Abortion

"On the 21st day after conception the fetal heart starts to beat and most major organs are functioning. The common law definition of death is the stoppage of a heartbeat and most functioning organs. Most of the laws of the United States are based off common law. Since death is considered to be the opposite of life, life should be defined as the start of the human heart." So before that time the foetus is dead? If you base rights on the basis on a heartbeat then you must accept such equal rights for all entities with a heart. Parasitic worms have hearts - by your premise removal of these would be forbidden. All entities without a heart are then additionally classified as dead - individual cells, bacteria? You create a contradiction - the heart cannot be living because it has no beating heart of its own. "With the advanced medical contraceptives of today such as Condoms, Birth Control, and the Day after pill, Women have a choice whether to have a child or not. And that choice has to be made 3 days within sexual activity. With the day after pill available at local walmarts for considerably less than an abortion would cost, there is little to no reason as to not be protected." Such methods are fallible and to give people the choice of one or the other violates rights of privacy. If someone wishes to have sex daily and consistently, the costs will very much exceed abortion. What of those instances where morning after pills were not available at the time of sexual intercourse? It is an arbitrary system and deleterious to personal freedom. "In America we have always been a people who have decided things by votes and opinions when surveyed in a CBS News Poll. Oct. 12-16, 2007 registered voters agreed by an overwhelming majority (70%) that greater restictions need to be placed on abortion to (20%) who dont and (5%) who are undecided." I would be concerned if you hold public opinion as the benchmark for truth and what is right. Such things are arbitrary and subject to whim. Slavery was once endorsed - did it make that ok? If you surveyed scientologists I am sure they would endorse their organisations belief - that does not make them right or their beliefs true, nor construct a valid basis for forming policy. If you are still not convinced: "One adult American in five thinks the Sun revolves around the Earth" http://www.nytimes.com... "4. On top of that disturbing new evidence is surfacing that the fetus can feel pain during abortions after 20 weeks of conception. An act is being passed through congress requiring mothers who abort to know that their infant will go through pain. This is called the Federal Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. (http://www.time.com......)" Many creatures feel pain, we dispose of them nonetheless. Then often we consume them. :D A woman is self-governing - with the rational capacities that make it relevant to regard her as having rights and rights are solely derived from the unique nature of humanity - the ability to be rational. Rights are only applicable to those with this characteristic. Rights are based on the reality that the employ of force against others is an unreliable means of gaining values. The rational conclusion to this is to prohibit force from normal, value-seeking exchanges with others. Individual rights, then, define the areas or aspects of action which should be free from force. Forcing a birth is in direct violation of this right. It violates the mothers rights to her own self - punishes her for a non crime of sex. She and she alone is the rational body. The child is wholly dependent upon the mother and the mother is the only one capable of making a rational choice in regards to it. "I challenge anyone who will take me on in this debate and will also bring up more points if the above points become exhausted, only if granted permission to by my opponent" Go silly with them. I'm sure I will in turn.