Newsgroups: bit.listserv.politics
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 19:27:01 EST
From:         Kerry Stephenson <KSTE@PURCCVM.BITNET>
Subject:      Re: Questions, questions

           J.B. says:

>2)  Why is abortion the explosive issue it is in the US,
>    when it is not so in other developed countries?  Why
>    is it that the US worries more about this issue
>    than about race relations and minorities?

            to which Gayla replies:

     Why don't you ask Randall Terry?  The American obsession with abortion is
     largely due to the religious right.

             This is not the case.  I commend to you Harvard Law
             Professor Mary Ann Glendon's "Abortion and Divorce in
             Western Law."  She argues (convincingly, I believe)
             that the United States is the only developed nation
             in which abortion is polarized as a question of "rights"
             versus "life."
                 She writes:  "Our law stresses autonomy, separation,
             and isolation in the war of all against all, in contrast
             to Sweden where the laws emphasize sex equality and social
             solidarity, West Germany where the message is pro-life
             and social solidarity, and France, where equality, life,
             and solidarity are all sought to be promoted."
                  [NOTE:  In Sweden, abortion is available at the
             woman's request until the 18th week.  However, after
             the 12th week, there is a mandatory consultation with a
             social worker.  After 18 weeks, abortion can only be
             obtained with the permission of the National Board
             of Health and Welfare and then only if there are
             "substantial grounds."  The Swedish statute speci-
             fically states that abortion may not be performed
             at all if the fetus is viable, unless the woman's
             life or health is seriously endangered by the
             pregnancy.
                In West Germany, developing human life was
             considered to be present after the 14th day of
             gestation.  There were other considerations, but
             since W.G. no longer exists, this may no longer be
             relevant.
                 In France, abortion is available in cases of
             "necessity" during the first 10 weeks.  A woman
             "in distress" must undergo mandatory counseling
             (except in an emergency) and there is a waiting
             period of 1 week from the date of the original
             request and 2 days from the date of counseling.
             After 10 weeks, abortion is only available when
             2 physicians certify that the pregnancy poses
             a serious danger to the woman's health or that the
             child is likely to be born with a serious disease
             or defect.]
                 It is only in the United States that abortion is
             legally permissible throughout the 9 months of
             pregnancy.  It is only in the United States
             that otherwise reasonable individuals reject the
             notion that a woman seeking an abortion should
             recieve counseling.  It is only in the United States
             that a waiting period prior to an abortion is
             considered a violation of individual rights.  In
             point of fact, moderate pro-lifers are far more
             in step with the attitudes of the rest of the
             world than are NARAL or NOW (despite those
             groups' continuing efforts to claim otherwise and
             to persuade other nations to follow our stunning
             example.)
                                   --MJ
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