an image of a zygote, so that I can gaze in awe at the absolute newness of life. I am mother to a four-week young embryo, and his/her personhood started just like that of the zygote pictured. What a miracle to be loved and cherished without condition!