From: passaret@vane.med.ge.com ("Mr. Mike" Passaretti)
Subject: Re: Men's Responsibilities VS. Women's
Followup-To: alt.flame,misc.test
Reply-To: Mike Passaretti <passaretti@crd.ge.com>
Organization: GE Medical Systems, Milwaukee WI
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 00:25:50 GMT


Pay attention, class, this is an example of how _not_ to
construct an argument:

# In message <FD2XwB3w165w@qed.cts.com>, 
# kisses@qed.cts.com (Kisses) writes:

kisses>         Some jokester by name of "Will Steeves" was
kisses> silly enough to say: "to take a short, one-time
kisses> $300-$500 trip to a clinic to dispose of one's
kisses> parental responsibilities before the fact ... hardly
kisses> compares to an 18-24 year "consequence" of $250,000 or
kisses> more!"

1) begin by insulting your opponent.  

kisses>         First of all, you cannot even BEGIN to compare
kisses> the emotional and often physical trauma of having an
kisses> abortion to being stuck with a couple bills for a
kisses> measly 20 years or so.  For most women, abortion isn't
kisses> some toss of the coin decision.  It is a grueling
kisses> battle between themselves, their conscience, their God
kisses> if they have one, and so on.  For many of the women
kisses> who choose to have abortions, that memory is fixated
kisses> in their mind for far beyong some 20 years .. but
kisses> through to the end of their lives.  And it is more
kisses> than just a little damage to the pocketbook, it is
kisses> sometimes guilt, regret, or even a curiosity of what
kisses> might have been but was not.

2)  Appeal to common knowledge, with no supporting facts.
2a) Claim that all women who have abortions are psychologically
    obsessed by the event.  Be prepared to recant this if 
    the pro-lifers call you on it...
2b) Belittle the sum of $250,000 as little while you're at it
    (It's only $147,500 in woman-dollars anyway)
2c) Belittle the time frame of 20 year as measly too.
    Women suffer longer.  Thousands of years longer, in fact.
    Don't you forget it.

kisses>         If you play your cards right, you can get back
kisses> your pocket change.  But once you make a DECISION that
kisses> consequence is *there* for you to face, and you can't
kisses> go back in time to erase it.

3)  Ignore the woman's decision, focus on the man's. See 4.
3a) See 2b.  Must have big pockets.

kisses>         If a MAN does not want to be "stuck with the
kisses> bill" because of some unprotected sex, then he should
kisses> take the means to protect himself.  Likewise, if a
kisses> woman doesn't want to get pregnant, she better protect
kisses> herself as well.  Anyone who does not take precaution
kisses> when they know quite well what could easily happen,
kisses> deserves their fate.  IGNORANCE is one thing ..
kisses> STUPIDITY is quite another.

4)  Carefully construct a scenario (total responsibility)
    which allows an anti-abortion viewpoint, but be prepared
    to waffle on what responsibility means to women...
    Hint: It doesn't mean anything until the child is born.
          
kisses>         And if you are naive enough, "Will", to think
kisses> that it is the woman's responsibility to take care of
kisses> the birth control, then get out your checkbook!!
kisses> What's that old saying?  "A fool and his money will
kisses> soon be parted."

5) Appeal to authority, Ad hom.  What more do you need?

kisses> Kisses!!  :*

Sign with a smiley face, just in case someone like me flames a
bit. 

6) Set followups to soc.culture.deadbeats (Well, maybe not...)
   Check them anyway folks, you never know...

						-MM

Newsgroups: alt.feminism,soc.women,soc.men