From: smccabe@handel.ecn.purdue.edu (Sarah A McCabe)
Newsgroups: talk.abortion
Subject: A modest proposal
Date: 2 Sep 92 23:37:28 GMT
Organization: Purdue University Engineering Computer Network

In article <180ulpINNn1a@hpsdde.sdd.hp.com> regard@sdd.hp.com (Adrienne Regard) writes:
>In article <nyikos.715380785@milo.math.scarolina.edu> nyikos@math.scarolina.edu (Peter Nyikos) writes:
>>But the bottom line is, do we stake the life of a being who is already
>>quite possibly sentient on it, or do we give it the benefit of the doubt?
>>A being, by the way, which would become one of us unless some drastic
>>force intervenes.
>
>And, as the old joke has it,
>Who's "we", white man?
>
>You would feel quite free to stake a WOMAN's life on it, but funny thing,
>your OWN life doesn't fit into the equation.  Pretty cheap rhetoric, Peter.
>
>
>Adrienne Regard

Oh, Adrienne, I am sure you are giving Peter too little credit.  Why just
last week I made an offer to him that would guarantee that this woman
would never get an abortion.  I guess I must have missed his response
for after reading so many of his posts about his deeply held convictions
and desires to stop all abortions, I am sure he jumped at the chance.
For those of you who may have missed the original offer here it is:
I agreed to make a bargain with Peter.  In the even that I ever
get pregnant, I agree not to have an elective abortion, and in 
return Peter agrees to have the person of my choice use his body
for nine months.  This use would include, but not be limited to:
having my champion occupy certain portions of Peter's body for
extended periouds of time, allowing my champion to pump random
chemicals into Peter's blood stream, and forcing Peter to undergo
minor surgery which may or may not have any lasting effects.  

The more I think of this, the better this idea seems for the pro-lifers.
Here is a guaranteed way to reduce the number of abortions in this
country for I am sure that some other pro-choice women would be
willing to make the same deal, although others may not be as generous as 
I and also make a requirement for financial support.  But even with that
extra stipualation, it seems that the pro-lifers would jump at the chance
to eliminate these potential abortions.  As a matter of fact, each pro-lifer
could "cover" multiple women since the pro-lifer's services would only
be required in the event of a pregnancy and even then only for nine months.  
Female as well as male pro-lifers could perform this service too.

Since it is pretty obvious (see Brazil, see this country pre RvW) that
outlawing abortions does not stop them, this would seem to be a much
more effective way of ending abortion (or at least reducing the number)
and I cannot imagine why each and every pro-lifer would not immediately
start offering his or her services towards this goal.

Keith Cocharan has graciously offered to be my champion in this
situation .  Keith, there is no one I would rather have.  Your posting
on fisting was the partial inspiration for this idea in the first 
place.  So now Peter, you even know who your "occupier" would
be.  Since I missed your response before, please post it again
just so I have your agreement on record.

Thanks ever so.

Sarah McCabe