Pro-life is anti-abortion at minimum

his opinion editorial article is a response to “If you’re pro-life, vote for Biden” by Rob McManus, which appeared in last week’s edition of the Record. I find Rob McManus’ assessment of the pro life stance to be inaccurate and in need of clarification.

The most glaring issue with McManus’ argument is that he fails to mention what necessarily defines the pro-life stance. That is, what constitutes being pro-life by definition, at minimum?

Although a person that identifies as pro-life can harbor other compatible issues within their ethic to protect and enhance human life, to be pro-life, at minimum, one must oppose abortion. With the inclusion of this essential definition, McManus’ claim that Biden is pro-life is fundamentally undermined; Biden does not oppose abortion but actively works to protect and expand access to abortion.

It follows, then, that McManus’s characterization of both Trump and Biden is incorrect. McManus states that “[President Trump] may be anti-abortion, but he is not pro-life.” He later goes on to note that “Joe Biden is pro-life but not in the conventional sense.” Given that the definition of being pro-life means to oppose abortion or be anti-abortion at minimum, Trump is pro-life and Biden is not. In fact, to say that Trump is anti-abortion and not pro-life is contradictory; because Trump is pro-life, he is anti-abortion.

Moreover, Biden and Trump seek to further opposing agendas when it comes to the issue of abortion. If Biden is elected president, he seeks to expand abortion access and codify Roe v. Wade. If re-elected, President Trump has declared that he will enact legislation that opposes abortion, including seeking to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision. Based on their future political agendas alone, Trump can be characterized as pro-life and Biden cannot be characterized as pro-life.

Each election cycle, The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops publishes guidelines to help inform Catholic voters on the most pertinent issues. In “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” Pope Francis states that the “threat of abortion remains our pre-eminent priority” because “[abortion] attacks life itself.” In total, other issues concerning human life should not be dismissed, but opposing abortion is considered the highest priority for a Catholic voter because abortion destroys human life at its very beginning.

The pro-life movement recognizes the commitment to protect human life without exception. Protecting human life starts when human life begins: at conception. Allowing a child within the womb to grow and develop as intended, where the child is intended to do so, is what protects and respects unborn, human life. When medical intervention is needed during a pregnancy, it is sought to deliberately preserve human life; abortion is an intervention that is procured during pregnancy to deliberately kill human life. Abortion does not protect but destroys human life when it is most vulnerable. Simply put, we are not given the liberty to deliberately harm human life.

It is essential that we do not misrepresent or dilute the pro-life stance. The pro-life movement situates itself into a wider ethic of respecting and protecting human life. The end of abortion sets a precedent on the protection of all human life.

Ultimately, even if it be the case that one or another presidential candidate supports the pro life movement, neither possess a monopoly on protecting the dignity of human life.