I like reading the comics, especially ones that deal with social and political issues of our time. One of my favorite comic strips is Doonesbury. While I often don't agree with the message he tries to convey in his strips, I admire his ability to tackle controversial subjects, and do it in a way that makes even those who disagree with his point of view laugh.
I posted a link to one of his comic strips some time ago dealing with sexual assault in the military (see my post: Women in Combat: Be Careful What You Ask For, or go to Doonesbury takes on Sexual Assault in Military to see this comic strip ). In this case, I agreed with Doonesbury's message (which probably could be summed up this way: "Women serving in the American armed forces shouldn't have to worry about being attacked by the home team!").
But I disagree with Doonesbury on another controversial topic he 'cartooned' on recently: Abortion, or more specifically, the Texas law that requires people seeking an abortion to have a sonogram of their unborn child first, and listen to their doctor describe the results prior to having the abortion. You can see a portion of this strip by going to Talk About Doonesbury's Take on the Texas Sonogram Law.
When you boil the abortion debate down to it's simplest form, it all comes down to this: is the unborn child in the womb a human being or not. If it's not, then of course, abortion should be legal and totally unrestricted. But if it is, well, that's where the controversy starts.
This is not the first time in history we have faced this question. When Columbus discovered America in 1492 (some say it was never lost!), the Pope of that day assured the Europeans that the natives they found there were indeed human beings.
And the whole issue of slavery in America revolved around the idea - the false idea - that blacks were inferior to whites, and therefore slavery was OK. (See The connection Between Slavery and Abortion, or Establishing Personhood).
I like to think that, even as America came to abhor slavery and see blacks as human beings - equal with whites and other races - the day will come when everyone will acknowledge what modern biological science already knows, that the unborn baby is a human being that deserves the same rights as the rest of us - to pursue life, liberty and happiness.
Recommended viewing: The Hard Truth Video
Warning: This is a very graphic video, and if you don't have the stomach to watch it, at least read the lyrics from the song sung on this video:
A MALEDICTION
The judges sat outside the law
and in their pride no evil saw
In setting teeth to Satan's jaw
And feeding him our children
A curse a curse the law it cries
A curse a curse on mankind's pride
A curse on him who would deny
God's image in mankind
When viewed in terms of cost and ease
An unborn child is a disease
A holocaust seen fit to please
Our own convenience
Torn from out their mother's womb
Denied the sky, denied a tomb
Conceived in lust to their own ruin
A sacrifice to pleasure
A curse a curse their blood cries out
A curse a curse the heavens shout
A curse on him who dares to flout
God's image in mankind
The doctors with their blood red hands
who love their money more than man
With greed their god they lay their plans
The butchers of mankind
Oh rid us of this evil Lord
And turn our hearts by cross or sword
Our nation cannot long afford
to live beneath your anger
A curse a curse upon their heads
O, save them Lord or slay them dead
And fill our country with your dread
And turn away your anger
Lord turn away your anger
Recommended reading:
Campus Craze: Stab That Baby!
Would it Bother Us More if they Used Guns?
