Dear Colleagues,

Most of us are old enough to remember the song, King of the Road. Some of the lyrics mention “trailer for sale or rent.” Well, we have moved on from trailers to wombs!

Recently signed legislation here in Michigan include the option of forming a contractual agreement, with monetary recompense, with a surrogate to pay her for gestation the child of a person/s who cannot conceive a child in the usual way. Our governor felt very good about this part of the Reproductive Health Act saying it was a step forward in reproductive rights and would help build families. That may be true but most often such contracts include a duty to abort a child who may be disabled, or no longer wanted. Unborn babies can now be purchased for whatever sum the parties decide.

There are those who now argue about what an abortion is. The argument is surrounded by either a total ignorance of what life in the womb is, or a tongue in cheek way of avoiding the stigma of abortion. For example, Jessica Dugger of TV fame, was accused of having an abortion after her child died in utero and she underwent a D & C.

I have recently read the opinion of an abortion provider who believes that unborn children give permission to the mothers for the abortion.

Michigan will soon be asked to approve active euthanasia.

Alabama Supreme Court ruled that babies conceived via IVF and stored as embryos are persons and cannot simply be discarded in the biohazard bin or ground up in the trash disposal. Then the state legislature quickly passed a law saying that no one who destroyed “left over” embryos would be prosecuted.

People are angry. On our roads, in public gatherings, on public transportation, in our schools people act out in sometimes deadly way.

Where am I going with this? What, or who, is the victim in all of these examples? Obviously, human life. I have no way of knowing if the architects of Roe v Wade ever dreamed where the consequences of this would go, but I remember the words of Justice Sandra Day O’Conner. She said, “the Roe v Wade decision is on a collision course with itself.” She was more correct than she knew because the cheapening of life that was created by Roe, has spread to all aspects of living. Can we stop it? That is the million-dollar question. I believe we can. I believe there are enough people in our world who will work toward that end. I believe we, nurses and other health care professionals, can change it. I also believe that if we are to survive as a society, as a nation, as a culture, we have no choice.

Love Life!

Diane

 
Diane Trombley, RN, BSN
President, MNFL