It’s always been hard for me to reconcile the contradictions that come out of this issue. What’s gained by thoroughly objectifying an unborn, as though it were nothing more than a tumor? Does human dignity and worth get a leg up by that way of thinking? But as well, what’s served by sanctifying it to the point where it has a higher value than any born-person will ever have, once out here breathing air? If it’s “life” at stake, where’s the devotion to taking care of born-people, for whom there’s no debate about being alive? If it’s the right to control one’s own body, that makes sense to me, but when you look at how some women (and men!) handle their sex lives, it’s more like demanding the “right” to be completely mindless until, at the last possible moment, the escape-hatch of abortion of a fetus that’s barely less developed than a viable premature birth can be used.
Sometimes the abortus is more developed than a viable premie. How does that make sense?
Zealotry from both angles. Unreason.
As for legality, prohibition of anything is a failed strategy, so better the woman should be able to end the pregnancy very early, before neural networks have had a chance to elaborate themselves. Those “delay laws” are exactly the wrong idea.
But please, these late-term, last-minute abortions (not so-called “life-threatening” examples, which I submit are extraordinarily rare)... I mean, what the hell is that? Is there really no qualitative difference between a barely differentiated embryo with hardly a neural tube, and a fully articulated “baby” that’s pretty much just waiting for the lungs to finish developing and to put on some fat?
Seems like we gain nothing at all as a society by so doggedly refusing to bring rationality, intelligence, and compassion into this issue.
Posted by Kuya on Oct 2, 2007 at 10:02 PM
By the way, as for outright criminalization, come on out here to the Phils and do a little investigating on the abortion picture here, where it’s outlawed. F’n horrifying!
Posted by Kuya on Oct 2, 2007 at 10:05 PM
I agree that a husband should have a say in any abortion.
For an unmarried woman, abortion is her choice. Not the best or even the smartest choice in some cases, but it is still her choice.
Limitations by trimester make sense.
Parents have, far too often, ignored their responsibility in educating their children, in sex and in life.
We had one dad near Dallas claim that the school should have done something because his 16yo son was a homicidal maniac who rang a random doorbell and shot the person who opened the door.
A friends’ 18yo daughter informed me that oral and anal sex weren’t really sex and were totally safe. She had signed a pledge to avoid premarital sex, but used that argument as an ‘out’. And she had sex-ed classes in school.
To those who protest abortions, I always ask, How many unwanted babies have you adopted? The answer has always been a variation of Thats not the issue. Oh, but it is.
In Texas, they passed the Baby Moses Law, which allows anyone to drop a newborn off at a hospital or fire station, no questions asked.
We still read of newborns found in dumpster’s and other places, but also read of a few who have been dropped off where they could be cared for and later, adopted by a deserving family.
Bottom line is that it is the woman’s body and she is in control of it.
It would make as much sense to require all families to have children, natural or adopted; or set an upper limit on how many children one family can have, natural or adopted.
Posted by farmer on Oct 4, 2007 at 6:46 PM
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“Louisiana and South Carolina both passed unconstitutional laws requiring a husband
It’s always been hard for me to reconcile the contradictions that come out of this issue. What’s gained by thoroughly objectifying an unborn, as though it were nothing more than a tumor? Does human dignity and worth get a leg up by that way of thinking? But as well, what’s served by sanctifying it to the point where it has a higher value than any born-person will ever have, once out here breathing air? If it’s “life” at stake, where’s the devotion to taking care of born-people, for whom there’s no debate about being alive? If it’s the right to control one’s own body, that makes sense to me, but when you look at how some women (and men!) handle their sex lives, it’s more like demanding the “right” to be completely mindless until, at the last possible moment, the escape-hatch of abortion of a fetus that’s barely less developed than a viable premature birth can be used.
Sometimes the abortus is more developed than a viable premie. How does that make sense?
Zealotry from both angles. Unreason.
As for legality, prohibition of anything is a failed strategy, so better the woman should be able to end the pregnancy very early, before neural networks have had a chance to elaborate themselves. Those “delay laws” are exactly the wrong idea.
But please, these late-term, last-minute abortions (not so-called “life-threatening” examples, which I submit are extraordinarily rare)... I mean, what the hell is that? Is there really no qualitative difference between a barely differentiated embryo with hardly a neural tube, and a fully articulated “baby” that’s pretty much just waiting for the lungs to finish developing and to put on some fat?
Seems like we gain nothing at all as a society by so doggedly refusing to bring rationality, intelligence, and compassion into this issue.
By the way, as for outright criminalization, come on out here to the Phils and do a little investigating on the abortion picture here, where it’s outlawed. F’n horrifying!
I agree that a husband should have a say in any abortion.
For an unmarried woman, abortion is her choice. Not the best or even the smartest choice in some cases, but it is still her choice.
Limitations by trimester make sense.
Parents have, far too often, ignored their responsibility in educating their children, in sex and in life.
We had one dad near Dallas claim that the school should have done something because his 16yo son was a homicidal maniac who rang a random doorbell and shot the person who opened the door.
A friends’ 18yo daughter informed me that oral and anal sex weren’t really sex and were totally safe. She had signed a pledge to avoid premarital sex, but used that argument as an ‘out’. And she had sex-ed classes in school.
To those who protest abortions, I always ask, How many unwanted babies have you adopted? The answer has always been a variation of Thats not the issue. Oh, but it is.
In Texas, they passed the Baby Moses Law, which allows anyone to drop a newborn off at a hospital or fire station, no questions asked.
We still read of newborns found in dumpster’s and other places, but also read of a few who have been dropped off where they could be cared for and later, adopted by a deserving family.
Bottom line is that it is the woman’s body and she is in control of it.
It would make as much sense to require all families to have children, natural or adopted; or set an upper limit on how many children one family can have, natural or adopted.
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