Quote:
Originally posted by denim
You are good with that which isn't relevent to the discussion, you know? 
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I think it is relevant to the discussion, because the issue isn't about big brother, it's when does a baby become a viable human being, so when does the mother become responsible for their children, instead of their own body?
I suppose women should have the right to abuse their own bodies with drugs and alcohol, but at what point during pregnancy does this become child abuse? What the mother puts into her body is what the baby gets made out of, and whether it's legal or not, a mother like in this story is not acting responsibly at all.
What kind of choice is it to carry a fetus to term only to make a selfish decision that puts their child's life in danger... A viable person on the brink of existence should have the opportunity to be born safely.
As for a forced C-Section, it's still relevant to consider when the child becomes his/her own person. Is it negligence if the mother decides against the better judgment of medical professionals and causes the death of her child? Is that some form of manslaughter? Does the fact that she knew that refusing a C-Section would probably cause the death of at least one of her children show predication or intent? Charging her with such things cannot be done unless we establish if it was indeed a person that was killed, and the underlying question is the most persistant one in logical discussion about abortion: "When does life begin? When does the baby become an individual person with the right to live? Is it the moment it leaves the mother's body? Is it when it can survive on it's own? Is it when it has a fully formed brain and becomes sentient? Is it when the first cells divide? Is it the moment of conception? " My fear is that a decision to recognize a child still in the womb as a living person with rights of its own is the first step in chipping away at a woman's right to choose. This individual case may not be about abortion, but the ramifications of the precedence its ruling will create will definitely be used in the future arguments over choice.