Raped 10-year-old denied abortion reflects botched U.S. governance

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Adding to the sense of division among the U.S. public after the U.S. Supreme Court ended the constitutional right to abortion is the harrowing experience of a 10-year-old girl, a rape victim who was denied an abortion and had to travel elsewhere for help.

The tragedy of the American child is not an accidental case but the inevitable outcome of America's botched human rights reality and disordered governance.

For starters, the heart-wrenching story has laid bare the hypocrisy of the United States. The country claims to be a champion of human rights, but its poor record speaks for itself, especially regarding children, society's most vulnerable.

According to media reports, about 65,000 cases of child sexual abuse are reported each year in the United States. Official figures showed that in the fiscal year 2020, 618,000 children were victims of maltreatment across the country. On average, one in seven children in America lives in poverty, the highest rate in the developed world. During the 2020-2021 school year, there were 93 school shootings in the United States -- a high not seen in 20 years.

Other child-related problems such as child labor have also plagued the country. Various factors, including the prevalence of pornography in American culture and the ingrained belief in violence, have contributed to the misery of American children.

Meanwhile, the 10-year-old girl ineligible for an abortion in her own state and forced to travel elsewhere epitomizes how American society is politically polarized.

The split between the two parties is enlarging, with little regard for the public's welfare.

On issues like abortion, gun control and climate change, a Supreme Court with a 6-3 conservative majority has wantonly put party interests ahead of those of the people, igniting one social confrontation after another. The abortion decision has illustrated that the highest court in the federal judiciary has become a much more partisan and political institution.

Many Americans believe giving birth at such a young age is too dangerous. The girl also lacks the psychological maturity to be a competent mother. Abortion seems fair, but the Supreme Court's decision has deprived the girl of the right to the procedure in her own state.

Undoubtedly, the tragedy will leave a life-long scar on the little girl and likely won't spur change among Washington's complacent political elites. Expressing sorrow and outrage isn't enough. Change is desperately needed.