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One day I walked into an operating room, to just be an observant, which we would do generally, as a medical resident. They were performing this hysterectomy, which was a caesarean section. And they lifted out a fetus that weighted approximately 2 pounds, and it was breathing and crying. And it was put in a bucket and set in the corner of the room, and everybody in the room just pretended that they didn't hear it. And the baby died. And I walked out of that room a different person... Roe v. Wade is a reflection of the moral climate of the country, because the law was being defied, and then the law was changed, the law sort of caught up with the culture. So even though we work in the legal area, and work politically, ultimately I believe it's an issue of personal morality, and is a reflection of the country, more so than just the lack of laws. Just changing the laws won't be enough, we will ultimately have to have a society that's moral enough, where the fetus deserves legal protection.

Ron Paul#80

EthicsLawAbortionMoralityCulture

About this quote

What does it mean?
Paul recounts witnessing a newborn's death in an operating room and links Roe v. Wade to the nation's moral climate, suggesting law alone cannot change personal morality.
In plain terms
He says laws can't fix deep moral attitudes about abortion.
What can you take from it?
Cultural change is needed alongside legal reforms to affect abortion views.

Where it applies

  • public discussions on reproductive rights
  • education on bioethics

Putting it to work

  • promoting moral education
  • encouraging community dialogues

Questions to consider

  • Can legal change influence personal morality?
  • What role does culture play in shaping abortion views?

Another view

Personal experiences may not represent broader societal attitudes.

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