From: eeb1@quads.uchicago.edu (E. Elizabeth Bartley)
Subject: Re: Blackmun calls the Roe v. Wade dividing line ""arbitrary""
Reply-To: eeb1@midway.uchicago.edu
Organization: University of Chicago
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 21:50:56 GMT

In article <C0FBKp.BzK@news.cso.uiuc.edu> vengeanc@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu () writes:

>I will give you a moral absolute.

>Murder is wrong.  

Lovely.  Now, define "murder" (as something other than "wrongful
killing of a human", so as to avoid tautology) so that we know
precisely what you're claiming.

Which of the following is murder?  Which are not murder but still wrong?

Killing in cold blood?
Killing while intending to only injure?
Killing an attacker in defense of your life?
Killing an attacker in defense of another's life?
Killing an attacker in defense of a pet's life?
Killing an attacker in defense of your property?
Killing an innocent in defense of your life?
Killing an innocent in defense of your life when you thought you would
  only injure them?
Killing an attacker in defense of your life when it was only necessary
  to injure the attacker to survive?
Killing an attacker in defense of your life when it was *probably* only
  necessary to injure the attacker to survive?
Killing an attacker when defending yourself from rape?
Killing an attacker when defending yourself from rape and it was only
  necessary to injure him to avoid the rape?
Killing an attacker when defending yourself from rape and it was
  *probably* only necessary to injure him to avoid the rape?
Killing a mentally retarded attacker in defense of your life?
Killing a mentally retarded attacker to avoid rape?
Killing an innocent in order to avoid rape?
Pulling the plug on a life support machine when the patient would
  definitely recover from a coma?
Pulling the plug on a life support machine when the patient would
  probably recover from a coma?
Pulling the plug on a life support machine when the patient would
  probably not recover from a coma?
Pulling the plug on a life support machine when the patient would
  definitely not recover from a coma?
Pulling the plug on a life support machine when the patient was
  conscious?
Refusing to put a patient in a coma in a life support machine?
Refusing to put a conscious patient in a life support machine?
Refusing to donate a kidney needed for survival?
Reclaiming a kidney needed for survival that has been taken from you?
Reclaiming a kidney needed for survival that has been taken from you
  and implanted in the person who needs it?
Refusing to donate blood needed for survival?
Killing a soldier in wartime?
Killing a civilian while bombing an army base in wartime?
Deliberately killing a civilian in wartime?
Deliberately killing a civilian who has been cooperating with the
  enemy in wartime?
Killing a soldier held prisoner in wartime?
Killing a soldier held prisoner in wartime when you can't keep him
  captive?
Not giving an enemy soldier needed medical care?
Not giving an enemy soldier needed medical care because you don't have
  enough doctors and medicine for your own forces?
Legally executing a murderer after trial?
Legally executing a rapist after trial?
Legally executing a burglar after trial?
Legally executing a shoplifter after trial?
Killing a man who killed a member of your family weeks after the fact?
Killing a man who raped a member of your family weeks after the fact?
Killing a man who raped you weeks after the fact?
Killing a sentient alien?
Killing an alien who would become sentient after spinning a cocoon?
Killing said alien in defense of your life?
Killing said alien in defense of your health?
Killing said alien in defense of your property?
Killing said alien to avoid being raped?

-- 
Pro-Choice                 Anti-Roe                     - E. Elizabeth Bartley
            Abortions should be safe, legal, early, and rare.

Cthulhu for President -- when you're tired of voting for the lesser of 2 evils.