March 2019
As I write this, the Rhode Island pro-life community is reeling from the passage in our House of Representatives of a bill that would—among other evils—hardwire into state law the killing of the unborn at any time before birth.
The irony is that many who voted in favor of this legislation, or who supported it, also champion ecological concerns. But one cannot claim eco-friendly credentials and advance the intentional and often brutal ending of a human life.
In fact, pro-abortion politicians (tragically, some of whom are Catholic), and all those who support such a barbaric practice can learn a thing or two from a true appreciation of ecology and the practice of ecological protection. I say this for two reasons that both have to do with the relational nature of creation.
First, as environmental advocates remind us, the health of the natural world is necessary to support human life. Clean air and water, healthy food and an environment free of toxins are necessary for both the born and, often more so, the unborn.
In other words, protecting ecosystems—which are comprised of and nurture life—is a moral necessity. That makes the voices for environmental protection champions of...