Freedom’s Gift.

It’s called human fetal material. Or fetal matter. It’s tissue that contains the unique structure of an individual life. You haven’t seen this tissue in person. Few people have, outside of those employed at medical facilities. In the days of Innocence, “tissue” was called “baby.” Those days are over, given way to scientific terminology that dehumanizes Conception, that essentially renders Conception as nothing of any real consequence. Tissue has no Choice, no say in its future; or to be more explicit, in its life or death. That Choice is left to its protector, its guardian, its Trustee. The “owner” of the tissue has sole authority, like Roman Emperors, who gave thumbs up or down at the Coliseum. Tissue has no advocate, no surrogate to plead its case. Since tissue doesn’t think, since tissue has no personality, since tissue has no established gender and no countenance, disposing of it amounts to scraping dinner plate residue into the disposal and flipping the switch, or packaging it for sale. Tissue has no Choice. But tissue isn’t alone. A three-month-old fetus has no Choice. A two-year-old boy doesn’t have Choice. An elderly dementia patient decides nothing. A prisoner kneeling before the ISIS  sword is at the mercy of  the executioner’s Choice. Millions of people the world over, totally dependent, do not choose. And millions, billions, of others have only limited Choice — limited by station, education, economics and physiology. In America, for the great majority, Choice is Freedom’s Immaculate Gift, made implicit in the declaration of “truths to be self evident.” Americans have the right to live, to be free and to pursue happiness. Unlike fetal tissue, living Americans have Choice. And make no mistake — where you stand is your Choice. You choose to work, or not. Learn, or not. Eat, or not. Exercise, or not. Cheat, or not. Contribute, or not. Drug yourself, or not. Steal, or not. Sacrifice, or not. Travel, or not. Kill, or not. To borrow from Don McLean’s Crossroads — “. . . all roads lead to where (you) stand . . .” In a few months, America’s people exercise their Choice, or not. They will choose between two candidates who have left clear trails to where they stand. You wonder how many people will look at those trails, find the facts and weigh the substance. How many will ignore the candidates’ words and, instead, examine the candidates’ body of work. How many will measure documented examples of honesty and integrity. You wonder how many will allow blind prejudice or peer pressure to flip the switch. Freedom’s Gift has always been bought and paid for with American blood. You will think of that before you make your Choice, as you make it and after you make it. It’s the very least you can do to honor those that gave and continue to give everything they have.

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