Long Island Coalition for Life, Inc.

Oratory Contest
Pro-Life Speech on Abortion
by Caitlin Kennedy
2011


Given the Chance

On October 24th 2006, a little bundle of life was brought into the world. And when I say little, I mean little. Amillia Taylor was born at Baptist Children's Hospital in Miami, Florida, weighing in at a mere 10 ounces. She had spent only 21 weeks in her mother's womb and was 9 inches in length - approximately the size of a ballpoint pen. A team of doctors worked tirelessly for four months to ensure that her fully developed heart continued to pump blood through her delicate veins and arteries. Her little heart, which was smaller than a cherry, had the fighting spirit of a tiger and in the end, she outran death. Amillia is now 4 years old and lives with her loving mother and father. Amillia was born at 21 weeks gestation. According to the law, she wasn't a human being; she was just a collection of tissue. Yet there she was, heart beating and lungs breathing as if in defiance of the decision that had declared that she wasn't a human life. Her very presence and struggle seemed to say, "Of course I'm a life. Who dares say that I'm not?" And of course she was. In fact, she was a life 21 weeks before.

" Only 22 weeks after conception her heart began to beat.
" Vital organs began forming by week 3
" At 6 weeks brain waves were detected
" At 11 weeks all organ systems were functional and she had a skeletal structure, nerves, and circulation.
" All of the parts necessary for Amillia to experience pain including spinal cord and thalamus were present by week 12.
" At week 20, the earliest stage at which partial birth abortions are performed, she was a near perfect replica of an adult.

And at 21 weeks 6 days, she was born.

The chances of survival have drastically increased for premature infants. In Minneapolis, Minnesota, neonatal units have reported that 80 percent of babies born at 24 weeks and 66 percent of infants born at 23 weeks survive. Roe vs. Wade is based on the misguided belief that these babies are merely masses of tissue as opposed to human beings that can support life. But now, due to modern technology, these children can support life. So why are these abortions still taking place? Is it fair that Amillia received legal protection earlier than other infants of the same age and development just because they were forced to leave the safety of their mother's womb earlier than others? Professor Sunny Anand of the University of Arkansas is a pro-choice activist and has preformed several abortions in his lifetime. Yet even he thinks that the legal limit of abortion should be reduced due to the growing number of premature infants that survive and due to the medical evidence that the fetus can feel pain at 18 weeks gestation. According to an article written in 2008, "GPs want the top limit reduced. Doctors are only too well aware of the moral dilemma of being told to fight to save a premature baby's life in one ward of the hospital - and ending the life of another down the corridor." How can any country that allows such activities to take place on her soil dare to call itself civilized?

"Nor cruel or unusual punishment inflicted". These words appear in the eighth amendment of this country's Constitution. People cry out in protest when murderers and traitors are executed with a painless lethal injection. Yet they remain silent as infants are torn limb from limb in their own mother's womb. And all these infants did was to obey the laws of nature. Thousands abortions occur between 21 weeks and 24 weeks gestation every year. But these children may very well have been able to survive if they were given the proper treatment. Jayden Capewell was born at 21 weeks, 5 days gestation one day earlier than Amillia. But he was born in the United Kingdom. According to government guidelines, if the child is born before 22 weeks it is considered a disservice to the child to help it to survive due to the possibility of brain damage. So they let the child die. Doctors told Sarah Capewell that if the baby had been born 2 days later they would have tried to help. Jayden had a strong heartbeat, was moving around and crying. Despite the mother's desperate pleas, they wouldn't admit him into the neonatal unit because he wasn't a life. He survived a full 2 hours on his own before he died in his mother's arms. She is now fighting to have the guidelines changed. But we have to fight as well. There is a battle that must be won on our own soil. We must fight so that America's children are allowed the chance to live. We must continue to vote representatives into office that will rigorously support the pro-life cause. We must continue to go to pro life rallies such as the March for Life in Washington D.C.. America is the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is our duty as Americans to keep it that way. Let our voices be heard for those who are condemned without even being given the chance to speak in their own defense. If we could hear the voice of a child about to be aborted, if they were given the chance to speak, what would they say? If they were allowed to speak, maybe they would be heard to say "What if I grow up to become the President of the United States? What if I were to grow up to be a doctor and find the cure for cancer or AIDS? What if hundreds of people will now die because I wasn't born? Would you still abort me?" Maybe that is what they would say. Abortion is the termination of an innocent life. Ronald Reagan, once said, "I have noticed that most pro choice activists have already been born." And it is an excellent observation. Who are we to decide that we can deprive someone else of a gift that we already have without even giving them a chance? Who are we to decide what the "standard of living" is? Think of all of the Jayden's that aren't ever given the chance and yet, they could have been like Amillia; healthy, alive, and given the chance. Given the chance to share in the freedoms our forefathers fought so hard to obtain for us. Think of them and make the right choice; the Right to Life choice.



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