Just a quick Pro-Choice opinion.
I’m living across the street from a Planned Parenthood, and this morning there were a couple vehicles with huge signs attached to the backs, sporting large photos of aborted fetuses and the words: ‘ABORTION IS MURDER’ all over them. There are many picketers walking the sidewalks with their anit-abortion signs and slogans, and I wonder: if they are so committed to calling for the illegalization of abortion, then what do they personally think the punishment for illegal abortion violators should be? What would they condemn women who get an abortion with—what punishment?
I just want to walk up to them and ask. But if I did ask, I fear they will fail to give me a straight answer, and just fall back on the age-old argument that abortion is a form of murder. It’s exhausting to make a case against a blind arguer who knows so little about what they demand, that they quit before any real ground is covered. And it’s even more tiresome that these picketers feel that regardless of what the punishment is assigned to violators, the act of abortion should still be illegal, as long as they don’t have to feel like they are the stone throwers. So much for their courageous crusade…
I’ve heard many people argue that since they are not lawyers, they can not answer what punishment would fit such a “crime,” but then again, my own argument is: I’m not lawyer either, but even I can argue for the side of pro-choice without being ashamed of what I believe (like they seem so afraid to hand out punishment.)
To prove my point, here is my argument: First of all, a fetus is not biologically recognized as ‘sapien’ yet, according to its definition. Even at week 20, a fetus is NOT capable of autonomic life. What does this say to me? It says that by anatomical definition, a fetus could be no more classified than as a growth until at least the 26th week from conception, when the lungs can handle air without the aid of a machine or the womb. Conclusively, I assure my audience that a fetus cannot be murdered, and therefore women who have an abortion cannot be accused of such a crime. Without a crime, the act of abortion cannot be illegalized, as the pro-life supporters claim.
Further, because the fetus itself is incapable of living on it’s own apart from it’s parent host (the pregnant mother), I feel it is comparable to when a doctor must sever someone’s arm. An arm or leg cannot live apart from the body, but we don’t accuse an amputee of murder, even though the former appendage had suffered a “death” of sorts after being removed from the body. Personally, I think that until a child is born and capable of autonomic survival outside the womb, it is not a ‘sapien’ life form or a “human being” deserving of more rights than its parent host. The women who are alive and want the right to choose should be allowed such a privilege. After all, she is able to survive as a person– an autonomic and sound life. But that’s just my thoughts on the matter. Maybe I’m wrong.
But if I am, may God strike me down for believing that life is more complicated to achieve than mere conception.
Oh, and in challenge to my Pro-Life readers: If you could answer my question for me noted in bold at the top of this blog post, I’d appreciate it, and even state publically that you deserve a cookie.
Nancy Z said,
January 17, 2009 at 6:33 pm
J–
Good topic. I am pro-life. However, I believe the arguement is oversimplified. Do those picketers outside of the abortion clinic support all life? What about the life of the mother? What about her? What about the child’s life outside of the womb? It is not so simple and the choice is not black and white. How can someone support life, but only life while it grows within another being?
What happens to the baby who is given the chance to live, but she is unwanted? She becomes the child-abuse victim headlining the evening news. She becomes a ward of the state and another statistic. Who is caring about her life then? Why don’t those picketers go hold up signs outside of the housing who take in unwanted children? “Care for your kids–don’t abandon them.” The picketers should spend their time and money on feeding, caring for, and educating those kids who made it full term.
Is someone really pro-life if they spend their time hating on people? What kind of life is that?
Life is absolutely “more complicated to achieve than mere conception.”
Jenaicklefritz said,
January 18, 2009 at 12:14 am
Very well stated, Nancy. I agree with you on those points, because I am pro-choice, which means supporting every woman’s choice be it to have or not to have her child. Part of being pro-choice is to insure that the children who were chosen to be carried to term are well taken care of, and to support all women with medical help, regardless of their choices.
There was a pro-life law put into place that gave unborn children rights over the mother. I forgot which state, but I’ll look it up and post a link or whatever I find into a new blog post. Anyway, the law didn’t state that fetuses had more rights than their mothers in so many words, but the result proved it well enough. One woman, for example, CHOSE to have her child after becoming pregnant with a complicating disease, which would make it difficult for both her and her child to survive. She was told by doctors to have a C-Section, an option she didn’t want, because she was not well enough. She had some kind of illness that would have put her own life at risk if she had a Cesarean, but she felt that her body could handle natural birth, even if her child could not. It was a risk she was willing to take, but she would not have an abortion. She was pro-life.
But unfortunately being pro-life did not help her or her child. Here’s where the pro-life law screwed her and her child over, even though it was supposedly written to protect her child. The State went to trial with her, claiming that for her unborn child’s own good, the C-Section was necessary, regardless of the risk to her, as the mother. According to that law, her child had rights, and the State had to defend them. The State won their case, and the woman who CHOSE to have her child was forced to have the surgery by law, despite her wishes to give natural birth, which could have resulted in both hers and her own child’s survival.
But during the Cesarean, both the mother and child died. I’m sure after all my lead up, you saw that coming, but I still had to type it. Still had to pass on how pro-life is a great ideal, but not always the best plan. This case alone is one reason I feel that many pro-life decisions are dangerous, not only for those of us who are pro-choice, but for pro-life mothers as well.
I understand that you are pro-life, and for myself, I don’t know if I would ever choose to abort a child at this point in my life. But I would never deny any woman her right to choose. Even if it is to choose to have natural birth for her own sake.
If I hadn’t said this already, I may post more information about this case and others in a blog later on… just because I feel so strongly in the freedom of choice, in all it’s forms.
timothy tierney said,
January 17, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Abortion should be illegal. After a resonable amount of time to educate young people that a fetus is a human being in an early stage of development, consequences should apply for engaging in what should be a criminal act.
1) The abortion “doctor” (the one who actually kills the little person) should be charged with capital murder, and face execution if convicted. (Preferably through puncturing of the skull, or salt poisoning the lungs.)
2) The woman who allows the “doctor” to kill her child ought to face criminal charges equivalent to hiring a hit man.
3) Any person involved with the act (arranging the meeting, providing transportation, etc.) ought to face criminal charges for acting as an accomplice.
I’ve stated this in front of other people many times in the past, and I’d do it again.
I prefer chocolate chip cookies.
Have a nice day
Jenaicklefritz said,
January 18, 2009 at 12:04 am
Dear Timothy,
Do you consider yourself to be pro-life? Because it sounds to me you are anti-life. It sounds to me that you are pro-fetus, anti-woman’s rights. Would you take in any unwanted child, and give them a good life, after forcing his or her birth mother to have him or her, despite not being able to take care of that child? Would you condemn a sick woman to death who became pregnant but could not survive giving birth or having a Cesarean? How about instead of teaching people that a fetus is a human being in an early stage of development, try teaching people how not to become pregnant with unwanted children to begin with. That seems like a far more noble and humane teaching, if you ask me, and way more deserving of a chocolate chip cookie.
You sir, deserve no cookies. Any man or woman who would have another person killed for their own justified reasons and opinions deserves little more than coal for their reward. Being pro-life means respecting life. You clearly do not respect life, and for that, I do not respect your opinion.
To my readers, let Timothy Tierney’s opinion be a lesson to you. Pro-life can be a dangerous way of thinking. I encourage you all to look carefully at what Nancy had commented on, and for the love of life, please do not think that death is an appropriate punishment for anything. Let he without sin cast the first stone. Isn’t that a Christian belief? In the Bible, even? I don’t know if Timothy is a Christian, nor do I really care, but I will say that the phrase is a powerful ethic that every living soul should aspire to uphold. A little peace, love, and understanding would be lovely, especially in today’s age.
To Timothy again: Thank you so much for contributing your opinion to my blog. Though I wholeheartedly disagree with you, from the point at which life begins, to the use of capitol punishment, I am very happy you gave your viewpoints for my readers to see. I am sure your opinion will greatly persuade others to agree with my side of the argument, since you so beautifully were able to contradict the very nature of being pro-life. Grace and love be with you on your hell bound crusade, because I certainly cannot.