Wikfors Testifies on Fetal Pain

NEWS & COMMENTARY

AZ Right to Life Director Testifies to Legislative Committee on Fetal Pain

By Shane Wikfors, Executive Director, Arizona Right to Life
Jan. 25, 2006

Today, the Arizona House Health Committee passed a bill requiring abortionists to inform women about the pain their unborn child experiences during an abortion. The vote was 5-1. Several committee members who were present during the hearing conveniently disappeared prior to the vote.

Apparently, they did not want to go on the record
with this bill.

Following are my remarks to the committee on House Bill 2254:

Chairman Quelland, Members of the Health Committee, my name is Shane Wikfors and I serve as the Executive Director of Arizona Right to Life -- Arizona's oldest and largest pro-life organization and an affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee.

At our core, Arizona Right to Life is a human rights organization whose mission is to restore respect for and promote the protection of all innocent human life -- ultimately, we speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.

This is a human rights bill.

At a time when our society is engaged in a debate over human suffering and the use of torture, abortion should be no exception.

A great consensus of pediatricians, anesthesiologists, pharmacologists, obstetricians and neurobiologists have agreed upon 20 weeks after conception as a threshold when a human fetus can feel pain. In fact, between weeks 20 and 30, an unborn child has more pain receptors per square inch than any other time, before or after birth, with only a very
thin layer of skin for protection.

During this point in pregnancy, the most common abortion performed is called a dilation and evacuation procedure.

During this procedure, the abortion doctor literally tears apart the body of the unborn child limb from limb. This is a horrific procedure and one in which no anesthesia is administered.

In 2004, the Department of Health, Office of Vital Statistics reported 136 abortions performed in Arizona after the 20th week of gestational age.

We can reasonably assume that the procedure used for these abortions were either the dilation and evacuation method or the partial birth abortion method.

136 unborn children died through an excruciating method of torture.

According to Arizona law, the destruction of unwanted animals requires the use of methods that are humane. Arizona law requires the use of either nitrogen gas, sodium pentobarbital or a derivation of sodium pentobarbital. Interestingly, these methods also act as an anesthesia.

Arizona law also requires that even convicted criminals condemned to die by lethal injection are executed in a manner far more humane than being torn limb by limb.

Shockingly, the unborn are the only exception.

Mr. Chairman, Members of the Health Committee, this bill does not restrict or prohibit abortion in any manner. It is pro-information, pro-choice, pro-woman and pro-humane.

Women deserve to know their options, the truth and this bill does just that.

In a day and age when we strive to bring common sense, decency and humane treatment to our citizens, I ask that you not forget the most vulnerable members of our society, the unborn.

I urge you to vote in support if House Bill 2254.

Thank you

Here's how the vote went down:
Amanda Aguirre - Absent during vote but attended the hearing
Dave Bradley - No
Jennifer Burns - Yes
Ted Carpenter - Yes
Laura Knaperek - Yes
Linda Lopez - Absent during the vote
Colette Rosati - Yes
Doug Quelland - Yes
Rick Murpy - Absent during the entire hearing but would have voted "Yes"