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Pope John Paul saw that abortion is an emblematic and
singular socio-ethical problem, deserving central attention in Catholic
social thought. To illustrate the uniqueness of abortion as a matter of
social justice, here are six characteristics distinguishing it from related
social phenomena:
1. Abortion deals specifically
with the destruction of innocent life. This differentiates discussion
of abortion from other related topics. This is why then- Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger in June 2004 wrote: “There may be a legitimate diversity of
opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death
penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.” Though all
life is precious, moral theology has always differentiated the destruction
of “innocent life” as particularly heinous and always and everywhere worthy
of condemnation.
2. Another factor
distinguishing abortion as a social phenomenon is the sheer magnitude of
the problem: an estimated 46 million abortions performed worldwide each
year, a figure that alone makes abortion a social problem of staggering
proportions. The volume of abortions underscores the social nature of the
problem, and makes abortion one of the most serious social justice issues of
all time.
3. A third factor
separating abortion from other justice issues is its legal status. Unlike
other instances of massive killing of human life, like terrorism or serial
killing, which stand clearly outside the law in advanced nations, abortion
enjoys legal sanction. Pope John Paul wrote of the novelty of such “scientifically
and systematically programmed threats” (Evangelium Vitae, no.
17).
4. A fourth distinguishing aspect of abortion is its arbitrary
division of human beings into those worthy of life and those unworthy.
Abortion deals not with the random killing of unrelated individuals, but
with the circumscription of an entire class of human beings (the
unborn) as non-persons, excluded from the basic rights and protections
accorded to all other human beings.
If human dignity depends on anything other than simple membership in the
human race—be it intelligence, athletic ability, social status, race, age,
or health—we immediately find ourselves having to distinguish between
persons who count and those who don’t.
5. Abortion even
distinguishes itself from related questions of medical ethics, such as
euthanasia and assisted suicide, by the absence of any possibility of
informed consent. The status of the unborn as voiceless and most
vulnerable adds a further dimension to discussions of the morality and
gravity of abortion. Here the bioethical category of “autonomy” cannot be
applied, since unborn children have no way of speaking for themselves.
6. Finally, abortion
differs from other major social ills such as unemployment and divorce
because of its relative invisibility. Abortion takes place behind
closed doors, and is hushed in public. As in the case of slavery, ending the
social injustice of abortion relies mainly on the courage and willingness of
persons and institutions not directly involved in abortion to speak out. |
