Doug Farrow: Political parties should butt out of abortion arguments

I receive emails from this GOP sheet. Today the headline is “Abortion is murder.” I didn’t read it. My opinion suits neither party. I am a Libertarian. Absolutes like any or all, or none and never, give me a big problem. I believe in quality of life over quantity of life.

By the third trimester, with today’s technology, prospective parents can tell of any abnormality short of mild mental deficiency. Murder is a very harsh word. Euthanasia is a suspicious word. But abortion should be a personal decision made only by the parents who have an ongoing stake in it. They must envision this new life and the long-run quality of it.

I am a very emotional guy. I cry over sad endings and happy endings. I am nearly crying as I write this. But I am inundated and almost immune to the daily bombardment of ads from Shriners Hospital. There would be one horrific moment in time when a life is ended. Or there may be an indefinite number of years living a life woefully short of the lives they see in others. I want that burden to be carried by parents, not churches or governments. Political parties should shut up!

This story was originally published August 4, 2015 at 5:56 PM with the headline "Doug Farrow: Political parties should butt out of abortion arguments."