From: bskendig@netcom.com (Brian Kendig)
Subject: Re: "Snapple" Anti-Choice?
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 92 17:54:46 GMT
Organization: Starfleet Headquarters: San Francisco

gjh@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Galen J. Hekhuis) wrote (in article <1992Sep28.120859.17515@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>):
>In article <l!_ps+.bskendig@netcom.com> bskendig@netcom.com (Brian Kendig) 
>writes:
>}But I don't want to allow a woman to say, "Oh gee, seven months
>}pregnant... you know, I really don't feel like having a baby at all."
>}with no better reason than this.  This just wouldn't be fair to the
>}person within her; she should have made up her mind before the fetus
>}had a mind.  ;)
>
>What makes you think it should be up to you?

Owch, good point!  Geez, I'm almost starting to sound like a
pro-lifer, aren't I?  Not good.

>}So what's the solution?  Is there some way to construct a law that
>}would prohibit third-trimester abortions without a "good reason"?
>}Who's to say what a "good reason" would be?  Or should we deny all
>}requests to perform abortions during the third trimester?  Or should
>}we allow them all?  And if you support either of the two extremes, why?
>
>We "should allow them all" in that abortion is poorly addressed by
>legislation.  Always has been.  Sometimes you just have to take the
>good with the bad.  While you may couch your reasoning in words about
>"protection" in prohibiting abortion, it is simply your forcing into
>law what you feel is a "good reason."  You ask if there is some way
>to construct a law.  Perhaps you should first consider whether or not
>a law is necessary.

Good points, all of them.

The reason that I didn't want to allow third-trimester abortions was
because I feel that a third-trimester fetus is a person as much as an
infant is a person.

But I did overlook the other issues involved.  Sure, it seems morally
wrong to me for a irresponsible woman to decide to abort a seven- or
eight-month fetus.  But, as Lori pointed out to me in email, would it
be right to let a woman this irresponsible care for a child?

Besides, as she also pointed out, who would make the rules for when a
third-trimester abortion would be permissible?  And would this cover
cases where the woman was put through some emotional trauma late in
the pregnancy that rendered her emotionally unable to cope with a
baby?  Could she afford to wait while a jury decided if her abortion
was okay or not?

The only person who's capable of making the crucial decision of
whether or not to bear a child is the woman herself.  There is no way
of writing up some law that will be fair and just in all cases.

Therefore I reverse my position on third-trimester abortions.  I feel
that the woman's better judgement and right to her body exceeds a
fetus's right to life, even though I still feel that a third-trimester
fetus is a person.

     << Brian >>

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_/_/_/       Brian Kendig  Macintosh Jedi           Live never to be ashamed
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