Letter: Let’s simplify the debate

EDITOR,
I would like to take a moment to respond to Julie Hendriks’ letter, “Try walking in her shoes” (Feb. 10, Page 6). Julie has many issues that she brings up: a child being stranded and raped, which results in pregnancy, disease and possible death — all because she can’t find a doctor to provide an abortion.
Rather than taking on each issue, I would like to simplify the scenario by asking: Is the unborn a member of the human family?
If so, killing him or her to benefit others, no matter the reason, is a serious moral wrong. But, if the unborn is not a human, killing them requires no moral justification at all. What determines our humanity and value? Does size determine value? Does the level of development determine value? Does the environment have a bearing on who you are? Does the journey down the birth canal change an unborn from nonhuman to human? Does the degree of dependency make humans more or less valuable? How about inconvenience, bad timing, poor relationships, no support?
The science of embryology is clear: From the earliest stages of development, the unborn are distinct, living, and whole human beings. Therefore, every successful abortion ends the life of a living human being.
Judi Gremminger, Ben Lomond