Libertarians for Life(LFL,L4L) is anonsectariangroup expressing an opposition toabortionwithin the context oflibertarianism.Based inWheaton,Maryland,Libertarians for Life believes abortion is not a right, but "a wrong under justice".[1]
Views
editTo explain and defend its stance on abortion, Libertarians for Life argues that:[2]
- Human offspring are human beings, persons from fertilization.
- Abortion is homicide – the killing of one person by another.
- There is never a right to kill an innocent person. Prenatally, we are all innocent persons.
- A prenatal child has the right to be in the mother's body. Parents have no right to evict their children from the crib or from the womb and let them die. Instead both parents, the father as well as the mother, owe them support and protection from harm.
- No government, nor any individual, has a just power to legally "de-person" any one of us, born or preborn.
- The proper purpose of the law is to side with the innocent, not against them.
None of the arguments are based upon religious belief, and are intended to appeal equally toatheistsandtheists.This is a point of pride for the group, claiming to rely on science and reason, while bothanti-abortionallies andabortion rightsopponents use what they view as non-scientific or unreasoned arguments.[2][3][4]
Activities
editDoris Gordon founded Libertarians for Life in 1976 "because some libertarian had to blow the whistle."[3][5]In 1988, the Libertarians for Life unsuccessfully attempted to change theLibertarian Partyposition on abortion, so it would be similar to the party's1988presidentialnominee,Ron Paul.[6]
See also
edit
- Abortion debate
- Abortion law
- Debates within libertarianism
- Democrats for Life of America
- Factions in the U.S. Libertarian Party
- Fetalandchildren's rights
- Libertarian perspectives on abortion
- Libertarian theories of law
- Natural and legal rights
- Opposition to legal abortion
- Republican National Coalition for Life
- Support for legal abortion
- United States pro-life movement
References
edit- ^McElroy, Wendy(2002).Liberty for Women: Freedom and Feminism in the Twenty-First Century.Chicago:Ivan R. Dee.pp. 156–157.ISBN978-1-56663-435-9.
- ^ab"The Libertarian Case Against Abortion".Libertarians for Life.(l4l.org).RetrievedDecember 28,2009.
- ^abGordon, Doris (1999)."Abortion and Rights: Applying Libertarian Principles Correctly".International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy.19(3/4). MCB UP Ltd: 96–126.doi:10.1108/01443339910788811.ISSN0144-333X.
- ^Lewis, Larry L. (1997).Proclaiming the Pro-Life Message: Christian Leaders Address the Abortion Issue.Hannibal, Missouri:Hannibal Books. p. 27.ISBN978-0-929292-84-7.
- ^Bandow, Doug(1994).The Politics of Envy: Statism as Theology.New Brunswick, New Jersey:Transaction Publishers.p.28.ISBN978-1-56000-171-3.
- ^Turner, Wallace (September 6, 1987)."Libertarians Pick Ex-Congressman in '88 Bid".The New York Times.p. 135.RetrievedDecember 28,2009.
Further reading
edit- McElroy, Wendy(2008)."Abortion".InHamowy, Ronald(ed.).The Encyclopedia of Libertarianism.Thousand Oaks, CA:SAGE;Cato Institute.pp. 2–4.doi:10.4135/9781412965811.ISBN978-1412965804.LCCN2008009151.OCLC750831024.