To the editor:
Knowledge is power. Knowledge of the wheel built the pyramids. Knowledge of steam power united America around the railroad. Knowledge of polio delivered the first vaccine. And, as the late Nola Rae Campbell ("Warnings for the future," Aug. 26) noted in her recent letter to this esteemed publication, the knowledge of technology to design gas chambers and cremation ovens was manipulated by Hitler to kill millions. Knowledge is power.
We know that as humans we have a duty to protect each other from bodily harm. We know that murder is evil and life is good. We know that a beautiful sunny afternoon in the company of one's family and friends picnicking in a park or freely cruising down the Ohio River is good and beautiful. We also know that a child's heart begins to beat three weeks after conception. We also know that brain waves appear six weeks after fertilization.
An unborn child can feel pain through pain receptors around their mouth at five weeks. Right or left-hand dominance is evident in week eight. By week 10, you could take a fetus' fingerprint. At 23 weeks, a fetus can hear her mother's voice and is viable with medical help outside the womb.
Tears can be seen in week 26 and music preferences in week 33.
On Nov. 4, Ohioans will again take to the polls, this time with arguably the most important question of our time: What defines murder? Is abortion murder? Even if you disagree with my conclusions, anyone can plainly see that this question is critically important to life, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness. Either a fetus is a child or it is not. Either a baby is systematically killed in the womb not dissimilar from the millions who went to the gas chambers or a fetus is removed by a medical procedure. Knowledge is power.
The facts I stated are true. I have purposefully left them unembellished by opinion. Check them against reality. Read the research produced by the Endowment for Human Development if you do not believe me.
If the facts are true, then how can we accept that a fetus is not a child and the unborn daughter in the womb is not a little girl? The question we should ask is not whether she is alive. It is not whether she is a person. No, we should ask: What is her name? Will she enjoy sitting by the fire to read with grandma or will she prefer fishing at the lake with Uncle Frank? Are those little ears going to enjoy rock-and-roll or hip-hop someday? Will she go to EGCC or is she interested in learning to fly? Is she the next track champion for Big Red or is she in the band at Central?
I do not know. I do know that knowledge is power. I do know that Issue One in November will take away her rights. I do know I want to meet her someday. Do you? Vote No on Nov. 7.
Annie McKenna
Steubenville