I respect your point of view (and I realize we’ve gotten sidetracked into talking about abortion!) but I wanted to add something here. For a significant number of people a fertilized embryo is not seen as an “unborn child” but the potential for one. The question of allowing this embryo to develop into something that everyone agrees is a child is a fraught emotional and spiritual issue. The opinion of people who are against the recent abortion legislation (open disclosure: myself included) is best described as erring on the side of letting the pregnant woman make the choice based on her personal spiritual beliefs. It’s an admission that this is a thorny question that we, as a society, do not currently agree on.

That said, of course if you personally believe an abortion is the murder of a living being with a distinct soul (or however you want to frame it), you’re going to be in favor of abortion restrictions. There’s really no other way to go! But just as you point out that we need to be fair to the beliefs of the male senators who have been elected to their positions, we must also be fair in recognizing that the pro-choice side of the debate isn’t rooted in a lack of respect for life, but in different beliefs about what life is and when it begins.

Also, thanks for taking the time to write out your thoughts on this issue and my article! One respectful conversation may not change someone’s mind, but it’s much, much better than the alternative.