Mr. Wesley Smith has drawn my attention to the question of what to do with doctors who refuse to perform abortions in countries where it is legal.[1] He cites a Daily Mail article stating that in the United Kingdom a significant number of doctors are refusing to perform abortions. So many so that some are afraid that more parents may be seeking the death of their unborn children than there are doctors with the time and willingness to help them do so.[2]
The procedure is legal, there is no question about that, unfortunately. However, I would like to see them try to significantly penalize doctors for this refusal. While some doctors will surely buckle under the pressure, others will not. The net result will be that fewer doctors are available to meet any of the health needs of the populace. If enough doctors hold fast to their beliefs, the society will have no choice but to give way. For society will be forced to admit that it needs doctors to be performing the legitimate aspects of their trade more than it needs those doctors to be performing abortions. Converting the hearts and minds of doctors may yet prove a more fruitful path than attempting to work through the legal system.