From: cookc@aix.rpi.edu (rocker)
Subject: Re: A question for any MALE prolifer
Date: Tue, 7 Apr 1992 16:59:15 GMT

mjln_ltd@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Mikeey J. Lin) writes:

>In <46ztaxb@rpi.edu> cookc@aix.rpi.edu (rocker) writes:

>	Hmmm... even though I'm not really a "Pro-Lifer" I think that
>the only law we can require of the natural father is that he has to
>provide part of the medical bill. 

With legal abortion, this seems reasonable.

>I dunno, do you have ant suggestions?
>(Let me know if there are some "requirements" that you want from the male)

No, there aren't.  I do not want any legal requirements of the father
wrt to lifesaving measures for his child, and there are no legal
requirements of the MOTHER that I want, either.  In other words, don't
make me legally bound to carry every pregnancy to term (or death) and
I won't force you to be hooked up to the dialysis machine.

>>So, pro-"life"s, here's your chance to respond to the question that
>>I have asked countless times on t.a and that no one has EVER tried
>>to answer:
>>What equivalent responsibility (if any) do you propose for the
>>MALE who got the potentially aborting woman pregnant?

>	Like I said before, I think the most we can do is requiring the man
>to pay for at least half of the medical costs if the woman decides to have
>an abortion. If the woman decides to have the child, the man should be    
>required to pay for part of the cost. (I dunno how much though) I think some
>kind of "physical requirement" would be nice but I personally cannot think
>of any. Again, I'm open to suggestions. :)

Well, my arguments don't apply as long as abortion is legal.  Even if
the fetus is a really really really tiny person, I don't think that
the LAW should require a person to injure themselves, perhaps even
cripple or kill themselves, to save the life of another.  ETHICS may
require it, MORALS may require it, but I don't think the law should.
And unless I'm mistaken, the law doesn't.  It is the anti-abortion
proponents who are proposing this radical change.  And they require
this only of the mother.

>>And people wonder why I have little respect for pro-"life" males.

>	Hmmm... sorry to hear this. Hope someone'll change your view
>of Pro-Life males cause I know not all are bad. Abortion is a touchy issue
>and everyone thinks they're right. The problem is, it's hard to say who's
>right or wrong. Everyone's got a point. Everyone usually try to do what they
>think is best, they mean well. Don't you agree? Well, got to go. I wish you
>the best of luck in finding a "respectable" answer to your questions.

I think I have a respectable answer, but thanks for the thought.  :-)

>						Mikeey

                             -rocker

>PS Just out of curiosity, why do you call yourself "rocker"?

Oh bleah.  This has been asked twice now, so I suppose I'll answer.
It's customary in the local chapter of the ACM (of which I am an
officer) for people who use computers extensively (especially the
realtime conferencing) to take a psuedonym.  Since I was a professional
bass player for some years before attending college, I chose "rocker".
I don't capitlaize it because when I'm typing fast I don't use caps.

There. One less "Unsolved Mystery" in the world.

                         -rocker