Nancy Shoemaker: Embryo not a person

In the April 24 news article “Split House approves longer abortion wait,” Rep. Debra Conrad said, “Once conception occurs, you’re talking about the rights of two human beings.” I disagree. A fertilized embryo is just that. A woman, the mother, is a human being.

People may believe the embryo is a person, but that is a belief, probably a religious belief, not a fact. Roe v. Wade was the compromise.

The North Carolina General Assembly should return to the important work that will improve the lives of all North Carolinians instead of trying to impose specific religious values on us all, the very antithesis of our pluralistic society.

This story was originally published May 2, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Nancy Shoemaker: Embryo not a person."