From: gjh@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Galen J. Hekhuis)
Subject: Re: I became pro-life...and pro-choice...
Organization: University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 02:37:51 GMT

In article <C0K78n.M78@ra.nrl.navy.mil> lebow@psl.nrl.navy.mil writes:

[I have deleted a lot of this because you have probably read it before]

}The fact that felons are concerned about enforcement seems a strong argument in
}favor of legislation.

No, that's enforcement.  Notice that "enforcement" and "legislation"
aren't even spelled the same way.  There's a reason.

}I will allow you your "realism" if you allow me my optimism in believing that
}if abortion were made illegal it could not be done without accompanying
}legislation forcing strict accountabilty by the father as well as real support
}programs for single pregnant woman and mothers.

What you call "optimisim" I would term "wishful thinking."  Feel free
to deny reality.

}Politicians do.  

I guess it all depends on who you respect.

}I'm don't at all see where that indifference comes from.  There are some
}extremely desensitized people out there who have no inhibition but the law
}preventing them from the easy kill.  That inhibition my be impotent a lot of
}the time, but thank God for the times it makes the potential murderer think
}twice.

No, thank the legislature or the law.  Your gratitude is a tad misplaced.
As an exercise, you might consider the times you thank your god and 
the times you thank your legislature.  It might give you a clue as to
whom you owe your loyality, and what is important to you.

}2) I feel that from a the standpoint of net-effect on the unborn, whether you
}call yourself "pro-abortion" or "pro-choice" makes no difference.  To say for
}instance, "I'm against dumping raw sewage in the lake and would never do it,
}but its OK for you to choose to do it" doesn't help the pro-choicer's property
}values one bit.

Oh come on.  If I say it is good for you to choose to dump raw sewage in
the lake, I am pro sewage dumping.  If I say I won't make a law against
it, there is little to be said whether or not I am pro or con about
dumping sewage.  If I say I'll call the cops if you dump sewage in the
lake, I might be characterized as pro-legislation or regulation.  If I
say I will stop you from dumping raw sewage in the lake, I am foursquare
against you polluting the lake, and I put my money where my mouth is, so
to speak.  BTW, if I tell you not to dump your sewage in the lake, you 
probably better take heed, but I won't kill you for it...

In case there is any doubt, I am pro-choice and against Mr. Lebow dumping
his sewage in the lake.  Whether it is legal or not, I might indeed
stop Lebow.  I am not one of those who thinks it is OK untill it is
illegal.  Nor am I one of those who thinks it is OK just because it is
legal...'

ps nrl, is that the Naval Research Lab?  Do you have (or do you remember
having) a Hoffman camera?  Does the name Fuller and d'Albert ring a 
bell?  I used to work for them, and I helped install a Hoffman camera
at the Naval Research Lab (I think there were only three of those 
"cameras.")  Sorry about all that.  It was a long time ago...

"Here are your Mickey Mouse ears on your Mickey Mouse camera..."  I
didn't say that...

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     Galen Hekhuis  UVa Health Sci Ctr (804)982-1646 gjh@virginia.edu
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