Saint Louis University’s students have shown their support for human rights in various ways. From the SOA protest to newspaper articles calling others to treat human beings-whether minorities, foreign, or convicted criminals-with respect and dignity, they issue their opinions strongly. Now I wish to address one of the most basic human rights of all: life, from conception until natural death.

Just over a week ago, a group of SLU students made the long trek to Washington D.C. for the March for Life to protest the Roe vs. Wade decision that legalized abortion. But why go to all that trouble? As one of the students who went on the trip, I would like to share some of my reasons and reflections.

First of all, I believe that life begins at conception. The newly fertilized egg, that biologists call a zygote, is genetically different from the cells of the mother and possesses everything it needs to develop into a fully-functioning independent, human being (any questions, check out the book SLU uses for its General Biology courses). It simply needs the right conditions, provided by the mother, to grow in.

That “thing” we call a cell or a fetus is a human life and deserves all the respect and dignity that any other human being does. The biological fact that a unique individual is formed at conception is the basis for my belief, but perhaps it is not the only force driving my desire to stand up for the lives of the unborn.

As I reflected on our trip, many memories and thoughts came to my mind. I thought about all of the awesome new people I had the chance to meet. I thought about how I got to know them in our many hours together in a van. I thought about the excitement and enthusiasm everyone displayed and I felt in standing up for something we believe in. I remembered the sunrise we saw as we pulled into SLU after driving all night to get back.

And I thought about how much I missed being with all of those people I spent so much time with and the smiles we exchange whenever we happen to meet in the quad.

Then I thought how lucky I am to be able to experience all of these things as the result of a simple three days alive.

Finally, I realized how awful it would be to miss out on all that life has to offer.

Every day, thousands of aborted unborn “miss out” on life. They never get to meet new people, make friends, stand up for their beliefs, see a sunrise, miss someone dear to them or see a simple smile.

And why? Because someone “chose” to rid themselves of an inconvenience, the unwanted result (or responsibility) of sexual “freedom of choice.” Yes oddly enough, one of the very things that defines our humanity, free will, can destroy a human life. But that same free will can choose to defend life.

Millions of people choose to protect life on a daily basis. Perhaps some of the most courageous are those at crisis pregnancy centers that help expectant mothers choose life, whether it be through adoption or helping them rear their children themselves.

And maybe the heroes ought to be the people who adopt, or the mothers who choose to spend a few months being pregnant so their baby can live and breathe like you and me.

Each of us can defend life in our own way, whether it be by support or prayers for women faced with pregnancy or grief from a past abortion; support of pro-life political leaders; or the protest of one of America’s most inhumane court decisions.

So I invite you, the SLU community, to do what you can to promote life. After all, we all have our humanity in common. Why not defend it in its most helpless state, the unborn we once were?

Karen Bromeier is a freshman majoring in Physical Therapy.