wine@homxa.UUCP (J.GORDON) (08/04/85)
Matt Rosenblatt writes: >"Possession is nine tenths of the law," writes Charles Forsythe. >I don't think that's a good argument for the right to abort. I can >respect the argument that the fetus is PART of the mother (though I >disagree), but not the argument that the fetus is a piece of property >OWNED by the mother. And even if it is, the maxim "possession is >nine tenths of the law" refers to the right to continue possessing, >not to the right to destroy. Try to burn down your own home -- it's >statutory arson, at least in my state. Try to burn down your own dog >-- it's cruelty to animals. One cannot burn one's own house because it endangers other homes, and because people often do it to claim insurance. In my town, residents are not even allowed to burn leaves because of the smoke. One can, however, hire a demolision company to destroy one's home if the proper permits are obtained. One cannot burn one's dog because it causes the dog undue pain, however one can have one's dog put to death by a licensed veterinarian. I don't see how any of this implies that abortions should be restricted, only that it be performed by a licensed doctor and this is already the case. It is up to the ones who wish to pass a law which restricts freedoms to justify the necessity of such a law to the proper functioning of society or prove that the action so restricted causes undue harm to an individual. In the latter case, the intellegence of the being harmed is definitely a factor. For example, it is not against the law to smash flies which are bothersome. As the intelligence of an individual increases, the amount of harm allowed decreases. It is not my opinion that the intelligence of a fetus can be proved to be on nearly the same level as a dog, or even a snake. Thus, I do not believe that there is *any* justification to limiting abortions, except to ensure the safety of the women undergoing the procedure. Note that I do believe education is important to making the right decision. But this should be neutral education, not that which is advocated by some, describing "limbs" being "ripped off" "unborn babies." Please folks, the correct way to help people make a decision is not to scare or disgust them. Don't get me wrong -- I like looking at mutilated late-term fetuses just as much as the next guy, but it just doesn't have anything to do with decision of whether to have an abortion or even whether abortions should be legal. (Insert your own :-)) Jim Gordon, Jr.