The Inalienable Rights of Whom?

Inalienable means incapable of being alienated, surrendered, or transferred. It also means unable to be removed or taken away, especially in relation to rights or possessions. So we now must consider the rights of more than one class of human beings over all others. Our citizens are protected by the United States Declaration of Independence. The phrase “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” is well-known and should never be considered an attribute to be removed or tampered with in any fashion on our citizens.

There was a time in history when blacks were denied that premise and in some factions of our nation still are denied this right. However, how many other groups in our socially accepted citizenry are still denied their right as a God-given person whom the Creator handed to each child conceived and waiting to be born into a human family? By this, of course, are those embryos who were conceived and are protected in the womb of his/her mother and wait until the time of gestation is completed. From the understanding of Catholic Doctrine this new human life is a living person from the moment of fertilization until the baby enters the world of its mother and begins to breathe the same air that you and I have already been doing since our own human birth.

For anyone to deny this truth is fighting against this human biological premise and also is part of the anti-unborn members and are fighting against their rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and their inalienable rights as a citizen of the United States of America.

Many of us who have written articles in support of the unborn and argue against abortion, in all phases, must continue to promote the right to life. The very dictates of these unborn fetuses are alive, can feel pain, and in a special manner absorb the voices of those who only wish them hatred and put them into a world that is unkind during their months of growth through their moment of taking their first breath.

Too often the words of kindness or degradation will somehow become embedded in the small brain of this fetus and when entering the life of a new person born into our world will retain these words and unknowingly become led by their premise. Is it any wonder where the reactions of some of life’s confusion and mistrust give birth to antisocial examples of violence or self-destructing actions? What, we might ask, happened to this child before he/she was born, while growing in the womb of its mother?

The truth of all life is the commandment of God pertaining to love. “Hear O Israel!” You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mk 12: 30 - 31).

Offenses against Truth: Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor. (CCC 2477).

An unborn child could be that neighbor and the unkind words that penetrate that brain while yet in gestation will respond in later life from an unknown and unkind word that passes on the same evil contentious utterance from one who speaks that word around the unborn child.

Won’t that scenario also take away the inalienable right of this unborn child? He/she has the same right to the “Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness as anyone else.

Ralph B. Hathaway