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Subject: 
Re: From Harry Browne
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.off-topic.debate
Date: 
Thu, 16 Nov 2000 05:38:44 GMT
Viewed: 
878 times
  
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Christopher L. Weeks writes:
In lugnet.off-topic.debate, John Neal writes:

I hope it's okay to butt in, but I have a question for you, Maggie (or
anyone, really; I guess that I just find women's perspectives more vested on
this topic).
Should a woman who engages in sexual activity as a willing participant be at
all responsible for becoming pregnant?

I think the problem is that pro-choice people would say that of course she's
responsible.  Not because of any law or ethic, but because she ends up with
the loaf in the oven.  And it is her responsibility to have it removed if
that's how she wants to deal with it.

Yes, I agree she should be responsible for becoming pregnant or not becoming
pregnant if that's her preference.  In an ideal world I would say it should
jointly be agreed upon with her partner and they should both take
responsibility, however this is no one's flavor of utopia that I know, so a
woman would be foolish in some circumstances to abdicate responsibility to her
partner.

Barring rape or contraceptive failure, hasn't she brought the violation
upon herself?  I know that she doesn't *want* to become pregnant, but
if she is careless and becomes pregnant, then by what right should
she be able to abort?  Is the pregnancy *really* against her will?  Her
will was to play sexual roulette-- shouldn't she have to endure the
consequences of her actions?

If she is careless or stupid she may have brought the violation on herself.  I
feel no sympathy for those who use abortion as a method of birth control.  The
trouble is, how can you tell if a woman was supremely careless or if her
earnestly applied method of birth control actually failed?  Because we cannot
be sure, we have to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, which means not
restricting abortions while the fetus is still non-viable outside the womb.

IF you accept that the fetus has the moral value of any other random gobbet of
tissue, let's say a slug, then there is absolutely no reason that she should
have to bear any burden due to her "sexual roulette."  There is nothing at all
wrong with sex, so no punishment is warranted.  The only possible reason that
a woman should be prevented from freely aborting is if we value a fetus like
we value and adult.

Maggie doesn't.  You do.  (Sort of.)

That's right, I believe an adult's life carries more weight than that of an
externally non-viable fetus.  And I also feel that the life of a fetus carries
more weight than that of a slug-- which is why I don't take the matter of
abortion lightly.  I just believe strongly enough in a woman's right to control
her own body that she should not be forced to carry an unwanted fetus to term.

All that said, I think it's creepy as hell that she thinks murder shouldn't be
legislated against!  I mean, I guess I sort of think that too, but only for my
flavor of utopia.  Not for a society at all close to this one.

Chris

But Chris, I DO think murder should be legislated against!  I just don't
believe abortion (as long as you are not killing a baby who could survive on
its own outside the womb) is murder.

Maggie



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: From Harry Browne
 
(...) Previously, you wrote: (...) I took that to mean that you thought that laissez-faire stance was to allow murder. And that you hoped that while murder might make you uncomfortable, you would allow it to remain a personal decision for everyone. (...) (24 years ago, 16-Nov-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: From Harry Browne
 
(...) topic). (...) all (...) I think the problem is that pro-choice people would say that of course she's responsible. Not because of any law or ethic, but because she ends up with the loaf in the oven. And it is her responsibility to have it (...) (24 years ago, 16-Nov-00, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)

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