Is this a baby? Only if You Want It To Be!

So yesterday was election day.  I heard on the news that there was a referendum in the state of Mississippi about "Personhood".   Basically, the argument was about when life begins. Is it when a baby is born?  When it is conceived?  Somewhere along the pregnancy once it can be viable outside the womb?

I believe life begins when the sperm meets the egg which plants me firmly on the anti-abortion side of the argument.  The Catholic teachings on this are clear but my beliefs were confirmed wholeheartedly after our two miscarriages this year.  I had several early sonograms and was even able to see my baby's heartbeat at just 5 and a half weeks. To me, it was a child.  I realize that each person's experience will influence their feelings on this subject but in some ways, I think Americans are rather confused.

I hear many Americans demand "reproductive rights" for women and lots of women (who want to claim to be strong, powerful modern day feminists), jump on this bandwagon.  "It's my body no one can tell me what to do or not do with it!"  While it may be the woman's choice, I beleive your reproductive rights begin with choosing whether or not to have sex, not just what to do with the results.   We all have free will so of course we have a choice.  

I just wonder why women don't exercise their reproductive right not to reproduce if you don't want children?  Abstinence (shocking word for 2011.. I know!) or even contraception is not a better alternative to abortion? 

Even if you don't consider it a child, why put your body through the unecessary medical procedure, anesthesia, etc., when you could have used a condom or birth control pills or the always underused word "no"?   (No, of course I'm not talking about rape and incest.. yet).   

I think that much of the decision about whether a life is worth protecting is subjective when it shouldn't be. Life/Death issues like abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty debate come down to one single idea.  Is this life worth protecting?  Is it valuable?  Do you want this baby or do you not want this baby?  Here's are some examples of the incongruities:

• Life Is Not Valuable - If a woman accidentally gets pregnant (not possible btw...if you have sex, you can get pregnant.  It isn't an accident. It was a roulette wheel you chose to spin.), it is her reproductive right to have an abortion.  Those who would say she shouldn't kill her unborn child are trampling on her civil rights.
• Life Is Valuable- If a pregnant woman is murdered, her murderer can be charges with two counts of manslaughter, one for her and one for her unborn baby.  Is the baby's life valuable because someone else killed it when the mother wanted it?  What if the mother was killed on the way to the abortion clinic?
• Life Is Not Valuable - When a woman has prenatal testing done to determine that her child will be born mentally or physically disabled and she aborts the child.  Society is expected to support her decision because it is her body and because it is more difficult to raise and care for a disabled child.  The mother couldn't be expected to have to care for such a child. That's too difficult, too expensive, too much! 
• Life Is Valuable - When a mother who has been trying to get pregnant miscarries.  She receives support, condolences, etc from her family and friends on the loss of her "child".  No one tells her they are sorry for the loss of her "fetus" or "fetal tissue".

Aren't we humans supposed to love and protect those tiny beings that cannot defend themselves?  The same people who are vehemently against animal cruelty can call themselves pro-choice?  I'm not sure how a kitten rates higher than a human child.  For me, all life needs to be respected whether it is a human (like an innocent pre-born child) or a murderer or a puppy. 

The overarching concept for me is that life is to be respected regardless of the situation.  I just can't understand how some can respect life and demand protection for it in some situations but destroy it when it fits their whim.  What is the difference between aborting a disabled pre born child and killing a six month old?  Nothing. 

Even children who are products of rape and incest and children who are mentally or physically disabled have value. The are gifts from God.  As a parent, and yes if you ever conceived a child you are a parent, your basic human responsibility is to love and nurture your offspring. It seems so unnatural to me to choose to end the life of someone you created because it was an inconvenient time or it might be too hard to deal with.