From Mr G. Ebejer

Last Thursday evening, as I was watching a programme on one of the local TV stations, I heard Dr Emy Bezzina defending abortion. I was astounded to hear him say certain words and referring to the Maltese people as “ignorant” and so on. I do not expect a lawyer, who is supposed to know the law and respect other people’s opinions, to talk like that.

He defended women who want to have an abortion and one of the reasons he gave was (and I will use the words that he used) that they had been raped by a “pig” and they were carrying his baby. I felt sorry for the viewers of that programme. Dr Bezzina said a woman who has been raped by a “pig” must have the right to have an abortion to get rid of that pig’s child she is carrying. But I ask, what about the right of the innocent “pig’s” child? Does not the child have any rights, Dr Bezzina? I tried repeatedly to call the programme but the line was always busy. If the “pig” did wrong, why punish the innocent child and not the “pig”? That is what Dr Bezzina says needs to be done. Yes, punish the child because the child can do nothing about it, but the “pig” is dangerous and everybody is afraid of him! Today many countries are abolishing the death penalty, even for those “pigs” that Dr Bezzina referred to. However, people like Dr Bezzina and others want to introduce the death penalty for innocent, helpless little babies. Is that right, Dr Bezzina? Bullies do this! Dr Bezzina called for women to defend themselves but what about calling for someone to defend those helpless children who are completely innocent? Is this not “might is right” Dr Bezzina? Or are you going to try and tell me that the foetus is not a human being yet?

It is accepted by all that human life begins at conception. The foetus is a new being entirely separate from its parents because it has a different chromosomal makeup. You know Dr Bezzina that the foetus is alive at conception because it has the capacity to replace its own dying cells. You know too, Dr Bezzina that the foetus needs food and time to grow into a complete human baby. You should know too, Dr Bezzina, that the foetus is just as much alive and human “before birth” as it is “after birth”; it is not a different life. Are you in favour of murder, Dr Bezzina? You should know, Dr Bezzina, that the human heart begins to beat at 18 days, and at six weeks, an electrical impulse begins in the brain. Activity can be recorded on an electroencephalogram. I am sure you know this, Dr Bezzina. Children have been born prematurely at 19 weeks and have become perfectly healthy children. Therefore, if some children can survive at this premature age, why can we not attempt to save all foetuses/children at this age, rather than terminating their lives, Dr Bezzina?

Dr Bezzina, the body of the child belongs to the child, just as the body of the mother belongs to the mother. The mother is not aborting a part of her anatomy; she is aborting a life. Why should she have the right to terminate the child’s life before birth, Dr. Bezzina?

Whether Dr. Bezzina and all those who agree with him really believe in God or not I do not know, but God says that He “hates hands that shed innocent blood” (Proverbs 6:17). Dr Bezzina, is the blood of a baby who has been aborted innocent blood or not, even if it is a “pig’s” child?

I hope Dr. Bezzina will not continue on the disastrous route he has taken and instead of defending the murder of innocent lives he starts to defend the rights of those innocent babies.

George Ebejer

COSPICUA