From: scm3775@tamsun.tamu.edu (Sean Malloy)
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
Subject: Re: abortion
Date: 12 Apr 92 11:33:33 GMT
Organization: Texas A&M University, College Station

CD, glad for the cut and paste facilities in his editor, tries 
to patch come comments together, and discuss the topic at hand.
He listens intently as Craig Linderoth says:
                                      
[Sorry for the choppiness. -cd]
 
> To me, life is sacred in all of its forms.  especially since 
> you never know what that life can give to the world.  
> Using these beliefs, it is easily seen how I personally believe
> that abortion is morally wrong. I [also] believe that any killing 
> is wrong.
 
> I also know that abortion is not an easy decision for most
> of the people who choose it, (both female and couples).  
 
> I say that anyone who wanted an abortion should be screened 
> and counseled first. Their situation should be analyzed and
> a third party should be able to decide if it is the only course 
> of action left after the others have been absolved.  
 
  
To which Kateri responds:
> I would bet you anything that the majority of women who 
> went through this process would, if turned down, resort 
> to back alley and coat-hanger abortions.  That is what 
> history has shown us; that is what happens.  Would 
> you be able, morally, to accept the risk to the mother 
> in this scenario?
 
To which someone [Craig? - Sorry, I lost the attribution] says:
> Well, I don't feel morally responsible for iv drug users 
> who get AIDS and die.  Now I may feel sorry for them, 
> but not responsible.  Why should abortion be any different.
> If it is against the law and someone decides to do
> it anyway, I should feel responsible?  
 
CD whistles softly. The topic is not an easy one to discuss 
rationally, but so far, no one has gone off the handle.  CD is 
suitably impressed.
 
"First, Craig, let me compliment you on the fact that your 
views are consistant.  That is, in my experience, rare for 
someone holding your opinions on abortion.  I respect that, 
though I do not share your views.
 
"Let me acknowledge the fact that our views on human life 
are somewhat different.  Long ago I realized that my life, 
and those of my loved ones, are more important to me than 
that of J. Q. Assailant.  Death Penalty?  I'm in favor of 
it, lacking a better way to remove dangerous persons from 
society."
 
CD sighs deeply.  "Abortion...  My opinions on this one were 
forged by the issue staring me in the face a few years back.  
You are correct.  It was not an easy decision, the reasons for 
which are nobody's business save our own.  We have both 
discussed the experience with others since," CD's eyes sparkle
with determination, "but we have to justify ourselves to no one."
 
"I can understand why people are so sharply divided on the 
issue.  There are a lot of people who are around today because 
their parents chose to not have an abortion.  And society is a 
better place for some of them.  Moot argument though.  You can 
easily postulate that these same children might have grown up 
to be another Manson, Dahlmer, or Mao.  No one knows, 
and so the point cannot be argued effectively.
 
"I am suspicious about people who try to make my decisions for
me.  People who, for some reason, seem to believe that they 
are more qualified to say how I should live my life than I.  
 
"Live your own life.  Do what you like, but don't expect 
me to conform to your beliefs.  Try to force me, and proceed
at your own peril.
 
"I suppose one of the big questions involved here is: When 
does life begin?  I don't know the answer to that.  You've 
first got to define what a human life is.  People are arguing 
about when it ends for the same reason: theres no clear-cut 
definition of what it is.  Here we cross over from science to 
philosophy, and everyone's got their own ideas.  Who's to say 
which is correct?  Certainly not I.  Everyone makes their own 
decision...
 
"Let counselors decide whether or not an abortion is 
justified?  Cute idea.  Tell me this, though.  Who chooses the 
counselors?  Who makes sure that permission cannot be bought 
and sold in the same way that work permits are sometimes done 
now?  I know that it is a utopian idea, and therefore 
impractical, if not impossible to implement.  What bothers me 
is that you would so easily let the state control your life.
Personally, I would take to the hills and fight to my dying 
breath any government that attempts to play god with it's 
citizens...  Much like the French Maquis during the German 
occupation of WWII."
 
Corpus turns to Kateri to address her comments on the effects 
of Craig's plan.  "If the above plan were implimented, what 
would you want to bet that the government would take steps to 
insure that the pregnancy went to term?  (If the petition were
denied, that is...) Most women would go to back-alleys or resort 
to coat hangers without even attempting to go through the 
'system' first."
 
CD turns to the unknown third party [Craig?] to comment on his 
remarks about not feeling responsible for the deaths of those 
who break laws.  "I see.  She broke the law, so to Hell with 
her.  That certainly shows a lot of confidence in the justice 
of that particular law...
 
"And it exhibits a lot of the 'it could never happen to anyone 
I know' syndrome."  He shakes his head slowly.  "You'd be 
amazed..."
 
He sips his drink slowly, staring through the bottom of his 
glass.  "It's scary," he says looking around the group.  "Some 
people seem to be perfectly willing to let the government run 
their lives."  He smiles ironically.  "Actually, they seem to 
desire the government to make the rest of society conform to 
their rules; with themselves comfortably in the ruling party."
 
-cd

-- 

   Sean C. Malloy    |  "You live & learn, or you   |  scm@tamu.edu 
Texas A&M University |   don't live long." - RAH    |  scm3775@tamsun.tamu.edu
Newsgroups: alt.callahans