Posted on 11/22/2001 10:59:38 PM PST by toenail
So being ignorant of the risks means that you are not culpable? Life is ALWAYS risky, and no one ever takes the decision with the least risk (and if we did, nothing would ever get done). You may believe life is sacred, but you are also willing to risk death (even if statistically small) to do things in life that you think are important, even if doing those things may lead to a slightly increased chance of death for you and those around you. Are you educated to the maximum extent possible on the food you eat and feed others, such that you are creating the minimum health risk possible? (Apply to numerous other routine tasks in life.)
I guarantee that you and your children (if you have them) will die earlier than necessary due at least in part to some choices you have made. Life being infinitely sacred is a platitude, since every one of us willfully risks the life of ourselves and others for perceived short-term benefits. I will agree that life is valuable, but nobody actually acts as though it doesn't have a very finite value despite what they may say.
I'm not sure about you, but I have been dying since birth, it is the wau we live that counts.
The meaning of life= To seek heaven and invite others to travel with you!
Actually, I did read a description of a specific case in which such was appropriate; a non-viable fetus had a defect which caused its head to swell to a degree that vaginal delivery would likely be fatal to the mother and even a c-section would likely leave her sterile. If the facts of such a case were as I read them, a procedure very close to the "partial birth abortion" would seem appropriate.
Of course, I will agree that such conditions do not apply in 99% of cases, but any law should provide a means for dealing with exceptional cases [though such means need not and should not imply carte blance permission].
Yes, but before implantation? I think not.
Personally, I believe that the true start of life is the work of God, not of man; although man can play around with sperm and eggs in test tubes all day long, the real magic happens in the womb after the embryonic cells have formed themselves into a being which God deems worthy of a soul.
That depends how one defines 'pro-choice'. Contrary to what the media claims, there is a continuum of views on the subject. While less than 10% of the population believes that abortion should be legal and unrestricted under any and all circumstances, an even smaller portion of the population would be willing to have outlawed any type of contraceptive or other drug that would have any chance of causing an egg to fail to implant.
Whether you regard their views as consistent or contradictory, many voters favor legislation that would protect embryos or fetuses past a certain age of gestation (different voters put the line different places, but many would put it quite early, and some to nearly the moment of implantation) and yet strongly oppose any legislation which would restrict access to contraceptives.
If Republicans were smart, they would seek to court those in the middle. While this would require them to "soften" their positions, such a softening would not represent appeasement since it would actually help move the status quo in their direction. Unfortunately, ever since 1996 I've found myself losing confidence in the Republican Party's intelligence.
Hydrocephaly, the most common condition that causes such swelling of a baby's head, is normally delivered C-section and I have never heard of such surgery being LIKELY to leave a woman sterile. C-sections are very common.
And I repeat, partial birth abortion is NEVER necessary to save a mother's life.
That FETUS you mention has a HUMAN HEART from EIGHTEEN (18) to TWENTY-FOUR (24) DAYS AFTER CONCEPTION!!!
That FETUS you mention has ITS OWN BLOOD STREAM---TOTALLY SEPARATE from his or her mother's. Indeed, he or she can even have a TOTALLY DIFFERENT BLOOD TYPE from his or her mother's!
That FETUS you mention has DEVELOPED ALL of his or her parts by TEN (10) WEEKS (if I'm not mistaken) and the rest of the time is just a maturation process.
You know, when I was 19 years old back in 1974, I was absolutely PRO-ABORTION. I had to do a simulated radio broadcast on a controversial topic. I chose abortion, thinking it wuld be a "piece of cake!" I set out to put those "PRO-LIFE, religious nuts" to SHAME!!!!! Only thing is, we were NOT allowed to be ONE sided---we had to present a THOROUGH and FAIR showing to BOTH sides.
Guess what! It was the most LIFE CHANGING college project I EVER did! After having to THOROUGHLY and FAIRLY EXAMINE the PRO-LIFE arguments (I already knew and TOTALLY believed the PRO-ABORTION arguments), I INSTANTLY CHANGED my position---FOR LIFE!!!
You MUST HONESTLY ask yourself three (3) questions:
(1) Is "it" LIVING? No matter WHAT you want to call "it"---is "it" BIOLOGICALLY ALIVE? Are cells growing and reproducing?
(2) Is "it" HUMAN? In 9 months, will a dog, cat, zebra, elephant---or HUMAN baby come out---if allowed to fully develop (and there is no miscarriage)? Does "it" have dog or cat DNA---or HUMAN DNA?
(3) Would PETA allow the legs to be LITERALLY RIPPED OFF of a cat or dog and its SKULL to be CRUSHED to kill the puppies or kittens en utero?
The ANSWERS are OBVIOUS:
(1) MEDICAL SCIENCE CONFIRMS "it" IS UNQUESTIONINGLY, BIOLOGICALLY ALIVE!
(2) MEDICAL SCIENCE CONFIRMS that in 9 months---barring abortion or miscarriage---a HUMAN BABY will come out---NOT some other animal. "It" has HUMAN DNA!
(3) PETA would NEVER allow someone to RIP OFF the legs from an en utero dog or cat! You'd be IN PRISON FOR YEARS!!!!!!!
Well, since "it" IS ALIVE, and "it" IS HUMAN, and PETA would NEVER allow people to be so IN HUMANE to ANIMALS, WHY DO WE ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN TO EN UTERO BABIES???????
Do yourself a favor. Go do a THOROUGH, FAIR investigation of "the other side." It may just change your position too---FOR LIFE!
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