The mariner can avoid it no longer. The issue has gone beyond rationality. On the one hand, the conservatives are passing truly unscientific and, if you are a woman, abusive law that invades privacy beyond all measure. On the liberal side, a human life in any phase of gestation is disposable.

The genuine believers in the sanctity of life also include the sanctity of womanhood. To unnecessarily destroy a human being is a violation of ethics related to the sanctity of life – a creation of God some would say, regardless of an abuse of a child unwanted and uncared for and likely to live an unfavorable life.

The definition of when a fetus becomes human is an arguable point and the mariner understands that. The mariner does not understand surreptitious legislation that is never debated on the floor of the legislature and, at the heart of it, does not demonstrate a concern for the humanity of a woman, a child, or anything ethical but rather something more akin to the Spanish Inquisition. It makes no sense that a woman must have a sonogram before she can pursue birth control of any kind – even a condom, which is considered guilt by intent.

It makes no sense that there are magical ways to avoid pregnancy because a rape has occurred. A rape is a crime and women should not be co-conspirators of a rape crime. Is one sin piled upon another valid? Some think that hospitals can perform a D&C (dilation and curettage) that will make things right. Yet the laws passed recently deny the hospital the authority to perform a D&C.

Clearly, there is a political war ongoing that has left ethics, religion, and sanctity of life behind. This is not good. It is mean. The mariner believes that the abortion issue truly is a personal situation protected by privacy, expediency and one’s ethical responsibility. One’s personal opinion cannot measure another person’s opinion.

Using such a sacred, sensitive and personal issue to wage war in the political environment is a sin all unto itself.

Ancient Mariner