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15 January 1995
I am using this opportunity to submit to you
ideas formed on abortion by our family. After intense discussions which were
based on
Christian norms and principles we came up with the following
suggestions:
Abortion should be declared illegal because is robs a person
of the privilege to live, except for the following extenuating
circumstances:
(I) In the case of pregnancy due to rape, abortion may be
granted on a pro-choice basis.
(ii) If the pregnancy results in a health
risk for either the mother or the child, abortion may be granted on a pro-choice
basis.
If the mother cannot make the choice the physician involved has the
power to decide.
If a person decides to apply for an abortion she
will have to state her case to a special committee on abortion which will hear
all
the arguments for and against the abortion and then advise the person on the
legal consequences of the abortion. However, the committee
cannot force the
applicant to make a certain decision. Thus abortion is pro-choice but the
applicant is advised on whether the circumstances
justifies the
abortion.
- Taking
your case to the committee should be compulsory and free
- There
should be enough committees per province so that all persons can have easy
access to it, or committees should be traveling.
The following
should not be accepted as extenuating circumstances:
- Abortion
asked for on the basis that the child will be handicapped, because handicapped
people have the same rights as all other people.
- Abortion
asked for on the basis of unwanted pregnancy, for there are other means of birth
control and contraception.
I thank you for the opportunity I had
for submitting our ideas.
JOHN
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