The moral blindness of Kamala Harris’ position on abortion

In a surprising statement during a townhall meeting earlier this month, presidential candidate Kamala Harris said, “I’ll tell you, there are probably many here and watching who, rightly, have made a decision that they do not believe in abortion. The point that I am making is not about changing their mind about what’s right for them or their family. It’s simply saying the government shouldn’t be making this decision.”

Really? She actually believes that many people have “rightly ... made a decision that they do not believe in abortion?”

Then why is she promising to reinstate Roe v. Wade if elected? In her words, she “will proudly sign back into law the protections of Roe v. Wade, which basically just says, it’s the person’s decision, not the government’s decision. That, in essence, is what’s behind my position.”

Doesn’t this sound reasonable? Abortion is one of the most personal decisions anyone can make, and so, if anything is “not the government’s decision,” it is this.

What Harris failed completely to address is why “many” people “rightly” oppose abortion, namely, because abortion takes the life of another human being. Could anything be more basic than that?

That’s why we have laws against murder and laws against rape and laws against kidnapping. All of them are transgressions against another person.

That’s also why, more specifically, we have laws against infanticide, even if the baby is intolerable, even if the child has a congenital disease, even if the mother is simply incapable of caring for the little one.

Whatever the case might be, the one thing she (or the father) is not allowed to do is terminate the life of the baby. Obviously. To do so would be to commit murder.

Had Harris simply said, “We don’t believe the fetus has full personhood, and so the government has no right to impose its will on the mother,” that would have been consistent but immoral.

But what she said was this (and I paraphrase): “Yes, many people rightly oppose abortion” — by which, she obviously meant, in their minds, they have good reason to oppose it — “and I’m not trying to change your viewpoint. That’s why we need Roe reinstated. To take this out of the government’s hands and put it in the hands of the mother.”

What she missed, quite incredibly, is that the whole reason we want to put this in the government’s hands is because we believe that abortion commits violence against a preborn child.

To paraphrase again (but with a change of subjects), “Yes, there are many who rightly oppose slavery. That’s why we need to get the ban on slavery reversed, so you can make your choices and others can make theirs.”

Slavery should be prohibited by law because it is a moral evil and abortion should be prohibited by law because it is a moral evil.

In my new book Hearts of Compassion, Backbones of Steel: How to Discuss Controversial Topics with Love and Kindness, I do my best to present compelling arguments for the cultural positions I oppose, seeking to help us respond with more heartfelt, compelling answers.

In the chapter on abortion, I present some agonizing, hypothetical cases, including this:

“Consider the story of a 12-year-old girl whom we’ll call Angela. She was abducted and raped by a sexual predator who had just been released from jail. Who can imagine her trauma? Who can imagine how this horrific event will impact the rest of her life? And how will it affect her whole family? But this is only the beginning. To add shock to shock, Angela finds out she is pregnant even though she is not even a teenager. How can this be? As for the sexual predator, he raped two more girls before he was caught and will spend the rest of his life in prison.

“The only positive thing is that Angela can get an abortion and put an end to the nightmare, without any of her friends and schoolmates knowing what happened to her. At least the horror can be hidden. At least her shame won’t be broadcast throughout her school and her neighborhood. At least she won’t have to put her young body through the trauma of nine months of pregnancy. At least she won’t have to worry about giving birth to a child whose father was a serial rapist and child abuser. Abortion is obviously the compassionate choice.”

We could say in response, “But cases like this, as unspeakably tragic and evil as this is, are the rarest of rare, with abortions performed because of rape or incest making up one percent of all abortions. What about the other 99%?”

That may be true, but it avoids the question at hand: how can anyone outside of this girl and her family make a decision about her life?

In response, I share stories of women who were raped and aborted their babies, only to learn that the abortion didn’t heal the pain. And I tell the stories of some of the finest people on our planet, people who have an incredible amount of good but were conceived in rape.

I can’t do justice to these responses in full here, but they all go back to that same fundamental point: abortion snuffs out a real, human life, a life with unknown potential, however tiny and still developing it may be.

And that is what Vice President Harris fails to acknowledge in the least. It is a massive moral blind spot.

MATTHEW 18:10
KJ21
“Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of My Father who is in Heaven.
ASV
See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
AMP
“See that you do not despise or think less of one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven [are in the presence of and] continually look upon the face of My Father who is in heaven.
AMPC
Beware that you do not despise or feel scornful toward or think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of and look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven.
BRG
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
CSB
“See to it that you don’t despise one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of my Father in heaven.
CEB
“Be careful that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. I say to you that their angels in heaven are always looking into the face of my Father who is in heaven.
CJB
See that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually seeing the face of my Father in heaven.
CEV
Don’t be cruel to any of these little ones! I promise you their angels are always with my Father in heaven.
DARBY
See that ye do not despise one of these little ones; for I say unto you that their angels in [the] heavens continually behold the face of my Father who is in [the] heavens.
DLNT
“See that you do not look-down-upon one of these little ones. For I say to you that their angels in the heavens are continually seeing the face of My Father in the heavens.
DRA
See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
ERV
“Be careful. Don’t think these little children are not important. I tell you that these children have angels in heaven. And those angels are always with my Father in heaven.
EASY
Be careful! Do not think that any of these little people are not important. I tell you this. They have angels who watch over them. Those angels are always standing in front of my Father in heaven.
EHV
See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
ESV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
ESVUK
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
EXB
“Be careful [Watch out; or See that you…]. Don’t ·think these little children are worth nothing [L despise/look down on one of these little ones]. [L For] I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always ·with [in the presence of; L see the face of] my Father in heaven.
GNV
See that ye despise not one of these little ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their Angels always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
GW
“Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven.
GNT
“See that you don’t despise any of these little ones. Their angels in heaven, I tell you, are always in the presence of my Father in heaven.
HCSB
“See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones, because I tell you that in heaven their angels continually view the face of My Father in heaven.
ICB
“Be careful. Don’t think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my Father in heaven.
ISV
“See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, because I tell you, their angels in heaven always have access to my Father in heaven.
PHILLIPS
“Be careful that you never despise a single one of these little ones—for I tell you that they have angels who see my Father’s face continually in Heaven.”
JUB
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in the heavens their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens.
KJV
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
AKJV
Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.
LSB
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
LEB
“See to it that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven constantly see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
TLB
“Beware that you don’t look down upon a single one of these little children. For I tell you that in heaven their angels have constant access to my Father.
MSG
“Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?
MEV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
MOUNCE
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that · their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
NOG
“Be careful not to despise these little ones. I can guarantee that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father, who is in heaven.
NABRE
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.
NASB
“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones; for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
NASB1995
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
NCB
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven gaze continually on the face of my heavenly Father. [
NCV
“Be careful. Don’t think these little children are worth nothing. I tell you that they have angels in heaven who are always with my Father in heaven. [
NET
“See that you do not disdain one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
NIRV
“See that you don’t look down on one of these little ones. Here is what I tell you. Their angels in heaven are always with my Father who is in heaven.
NIV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
NIVUK
‘See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.
NKJV
“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.
NLV
Be sure you do not hate one of these little children. I tell you, they have angels who are always looking into the face of My Father in heaven.
NLT
“Beware that you don’t look down on any of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels are always in the presence of my heavenly Father.
NMB
See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
NRSVA
‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
NRSVACE
‘Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
NRSVCE
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones; for, I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
NRSVUE
“Take care that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you, in heaven their angels continually see the face of my Father in heaven.
NTFE
“Take care not to despise one of these little ones. I tell you this: in heaven, their angels are always gazing on the face of my father who lives there.
OJB
See to it that you do not look down on one of these little ones, for I say to you that their malachim which are in Shomayim continually behold the face of Avi shbaShomayim (my Father who is in Heaven).
RGT
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I say to you that, in Heaven, their angels always behold the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.
RSV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
RSVCE
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.
TLV
“See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father in heaven.
VOICE
Make sure that you do not look down on the little ones, on those who are further behind you on the path of righteousness. For I tell you: they are watched over by those most beloved messengers who are always in the company of My Father in heaven.
WEB
See that you don’t despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
WE
`Do not think badly of these little children. I tell you this. They have angels in heaven. And all the time their angels can see the face of my father who is in heaven.
WYC
See ye, that ye despise not one of these little. For I say to you, that the angels of them in heavens see evermore the face of my Father that is in heavens [Truly I say to you, for the angels of them in heavens see ever the face of my Father which is in heavens].
YLT
`Beware! — ye may not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their messengers in the heavens do always

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