ProdiCole

Need to say this, so buckle up. Chips will fall where they might, but with all the talk about the issue this past week, the record needs to be completely straight about something: The belief that human life begins at conception is not actually a “belief” at all. It is a demonstrable, inalienable, unassailable scientific fact that is beyond any dispute or argument. It is not contingent on anyone’s political leanings or philosophical framing. 1) Not only is the “zygote” alive at the point of conception, both the male sperm and the female egg meet the biological definition of “alive” before conception even occurs. Both are living human cells made of human tissue, containing human DNA. When those two living cells combine, conception initiates the development of an entirely new human organism from reproductive cells that are already living. 2) Cellular metabolism, biological organization, capacity for growth and development - all the biological criteria of “human life” are present. 3) The living genetic material is human. It belongs to the species Homo sapiens, not any other species. 4) It is a biologically distinct human organism with a new, unique combination of DNA that is different from either parent. It is an integrated and developing biological entity as opposed to an isolated cell type. 5) It will develop continuously given suitable environmental conditions. It will progress through embryonic, fetal, infant, adolescent, mature adult, and elderly stages without ever changing species. So, biology is absolutely not against anyone who argues that, from the point of conception, the human zygote is: - Alive - Biologically human - A developing human organism No biologist will dispute any of this. The question surrounding abortion is, and has always been a *legal* one not a biological one. And that question isn’t whether or not it’s alive, or human. It’s whether or not it constitutes a legal person with moral and legal rights. The political opinion, or religious belief, or philosophical position or whatever you wanna call it that all human life is worthy of legal personhood and legal rights and protections at the point of conception is a mainstream viewpoint shared by billions of people of various faiths and politics across the world. It’s not some fringe position based purely on religious preferences and teachings with no scientific evidence to support the position. The idea that someone who holds this viewpoint is some sort of religious extremist or misogynist or unscientific simpleton needs to be completely crushed. This is a mainstream, rational opinion grounded in both science and morality. You don’t have to agree with it, but mocking it makes you look like an intolerant jerk.