‘Your truth,’ ‘my truth’ and the truth about abortion
Before answering how to deal with truth, let’s first define it. According to the dictionary, truth aligns with facts or reality. This negates the idea that “your truth” can differ from “my truth.” Under this definition, “my truth” or “your truth” assertions may constitute opinions rather than truth. If the facts presented are incorrect, the claim cannot be considered truth.
Let’s examine one slice of truth such as my assertion that “Current Colorado law legalizes abortion through nine months of pregnancy.” Despite denials from Democratic leaders nationally, facts and reality suggest their claims are not based on truth.
The current Colorado Law, HB22-1279, supported by all Democratic legislators and Gov. Polis (and opposed by every Republican legislator), states that, “Every pregnant individual has a fundamental right to continue the pregnancy and give birth or to have an abortion.” Additionally, it specifies that “a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus does not have independent or derivative rights under the laws of the state.” Politifact said in April 2022 that this Colorado Law does not legalize abortions through all nine months saying, “Abortions that occur later in a pregnancy — at 21 weeks gestation or later — are rare. We rate this claim false (tinyurl. com/5n7xay8a).”
However, the issue was not whether abortions after 21 weeks are rare but whether Colorado’s law permits abortion through nine months. Consider what abortion centers advertise to women. The Denver Comprehensive Women’s Health Center states, “Abortion is legal in Colorado at all stages of pregnancy. There are no term restrictions as to when a pregnancy can be terminated.” (tinyurl.com/ yvdxtb38)
Similarly, abortionfinder.org says, “Abortion is legal throughout pregnancy in Colorado — there is no ban or limit on abortion in Colorado based on how far along in pregnancy you are” (tinyurl.com/3762wcdj). This is the reality: Colorado abortionists self-proclaim their freedom from term restrictions on abortion. Therefore, my assertion that, “Current Colorado law legalizes abortion through nine months of pregnancy” is truth and that Democratic leaders in Colorado have enacted laws permitting abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.
Abortion procedures vary depending on the gestational age. After the first three months, medical abortion (which interferes with progesterone in the uterus causing the baby to starve and suffocate) becomes unreliable, requiring D&C, D&E or D&X procedures to abort the baby. D&C (dilation and curettage) is performed up to 14 weeks, involving a hollow cannula to remove the baby — tearing the baby apart by suctioning and necessitating examination for any body parts left behind.
D&E (dilation and evacuation) is conducted from 15 to 25 weeks, requiring a sopher clamp to grasp and tear-off the baby’s limbs and torso.
Typically, the most challenging part is crushing the head to allow the emptying of the uterus. D&X (Intact Dilation and Extraction), performed from 25 to 40 weeks, involves delivering the baby vaginally but necessitates killing the baby before birth to avoid “partial birth abortion” — usually accomplished by injecting digoxin into the uterus (sources: abortionprocedures.com and tinyurl.com/mrxd2632).
How should you deal with the truth that abortion is permitted through nine months of pregnancy in Colorado? First, if you are interested in truth, do not use Politifact as your fact-checker, as you can see that on abortion issues their ratings are false and not aligned with reality.
Also, if you are among the seven in 10 voters who say abortion should be restricted to 13 weeks or less (tinyurl.com/yck5eyfr), then do not sign the petition for Proposition 89 to put unrestricted abortion on the ballot as a Colorado constitutional amendment. Should Proposition 89 appear on the November ballot, vote against it.