No More Bin Laden

[kandrathe]

There are places and times throughout history when pluralism has worked, and often it's mucked up by the "nut jobs".

There are rules (in every country where abortion is legal) about the number of weeks after which abortion isn't allowed anymore. The later it takes place the more stressful, emotionally scarring and physically damaging it is to the mother.

Sure. But the rules are based upon what? It seems imprecise, at best. Does every baby grow at the same speed? There have been numerous attempts to pass legislation like -- "The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act states that any baby that has been born alive is to be legally considered a person. As such, she or he would automatically be granted full protection under the U.S. Constitution." Because, sometimes the aborted fetus is born alive, and would survive if incubated and cared for, but instead they are left to die of neglect and suffocation. If this is happening, then we are probably erring on the side of killing babies.

The inconvenience you mention is far greater than what you make us believe it is. I think that in most cases the child would have a very bad life if it would be born with these parents (or single mother) that can't give it the right care. The decision of having an abortion is terrible and is taken because the alternative would be worse. Even if theoretically you might have a point, practically it is common knowledge that forced abortion (by the mother, or by others) has been common practice in all kinds of societies over the ages. Where of course it is clear that this type of abortion is usually much more dangerous to the mother.

There is that argument that without a legal mechanism, people will resort to poorly done illegal methods. And... some people think its ok to kill their kids. It doesn't mean we need to sanction it as a part of our laws. In fact, we should be clear that as a society we value everyone, and will work to ensure that everyone has a reasonable chance to succeed and thrive.

I know, and work with quite a few single mothers who've lives have been drastically altered by their choice to raise the inconvenient baby. I have a niece who ended up dropping out of college for awhile due to an unplanned pregnancy. But, your hypothesis, that these aborted children would have had a horrible life is unprovable. And, by comparison, while many single mothers struggle, they often manage to raise pretty well adjusted and happy children. As social policy, we wouldn't choose to terminate the pregnancies of women who have a lower chance to raise a productive child. Or, do we....

The other factor that makes me suspicious of abortion policy in the US is that it has been disproportionately targeting the black population. Minority women constitute only about 13% of the female population (age 15-44) in the United States, but they underwent approximately 36% of the abortions and black women are more than 5 times as likely as white women to have an abortion. I'd say we just need to work harder to make life more of a choice.

About euthanasia. That I am pro euthanasia doesn't mean I like to kill people. Again, if the reason you are against it is because people will be killed against their will it is a wrong reason. Killing against ones will is illegal, period.

I'm not for it, nor against it at this point. I see a danger in that weak willed people would be swayed into this decision that they might not otherwise take. I would be against it if it became a way to eliminate inconvenient people, and it's bad enough we warehouse many of these people in poorly run institutions that hasten their deaths due to neglect.