Posted on 01/24/2013 3:07:54 PM PST by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 24, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Pro-life leader Rebecca Kiessling, who was conceived in rape when her mother was abducted at knifepoint, says pro-lifers are guilty of discrimination if they are willing to compromise by including exceptions for rape in pro-life legislation.
Speaking at the Law of Life Summit in Washington, D.C. the day before the 40th annual March for Life, she lamented that “so many people, pro-life people … think nothing of discriminating against children who are conceived in rape.”
“Let me tell you, to those who think that sometimes you just need to compromise: we are not cannon fodder,” said Kiessling, who is a national spokesperson for Personhood USA and an attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom. “You do not get to put us out on the front lines and take a giant step back, and you do not discriminate.”
The question of exceptions such as rape and incest divides pro-life leaders. Many argue for restricting abortion as much as possible, even if it means passing imperfect laws that the movement would not pursue as an end goal.
One of the more prominent examples in the U.S. is the Hyde amendment, which prohibits the federal government from funding abortion except in cases of rape, incest, and the life of the mother. The exceptions were added in 1993 as a compromise with President Bill Clinton to save the amendment.
But others argue that the rape exception amounts to unjust discrimination, and is thus intrinsically evil, so cannot be justified even in pursuit of the laudable goal of restricting abortion.
In her brief address, Kiessling said her mother tried to get an abortion but was only saved because, at the time, Michigan had a total ban on abortion.
“My birth mother did not choose life for me, she chose abortion,” she explained. “Pro-life leaders chose life for me. Those who, without even knowing of my exact existence, recognized that mine was a life worth saving. And they made sure abortion was illegal in Michigan even in cases of rape. One hundred percent pro-life, no exceptions, no compromise. I owe my life to them. And that’s why I try to do the same for others.”
Commenting on the argument that it’s extreme to “force” a woman to carry her rapist’s baby, she said, “We are not the rapist’s baby. I’m my mother’s child, I’m a child of God."
“I think it’s extreme to tell another living human being that they are garbage,” she continued. "That they’re not worthy of living, and that they didn’t deserve to be protected. They are the ones who are being extreme, and we need to be prepared to point that out."
It’s called adoption. Execute the rapist, adopt out the baby.
The only difference is that I haven't found where Romney wanted to murder the newly born baby from a "botched" abortion, something that the illegal alien sleeze-bag living in our White House is so much in favor of.
Funny, as a woman I do not believe in abortion...any abortion. The thing I find funny is that when I get into this topic when men, most of them go along with me...until I mention rape. Then 9 out of 10 of them believe in abortion. To me, you either believe in life...all life...or none of it. I can not imagine how a child is ever at fault for the mothers actions or the actions done to the mother. No matter what, that child is still a life. Good can come from bad and the blessing of a child is good.
Abortion is not just murder. It’s FIRST DEGREE murder. The penalties should be the same as for any other premeditated murder of a child.
No abortion should be legal and all steps necessary should be taken to keep illegal abortions from happening. That includes penalties intended to deter the crime.
The main problem with forcing rape victims to carry a rapists child is getting elected to a position of power where one can enact such a law.
Perhaps it would be possible in a sharia law controlled location.
Under Bishop Romney, the GOP adopted the rape, incest, and health of mother abortion position, and ran television ads to protect that “option”.
The GOP is in trouble, and Romney may have broken it.
Romney was towing the party line. Worse yet, he was not honest with the electorate. After the election it was disclosed that he never wanted to be president. Our problem is not Romney; it is the Republican Party for their flim flam policies and promoting as candidate someone who never wanted the position in the first place. Not one dime to the GOP!
I agree with the woman. No ground should be given. Abortion is murder.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.