Newsgroups: talk.abortion,alt.abortion.inequity,alt.birthright
Subject: Re: Don't just whine about media bias. Do something!
From: adams@spss.com (Steve Adams)
Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1992 13:36:37 GMT
 <adams.717858738@spssig> <1992Oct1.121158.28098@spectrum.xerox.com>
Organization: SPSS Inc.

rgoers@gumdrop.Xerox.COM (Ron Goers) writes:

>In article <adams.717858738@spssig> adams@spss.com (Steve Adams) writes:

>>Ron, please word-wrap your stuff at 75 or so characters....makes life a LOT
>>easier...thanx.
I repeat...please word-wrap your postings at 75 characters!

>>rgoers@gumdrop.Xerox.COM (Ron Goers) writes:

>>>Would you support a ban on abortion for ALL cases which do NOT involve 
>>>rape or
>>>incest?
>>No.  There are other reasons...saving the life of the mother is one...

>That exception has ALWAYS been there, long before 1973 Roe v. Wade came about!
>It will (and should) always be there.  The problem that arises is when 'mental
>health of the mother' is included as life-threatening.  That opens the door 
>to anyone who wants an abortion, and has a doctor willing to say she is at 
>risk.
How will you prove that a birth would threaten the life of the mother?
Doctors often disagree.  And what doctors would be qualified to make this
decision?

>>>(Don't cry rape/incest to me, that is a favorite of pro-aborts, when in fact 
>>>less than 1% of abortions performed are done for these reasons.)
>>1. I'm not pro-abortion
>>2. I don't care if it's 1 in a million, it's still necessary as an option
>>   for that one victim.  Just as saving a woman's life.
>
>... shouldn't be.  It takes better than 8 hours for the sperm to travel to 
>the egg.  In the case of rape/incest, the woman can get to her doctor who 
>will clean her out, and she won't become pregnant from that incident.
So if she misses the 8-hour window for some reason, then she's out of luck,
huh?  I know a woman personaly who was kidnapped and raped repeatedly over
a 2-day period...guess she's SOL in your plans.

>>way out" for the irresponsible ones?
>>In at least some instances, abortion *IS* a responsible decision.  And
>>having seen the effects of abortion (mental/emotional) on someone who was 
>>very close to me, I'd hardly say that she took the 'easy way out.'
>>
>Yes, there are terrible effects associated with abortion.  Did your friend 
>know that when she entered the clinic?  Probobly not.  
Yes, she did.  But having the child at age 16 would have caused FAR MORE
problems.  She weighed the options.

>Did she know that her chances of having a 'wanted' baby have been reduced 
>because of that abortion?  Probobly not.  
Yes, she did.  But again, the ramifications of carrying the child to term
(this was in '81) were FAR worse than the risks associated with the
abortion.

>Women are being exploited by a multi-billion (yes BILLION) dollar a year 
>industry.  
No one exploited her.  The decision was made LONG before she even went near
a clinic.  She didn't need counselling to know what options were available,
and she was fairly well informed on the procedure and the ramifications.

>They go into a clinic armed with half-truths.  They are pressured to make 
>on-the-spot decisions which will have lasting effects on their lives.  
Huh?  This 16 year old who CALLED AND MADE AN APOINTMENT OF HER OWN
VOLITION and followed HER OWN CHOICE was pressured?  By whom?  Certainly
not any abortion provider.

>All for the sake of the almighty dollar.  
Oh yeah...she was dragged into the clinic, forced to pay and forced to
undergo an abortion.  She'd be quite surprised by your characterization.

>Abortionists aren't helping women, they are feeding off them!  
Oh please...this generalization is unsupportable.  I am showing you a
datapoint that disputes what you are saying completely.

>I feel bad for the babies lost, but I also feel bad for your friend.  
Me too, but that's not the point.  She made a decision that, at the time,
and all things considered, was correct.

>She more than likely DID NOT have all the information required to make such 
>a decision when she entered the clinic.  
Bad assumption.  She had already MADE the decision before she got with 20
miles of the clinic...

 -Steve
--
  The opinions expressed above are those of the author and not SPSS, Inc.
                         -------------------
   adams@spss.com                                  Phone: (312) 329-3522
   Steve Adams        "Space-age cybernomad"       Fax:   (312) 329-3558
Newsgroups: talk.abortion