The woman in question

3 March 2011

Various news outlets have reported that a pro-life group is calling a fetus as a witness before the Ohio state legislature, which is debating a bill that would outlaw abortion in any case where the embryo or fetus has a detectable heartbeat.

This is incorrect reportage.

First, witnesses, by definition, give testimony, and a fetus cannot testify to anything. A fetus can be evidence, but not a witness.

Second, one does not bring a fetus to the witness stand; one brings a pregnant woman.

I can understand why the Faith2Action is framing their legislative stunt in this particular way, but the rest of us don’t have to play along. In particular, it would have been nice if the Associated Press had reported the name of the woman who is coming before the committee.

via Facebook