There comes a time in every politician’s career when he or she either rises to the occasion or falls. Bibiana Aído has failed that test.Bibiana Aído is Spain’s minister of equality and is charged with introducing the new ‘Ley de Salud Sexual y Reproductiva y de Interrupción Voluntaria del Embarazo’. They key element of this law is the reduction of the time at which an abortion can be carried out and that women aged 16 can have an abortion without telling their parents.
What is important in such a debate is that the minister involved fully understands the facts and Aído clearly doesn’t. Indeed her ideas are an abortion as she clearly hasn’t mastered her brief.
Asked by a listener on the Cadena SER radio station whether a foetus of 13 weeks was not already a baby Aído replied: “Un ser vivo, claro, lo que no podemos hablar es de ser humano porque eso no tiene ninguna base científica”. In other words we can’t say the foetus is human because there is no scientific basis to say that.
As this statement caused immediate furore including calls for her resignation Aído quickly backed tracked issuing a statement: “No hay evidencia científica para decir que es un ser humano ni para no decirlo y me baso en el manifiesto que han elaborado los científicos.” In short science hasn’t decided whether a 13 week old foetus is human or not.
I am for contraception and the use of condoms to prevent AIDS.
I support abortion when the health or life of the mother is in danger. I can also agree to medical intervention in case of rape.
However I do not accept the use of abortion as a form of belated contraception or agree that the wishes of the would-be mother overrule the rights of the unborn child.
I also believe that Aído has missed the point. Once an egg has been fertilized the process of creating a human life has started. We all travelled that route and whilst scientists obviously disagree about when the egg develops sufficiently to become human there is no disagreement that we are interfering with a life or I should add - the right to life.
3 comments:
Just a short note to say I really enjoy reading your blog.
Why do you say "once an egg has been fertilised..... " Is that your own personal starting point? What if other people have other starting points either before or after yours? Do you accept their views or are only yours right?
Is Simon suggesting that maybe as women have all their eggs in two baskets, if we have an ovary removed we may be committing a crime too, or that all those condoms flushed away or flung out of car windows should be acknowledged as potential abortions?
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