From: AHEMP01@RICEVM1.RICE.EDU (Amy Hemphill)
Newsgroups: houston.general,tx.politics,rice.politics
Subject: Re: The Big Debate *real long* (was Re: Anti-choice vs. Pro-abortion (was Re: Houston Defending Choice Coalition needs you)
Date: 21 Aug 92 08:58:52 GMT
Organization: Rice University

>> [Lot's of stuff deleted: Sorry, Bill. Very well said, though. :)]
 
I wish I had the statistics for you in exact, but you are absolutely right. My
mother is a social worker for the court system, specializing in adoption
studies.  I can't tell you how many couples she's talked to who bewail the
fact that they haven't been able to find a baby, then recoil at the idea of
adopting a poor minority baby, or a crack baby, or an HIV+ baby, or any of the
millions of babies literally dying for a home, many of whom are here because
the mothers could not afford an abortion, and therefore also could not afford
pre-natal and post-natal care.  But, these couples, supposedly dying to bring
a baby into their homes, refuse to consider it if the child is not a newborn,
healthy, white baby, which there are very few of.  So, then next time you hear
someone talking about the shortage of adoptable babies, remind them of the
babies who most need a home.  And please, those of you who tell me that every
woman who has an abortion could feasibly use adoption as an alternative...give
me a break.  Why should they ruin their lives and struggle through nine months
of pregnancy, just to have adopting couples tell them their baby isn't good
enough?  Feasible in all cases?  I think not.
 
>
>[Just to further confuse the issue: I also find it very hypocritical for
>people to march against the Death Penalty and to be Pro-Abortion (notice I
>didn't say Pro-Choice).  Just for the record, I AM pro capital punishment.]
>
"Further confuse"?  Gee, aren't we the master of the understatement today. :)
However, I want to thank you for bringing this up.  First, the difference
between Pro-Abortion/Pro-Choice and Anti-Choice/Pro-life.  I am VERY Pro-Choice
in almost all things.  However, Pro-Abortion is something that no one in their
right mind could call me.  Please, those of you arguing the Anti-Choice view,
do not confuse this.  Not every person who fights for the right of all women to
keep their choices about their bodies to themselves thinks that abortion is the
best thing since sliced bread.  Most of them just think that it is up to the
individual to decide their own options.  THAT is what Pro-Choice means, not
'Please, everyone go out and have an abortion.'  And, those of you who are
truly 'pro-life', i.e. truly believe in the preservation of life, anti-capital
punishment, anti-war, anti-environmental degredation....my hat's off to you.
But, you can not truly call yourself pro-life if you only mean certain lives.
If the life of the criminal does not mean as much to you as the life of the
unborn child, then you are playing god and deciding what life has value.
Frankly, playing God is a role I would think that any of us would be hesitant
to take on.
 
>--
>Bill Blackwell             P H P <==me!   "A just request is to be met
>billb@owlnet.rice.edu     F L L F       in silence, by the act."
>Houston, Texas, USA          8       -Dante Alighieri "Inferno" XXIV ln.77-78
>"My opinions are mine, no one else is that stupid"
 
Amy Hemphill--->NOT the God!
ahemp01@ricevm1.rice.edu
Xref: sparky houston.general:888 tx.politics:4273