M.D. Harmon’s ignorance (willful or otherwise) is clearly on display in his column of July 5.

Defending his pro-life position, he claims that life begins at conception, “because all the characteristics that eventually will be found in an adult human being are present in such embryonic life, awaiting only the passage of time.”

Really? Does he expect me to believe that all my characteristics were present at my egg’s fertilization by a sperm? My ability to speak English? My tendency towards sarcasm? My appreciation of travel and hiking? My love of debate? His genetic determinism, while it would make eugenicists proud, is not very plausible.

And does he really expect me to believe that only the passage of time changes the embryo into an adult, as though embryos could magically transform themselves without a woman? Surely a woman’s care, support and womb play some role in the developments.

No wonder Harmon doesn’t see the war on women; he doesn’t even see the role that women play in creating human life.

People of goodwill can disagree about abortion, despite Harmon’s apparent denial of this fact. Let’s start with a pledge not to distort facts in this debate.

Gregory Fahy

Hallowell