"Baby is its own excuse for being."

My book club discussed John L'Heureux's short story "The Comedian" yesterday. The crux of the piece centers on a young couple, Corinne and Russ, who face an unwanted pregnancy. On the first page of the story, L'Heureux states, "Baby is its own excuse for being." Corrine is an upcoming comedian, and her husband owns a failing construction business. The story is complicated by the fact that Corinne thinks she hears her baby singing within her womb. She is the only one who can hear it. With the doctor's advice, she decides to abort her child and then changes her mind and decides to keep the baby after all. This "to abort or not to abort" decision also confronts many couples in today's society.

As we are aware, my home state of Mississippi is now in the process of adding a life-at-fertilization ballot initiative to their laws. It defines a fertilized egg as a person. The complicating factors here involve the possibility that the fertilized egg will be a result of cloning or some "functioning equivalent thereof," whatever that means.

My own values on this topic have evolved over the years. In the 1970's after the Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion, I supported a woman's right to abort. My knowledge of the topic was very limited, but I was a feminist doctoral student who was convinced that women should make their own decisions on this topic. Later I became pro-life after reading a very convincing argument about the subject. My dilemma these days is whether I can be consistent in my position by continuing to say, "I don't think the law should be changed, but I personally do not support abortion."

At this point I am leaning more toward support for the Mississippi ballot initiative. This child is a person and should have the same rights and privileges as all citizens.