Posted on 06/06/2003 9:46:51 AM PDT by Luke Skyfreeper
Years go by, and the abortion struggle rages on.
I would like to suggest that the following doctrine is a basis for an uneasy resolution to the political conflict; one that may eventually come to be accepted by all.
Abortion should be legal, but only up to a certain date. We need to define, as best as we can, when we are dealing with a human being.
The current definition of the law afford NO recognition that a developing child is a human being until the moment that child leaves his or her mother's womb. Anyone who pays the faintest attention to what we know through medical science can readily recognize that, at full term, this is far, far too late.
If a developing child is old enough to survive outside of the womb, even with medical assistance, then it's a human being. Obviously.
If the developing child is old enough to feel pain, regardless of whether or not an anesthetic is administered, then it is developed enough to be a human being, and destroying the said developing child must be illegal.
Practically, this means that for humane reasons, all abortions after a certain date (somewhere between 8 and 24 weeks) should be made illegal. This is only humane, and even 8 weeks would allow more than a month for decision making and getting an abortion appointment (although I suspect that a medical consensus would put the development of pain later than that).
The vast majority of abortions already take place before 24 weeks now. However, it is currently legal to destroy developing children at any stage of development, as long as at least part of the child is still inside the mother's body.
I believe this is the basis of the solution to the abortion problem. Part B is that accurate information must be provided to women considering an abortion. Potential adverse effects must be covered, and other options, including adoption, must be adequately presented. A waiting period may also be appropriate.
None of these takes away choice. The choice is still there whether to have a baby or have an abortion.
One can therefore be pro-choice and pro-life at the same time.
I also argue for use of the term "developing child" (which is intuitive, completely accurate and fully descriptive) rather than use of the term "fetus."
Political wars are won and lost on the choice of words.
It's still a worthwhile debate. What appears to be logic can be revealed to be a moral dead end.
They're good at that.
Is a microscopic human whose mother has no idea about worthy of legal protection? If so, as much as a later term fetus? As much as a newborn?
And it has made the womb the most dangerous place for a baby.
My foot is just a clump of cells. I guess my mom could have whacked off my foot if it were her choice as my mother and not faced prosecution for abuse.
I'm asking, too. When, except in defense of your own life or the life of others, is it permissible to kill another?
SD
I distictly remember the flaming I got the first few days I got on here...I was called troll, disrupter and all kinds of names, even had hate mail sent to me!
Sorry Luke, when you put up a lightning rod, expect lightning. - Freinds?
Of course. Though it is hard to provide "legal protection" to someone whose existence hasn't even been detected. But this is not a valid point anyway, because if this person's existence hadn't even been detected then there is no imminent outside threat to it.
If so, as much as a later term fetus? As much as a newborn?
Yes, and yes.
I've still got grill marks on my rump from my first few days.
Details, details ;-)
Can my foot be rooted like a plant cutting? No (a certain Twilight Zone episode excepted). Can a fetus continue to develop if left alone? Yes. Key difference.
I thought dirtboy's reply was appropriate and well-reasoned, especially considering the apparent spiritual state of the person to whom he replied.
I was once dead, too, and would have been quite proud to have devised such a reasoned solution to what I viewed as little more than a perpetual irritant to the otherwise wonderful and united Republican Party.
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