From: gjh@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Galen J. Hekhuis)
Subject: Re: I became pro-life...and pro-choice...
Organization: University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 00:51:52 GMT

In article <C0GByD.DA4@ra.nrl.navy.mil> lebow@psl.nrl.navy.mil writes:
}In article <1993Jan5.150542.15081@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
}gjh@galen.med.Virginia.EDU (Galen J. Hekhuis) writes:

}I found your last post enlightening and somewhat saddening.  You seem to base a
}large part of you life's philosophy on the failure of laws to overcome human
}nature.  One can follow your reasoning for awhile and ultimately conclude that
}anarchy is the way to go.  

One might conclude that anarchy is the way to go.  I don't base a large
part of my life's philosophy on the failure of law to overcome human 
nature, however.  I simply haven't the faith that some have that law
can overcome human nature.  That idea isn't a pillar in my life 
philosophy, either major or minor.  In my experience, most of the
people who believe that laws have a great deal of effect on human 
behavior are those who have little experience with the law.  I don't
mean experience being a lawyer or lawyer-wannabe, or somesuch, rather,
I mean those who are really involved in the nitty-gritty of when law
actually touches your life intimately.  I think if you look at what
even convicted felons say you will find that they are much more 
concerned about enforcement and post-arrest processing than they
are about any particular legislation.  Perhaps you would characterize
that as saddening.  I see it as neither sad or happy, rather as
realistic.

}I am very pro-legislation  against abortion.  

It seems that quite a number of people are, although I am at a loss
to understand what they base their "pro" feelings on.  And I have
asked for evidence for years...

}It sounds as though you may have been exposed to some of the worst aspects of
}the law.  Laws are often capriciously applied and used in a discriminatory way.

You will probably find that those who have been on the receiving end
of the law will probably also have been exposed to some of the worst
aspects of the law.  I'll agree that they are often capriciously
applied and used in a discriminatory way.  That's just one reason
we should have a fairly good reason to have even one more...

}A very good case can be made for the legalization of drugs.  People come up
}with "practical" reasons why legalization wouldn't work, but I think we all
}know that the real reason drugs aren't legal is the old "we don't want to send
}the wrong message" bugaboo.  

I'm not at all sure of that.  The reason drugs aren't legal may be a 
bit more sinister than that.  I'm not convinced at all that people pay
much attention to the message, if any, that legal status of anything
might send.

}Could you think of a society where murder were legal??  Think about it. Yes,
}the laws probably don't stop anyone from murder, but...

I have thought about it.  As others will affirm, I am not particularily
opposed to the legality of "murder," nor would I be particularily afraid
if "murder" were to be legal.  

}All this wringing of hands regarding the suffering of women if abortion were
}illegal projects an intensly pessimistic picture of our society.  

Pessimistic or not, it is real.  It is not simply "hand wringing."

}In
}my life I try very hard to alleviate the suffering of women.  There are ways to
}do it, it's no where near as easy as snuffing out the life of the offending
}child, but it can be done.  

That's a nice sentiment, but it has absolutely nothing to do with the
legal status of abortion.  Or do you believe (wrongly, I might add) that
those who are pro-choice also advocate abortion?

}I see you may have cause to be pessimistic but your position seems to be one of
}resignation.  Am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong.  I am not resigned to much of anything.  You see
pessimism where I see realism.  If you want to call my view that
law is a poor way to try to change human behavior in this case
pessimism, then so be it, but bear in mind that no one has presented
evidence that abortion legislation is either necessary or effective.

--
       hang gliding mailing list: hang-gliding-request@virginia.edu 
     Galen Hekhuis  UVa Health Sci Ctr (804)982-1646 gjh@virginia.edu
                  Illiterate?  Write for FREE help...
Newsgroups: talk.abortion