Joyce Arthur of the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada has a letter in the Citizen today. She states there is a conflict between Bill C-484 (unborn victims of violence) and existing laws. There isn’t-because the only law governing the fetus today, and after this bill too, is a woman’s choice.
A woman can do what she chooses with her unborn child.
Now what Arthur is getting at is a longstanding hypocrisy: When an unborn child is wanted, he or she gets medical treatment, even in the womb. And when unwanted, he or she can be killed.
With this bill, when a wanted unborn child dies, the criminal can be charged accordingly.
The decision still hinges on a woman’s choice.
This hypocrisy has existed for some time, and this bill rests on that hypocrisy.
In these cases of violence against pregnant women, they wanted their babies. They chose to keep them. Therefore, honouring their memory, as per their family’s requests, many of whom are backing the bill, means charging the criminal for two murders.
Joyce Arthur, with her complaint, is suggesting that in these cases of violence against a woman and her child, that woman’s choice doesn’t count.
Why? Because Joyce Arthur fears, more than usual, that the eternal hypocrisy of our system will be exposed. (This system, which cares for infants on one floor of a hospital and aborts them on another.)
But either this is a game of choice, or it’s not.
Joyce has two choices then: To support women’s choices, or not.
Arbitrary? Yes. But groups like hers made the rules. Now they ought to play by them.
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