Pregnancy isn't a disease -- but it has certainly been treated like one since the outbreak of the Zika virus. With very real fears circulating about the birth defects that can result in infected moms, some of the world's abortion advocates have seized the moment to more forcefully push their global abortion agenda as the solution to babies with possible disabilities. The debate has become a fierce one in places like Brazil, which have much stronger pro-life policies than America. Like other countries in South America, abortion is only allowed in the rarest of cases in Brazil -- which also happens to have some of the highest concentrated number of Zika cases.
Now, as radical groups beat the drum for overturning those laws, the United Nations seems to be aligning itself with the abortion lobbyists, insisting in a statement from the U.N. Commission of Human Rights that "laws and policies that restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services in contravention of international standards must be repealed..." That caught dozens of members of the U.S. House by surprise, who feel, as we do, that the Zika virus shouldn't be used as an excuse to bully pro-life nations into overturning their policies. To express their shock and disappointment, more than 50 members signed a letter to the U.N. High Commissioner demanding an explanation for the body's statement.
"We believe the Zika virus should be a time for thoughtful deliberation as local and national governments determined the best policies to curb the spread of the disease. It should not be an occasion to exploit a genuine public health crisis to advance a political agenda to overturn laws of many nations protective of life at all stages of development... In this context, we are concerned that the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights appears to be taking a similarly opportunistic and pro-abortion approach to the Zika outbreak. Any such action is gravely inappropriate. We urge you to immediately clarify your statements to make clear that you and the U.N. High Commission on Human Rights are not calling for changes to laws protecting the human rights of unborn children, and particularly unborn children with disabilities in countries affected by the Zika virus."
Our hats go off to these members for calling the U.N. on their not-so-subtle message for the international community. Abortion isn't the cure -- not for Zika, not for unplanned pregnancy, not for anything. As too many women will tell you, taking the life of a child doesn't solve anything. It only makes a bad situation worse. And while no one is minimizing the dangers of the virus, we shouldn't minimize the consequences of abortion either.
** Justice Antonin Scalia may be gone, but his impact continues to be felt. Find out how in Ken Blackwell's latest piece for The Stream, "The 2016 Election Is All about SCOTUS."
