Anti-abortion campaign brutally fact-checked on Reddit

With a historical referendum in Ireland and a rejection of a crucial bill in Argentina, this year proved to be a controversial and emotionally-charged one for abortion rights.

And while, for now, there is little in the news headlines, the debate is still on going on the internet, with the latest example being a post shared on a subbreddit called MurderedByWords, which collected thousands of comments.

The posted meme was taken from a Facebook page called “Life Begins at Conception” and features a picture of a baby, with the captions “If you’re pronounced dead when your heart stops beating… why aren’t you pronounced alive when your heart starts beating?” accompanying it.

Underneath it, is a note from one commenter who decided to take the meme apart to do some serious fact-checking. The user wrote:

Actually you’re not considered dead when your heart starts beating. This is why many medical professionals still try to revive those whose hearts have stopped.

Because medicine and science has found that death is not considered when your heart has stopped, but once all brain activity has ceased. Which is why they usually have around six minutes before there is no chance to revive. Because when the heart has stopped, your brain cells are deprived of oxygen and start to die”

They post continues:

Foetuses do not have regular brain activity until 25 weeks. At this point in gestation, the only time an abortion would be performed is out of medical necessity to save the mother’s life, or to spare the foetus from a short and painful life.

These only make up 1% of all abortion. And therefore by this argument, but with the knowledge of what is actually classified as death, a foetus isn’t alive until roughly 25 week, far after 99% of abortions are performed

And finally, it finished off by stating:

Please do actual research before trying to use emotional manipulative photos of babies that are born and NOT foetuses before parading it out and believe it as fact.

Because you are only seriously misinforming yourself, and many others and furthering contributing to a movement that tries to control women's bodies, when what they do with it does not affect you 

The meme started a very thought-provoking discussion on the subreddit, with people not only pointing out the irony of the post but also sharing facts for pro-choice and pro-life. Amongst these debates were also some heartbreaking personal experiences with abortion.

"I'm actually pretty relieved they're using rea babies now," said one user, while another said: "Great argument. It's a good thing logic can change a pro-life person's mind"

It is nice to see that despite heated debates about the issue, constructive ones can still be had online.

HT Bored Panda

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