From: William.A.Hall.Jr.@dartmouth.edu (William A. Hall Jr.)
Newsgroups: alt.rush-limbaugh,alt.activism.d,alt.politics.elections,alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.clinton,talk.politics.misc,talk.abortion
Subject: Re: Walking down to the student center last night
Date: 10 Oct 92 16:38:48 GMT
 <1b2l0cINN2bh@hpsdde.sdd.hp.com> 
 <1992Oct9.013258.6779@dartvax.dartmouth.edu>  
 <1992Oct9.193450.21632@netcom.com>
Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
X-Posted-From: InterNews1.0a5@newshost.dartmouth.edu

In article <1992Oct9.193450.21632@netcom.com>
ray@netcom.com (Ray Fischer) writes:

> Clearly you yourself haven't made it to your biology class yet or you
> would have known this is incorrect.  The genetic makeup is selected in
> roughly three stages.  First, a subset of the mother's genes are
> selected for the egg.  Then a subset of the father's genes are
> selected for the sperm.  Then, at the beginning of conception, one of
> the available gene subsets from the father (the spermatozoa) merges
> with mother's gene subset.

Excuse ME, Mr. Fischer, but evidently YOU haven't made it to YOUR first
Biology class. I've already had two years of college-level Bio and one
year of Anatomy & Phys!

The subsets don't *merge*. To say that implies that the genetic
information from each simply melds together in a rich, thick,
multicultural stew. What does occur is that one allele from the father
and one allele from the mother are present in the baby (which allele it
is from that parent's gene pool is random -- which is why two parents
can have one child with brown eyes and another with blue eyes).
Sometimes the effect between the two alleles is such that one is
dominant over the other; other times, the effects of the two together
can produce another effect (combined) on the child.

"To suggest that a person is determined by their genes is exceedingly
naive at best..."

There is no doubt whatsoever that up to 95% of a person's physical
characteristics are determined by his/her genetic makeup, and,
furthermore, most experts believe his/her POTENTIAL (note I didn't say
ABILITY, but POTENTIAL) for intellectual success is determined at
conception as well. You create the genetic blueprint for an individual
at conception.

And if you don't think life begins at conception, WHERE does it begin?
Some abortion supporters say it happens after "4-5 months". How exact
is that?? There are only two places where life can commence, in my
opinion: conception and birth. (And if you say life begins at birth,
then a baby is dead when it is in the womb, but -- seconds later --
when it is outside of the womb, it is ALIVE! And what if it is still
attached to the umbilical cord, but outside the womb? Is it dead or
alive then? Or is it half-alive???????)

"And it's tens of thousands of ova and billions of spermatozoa, 
not millions (as anyone who's taken Biology 101 should know)."

Sorry, but you're wrong again. It is millions of sperm and only about
400 ova, sir. A woman's ova are created at birth, and number about only
*400*. (That's why women go through menopause!) Now who's the one who
didn't take Bio 101??????????? (Anyone who did should know
that!!!!!!!!!!!)

"When you grow up into a real person with a brain, you can try
_thinking_ about the issue for yourself and stop mindlessly accepting
the conservative party propaganda."

Maybe when YOU grow up, and stop sending childish flame mail, sir,
maybe you will start THINKING about the issues rather than accepting
the liberal party propaganda!!!!!!

(Actually, sir, you seem a bit frustrated. I have no problem debating
you on the issues. But when you resort to name-calling and so on, you
admit defeat. You admit that you can't debate the issues, so you must
resort to making fun of those you disagree with. And when you do that,
I laugh -- because, then, I know we have already won.)

---------------------------------------------
William Hall, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.

"Abortion is advocated only by persons that have themselves been born."
-- Ronald Reagan
Newsgroups: alt.rush-limbaugh,alt.fan.rush-limbaugh