In the wake of New York’s recent decision to expand abortion rights, Vermont may soon consider enacting a law that would remove all limitations on abortion, including time, reason, fetal viability, and method. From H-0057:
- (a) Every individual possesses the fundamental right to choose or decline contraception or sterilization.
- (b) Every individual who becomes pregnant is entitled to choose whether to carry the pregnancy to term, give birth to a child, or undergo an abortion.
This implies that a healthy, viable baby could be killed at 8 months, 30 days gestation. It suggests that the abortion could be delayed or conducted in a manner that permits organ harvesting. It indicates that a fetus whose brain was sufficiently developed to experience pain could be torn slowly apart in the womb in the most agonizing manner. It would also permit sex-selection abortion and, if it were ever possible to determine, termination to prevent a gay baby from being born.
What can be made of this provision?
- (c) A fertilized egg, embryo, or fetus shall not have independent rights under Vermont law.
At the very least, the bill would fully authorize the deplorable fetal tissue sales practices that have been the subject of recent controversy, including the videos that have been the subject of litigation.
Furthermore, the legislation could permit other morally questionable practices, such as creating a free space for germ-line genetic engineering, as recently done in China. It is also possible that fetuses could be maintained in an artificial womb for purposes of experimentation, since they would have no rights, recognized human dignity, or legal status.
It is important to note that experimentation was conducted in the late 1960s on living fetuses. One 1968 study, which involved a 26-week aborted fetus kept alive for five hours in an artificial environment, even received the Foundation Prize Award from the American Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
It is also noteworthy that there are no residency requirements. Given that almost every jurisdiction in the world places restrictions on late terminations, Vermont could well become the viable-fetus abortion capital of the world.
The 91 authors of this bill—it is important to consider this fact—seek to have Vermont’s public policy state explicitly that unborn human life has no value or moral worth that any born person is bound to respect.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
