dap1@ihlpf.UUCP (07/12/83)
#N:ihlpf:22600019: 0:3204
ihlpf!dap1 Jul 12 8:22:00 1983
This is a plea for a more even handed discussion of abortion. Most people
who argue this point are firmly entrenched on either one side or the other.
I don't think it's that simple, myself.
First, let me say that I am NOT a fundamentalist christian (as earlier notes
will attest to). However, I can understand the Pro-lifer's view (don't
worry, pro-abortionists, I'll be around to you in a moment). In spite of
all the talk about "when human life begins" nobody REALLY knows. This is
attested to by the heat of the debate between knowledgeable people even
within the pro-abortion camp. The tack that most pro-abortion arguments take
is "Since nobody knows, let's leave it to the individual". That sounds
reasonable, but it doesn't tell the whole story. The entire statement should
read "Since nobody knows, let's leave it to the individual UP UNTIL SOME
POINT IN THE PREGNANCY". Where should this point be? It should be at the
point when the fetus is human beyond all "reasonable" doubt. Unfortunately,
this point is just about as hard to pinpoint and justify as the original one.
Another point in the pro-lifer's favor is the idea that they shouldn't
argue against abortion because it should be an individual choice. I can
understand this line of argument, but at the same time, if a pro-lifer REALLY
believes abortion is murder (and as mentioned earlier, the experts can't even
agree on when it becomes murder) then I can't really expect them to lay back
and console themselves with the thought that while it's murder, that's only
their opinion. It might be someone's opinion that it's not murder until the
"fetus" is 21 but that shouldn't stop me from trying to legislate my views
that killing a 10 year old is murder (an article in Nat. Lampoon the other
day talked about allowing abortions until the age of 18 and showed an 18 year
old fetus scheduled for abortion).
On the other hand...
Anyone claiming that a fertilized egg is a human being is pretty far off in
almost anybody's book. Even the pro-lifer's usually refer to such a thing
euphemistically as a "potential human being". To disallow abortions entirely,
regardless of the reason, is also an extreme. Who are we to tell a thirteen
year old rape victim that "We're not sure, but we think there might be a
human being in there so you'll just have to live with the humiliation and
psychological degradation eight and a half more months"? This is an extreme
form of cruelty to a living being which is hard for me to justify.
In the end, I don't think that this is a black and white issue at all. A
fanatical view on either side which refuses to admit that the opposition has
some grounds for argument is, in my view, unwarranted. Am I the only one
on the net who feels this way?
Darrell Plank
BTL-IH
P.S. I hope that most pro-lifers can disavow the support of Jerry Falwell
types and argue out of reason rather than emotionalism. Unfortunately,
this vocal group has given most people the impression of pro-lifers as a
fanatical, unyielding arm of the fundamentalist right. I don't think that
that's necessarily the case.tim@unc.UUCP (07/12/83)
If people are really interested in changing minds in this
discussion, might I suggest the adoption of a neutral terminology for
the people on either side? The virtues of such are, I believe, self-
evident. Name-calling never changed a mind.
The word "pro-life" is unacceptable because it is clearly meant to
imply that those holding a contrary position are "anti-life". This is
a lie. In addition, it is pure rehetoric -- it says nothing about the
actual issues being addressed. Equally unacceptable is the phrase
"pro-abortion". I don't know ANYONE who is pro-abortion. Everyone
seems to agree that it is an unpleasant and traumatic operation.
I would be willing to accept "pro-choice" for those who favor laws
supporting a woman's right to choose an abortion. The phrase "anti-
abortion" seems to sum up the feelings of those who are against legal
abortion. Let's use these in order to avoid name-calling, all right?
Finally, if you disagree with me, please just ignore the article.
I really don't want to get into an argument over this sort of thing.
I'm just doing my part to try to keep things reasonable.
______________________________________
The overworked keyboard of Tim Maroney
duke!unc!tim (USENET)
tim.unc@udel-relay (ARPA)
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hillkwmc@hou5d.UUCP (07/13/83)
This was a very good article , I wish there were more such balanced
views expressed. One comment though, Ronald Reagan once said something
like
" We don't know when Human Life begins, until we do we have to err
in the direction of protecting the fetuses hich might conceivably (pun)
be human "
Ken Cochran hou5d!kwmc