I have a healthy suspicion of all forms of government and politicians and therefore advocate for small government and giving politicians as little power as we possibly can. Here is one reason why.
The same politicians who say they want small government -many who claim to be conservatives -also want government to ban abortion in all its forms. Now that this has clearly come to light, Romney is refusing to answer questions about this issue. The Republicans are running scared and have demanded that Todd Akin who made those outrageous comments about ‘legitimate rape ‘ withdraw from his Senate Race.
Many who are not loyalists of either party (myself included) find this entire episode very troubling.
Especially because Paul Ryan co-sponsored a bill in the US Congress (HR212), which, had it passed would have defined a fertilized human egg as having the same value as a fully developed human being. The truth is that Todd Akin and Paul Ryan hold identical views on this issue. And make no mistake about it -this is a religious idea and one that not all religions agree with.
My religion, Judaism, for example, allows abortion in cases where the health of the mother, including her mental health, may be seriously damaged. Within this, Jewish law offers a considerable amount of leeway. Some even say that for pregnancy in the case of incest or adultery, abortion is not only warranted but it is to be encouraged (see http://www.aish.com/ci/sam/48954946.html for a good digest of the Jewish view on abortion).
A few years ago members of the Conservative Right asked me to support the Personhood Amendment that states that life begins a conception. I asked them why they thought life started at conception. The response was: ‘Because the Bible says so. ‘
My reaction to this was two fold.
First, as a student of the Bible -a book I have read and studied more than any other – I do not believe that the bible thinks that the life that begins at conception is equal in value to a life of a born baby.
See Exodus 21:22-23 where the Bible gives a monetary punishment for causing a miscarriage rather than capital punishment that is meted out for murder. Judaism sees this as indicating a difference in status between a fetus and a fully viable human being.
Second, even if in fact, the Bible states that a fertilized human egg has the same value and a full-grown human being, it should not be a basis for making law in the US. Simply stated, it is wrong for one person’s religious believes on a particular topic be imposed upon the entire population of 300 million people.
Clearly there is good reason why Mitt Romney doesn’t want to talk about this issue. It is thoroughly inconsistent for politicians who advocate smaller government to want to impose their personal religious views on the average citizen of a different religious persuasion. Many in his party, including his vice presidential pick want to do exactly this.
Politicians must not be allowed to dodge questions on these issues. The public needs to know whether if Romney-Ryan gets elected they will try to enact a law that states that a fetus has full human status thus outlawing IVF treatment for example -as Ryan attempted to do in his House Bill (HR212). They need to explain their opinions properly so that the public can decide in an educated manner in November.
Rabbi Levi Brackman is co-founder and executive director of Youth Directions an organization that helps youth make long-term positive goals they are passionate about achieving. He also serves as rabbi at Judaism in the Foothills which he co-founded together with Sheindy, his wife.