Diversity of belief and respecting that diversity--these are good things. Nevertheless, an argument can be easily made that diversity should have legal limits to its expression. I don't know anyone who admits to having a high regard for rape, child-molestation, genocide, apartheid, or slavery. The latter three have been sanctioned by governments and large sections of populations, and those that designed, perpetrated, and encouraged these crimes felt justified. It is obvious that these expressions of diversity are crimes against humanity because they infringe on such fundamental human rights.

      Our most basic laws protect human life. In our nation, the only subpopulations whose lives are not protected by law are the innocent unborn child and the imprisoned death-row finalist.

      It is not relevant nor my place to judge anyone's intentions. I believe many, if not most, staunch pro-choice advocates are well-intentioned, caring, human rights advocates who are delusional in thinking the world is a better place if we make it a legal choice to destroy unborn children.

      The promotion of respect for diversity is made complex by the definition of respect. I want always to show respect in the sense of being considerate and kind. Respect in the sense of having high regard I cannot give to a view that promotes destruction of human lives. During a medical school debate about abortion, a colleague said to me, "Diversity of opinion is what makes the world go around". To this I replied, "Not for the aborted unborn child. Their world stops."

Annie Bukacek MD