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Originally Posted by datacaliber
I can't say that legalities ever entered into my mind in my continious decision to not commit rape. Nor of anyone I know of. Hell, it's not even a decision really. I think that if legalities ever become a deciding factor, the decision has been made and it's a terrifying one.
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Certainly. A change in the law wouldn't affect most people.
But there are certainly people of a low moral fiber that are only deterred by the belief that they'll get caught and punished.
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Well, I agree with you there to an extent. If we were to deal out harsh sentances for abortion(such as life) and abortion was something that was easily detectable, I think laws would decrease abortion. However, people goto abortion clinics as an optimal choice for safety and comfort. There are many other forms of abortions which cannot be even remotely detected. So even with harsh punishments, I don't think laws could decrease abortion.
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Most of the time, it's comfort and not safety. 'Comfort' doesn't quite encompass the whole of the reasons I'm referring to, but safety generally has little or nothing to do with it.
And people will give up 'comfort' when they see it as putting themselves in legal danger too large to justify the risk. I know a good number of former potheads who quit because of jobs/marriage/kids, for instance.
As for the harder to detect methods of abortion...we do all that we possibly and Constitutionally can. It wouldn't be the first time that individual rights got in the way of prosecuting criminal acts.
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Plus, I don't think we'd ever get to the point where we would ever deal out harsh punishments. No one wants to see a young girl handcuffed and sent to jail over this. Few people would ultimately be able to stomach it, even pro-lifers. There a world of difference between fighting for verdict and fighting for the punishment. If you asked pro-lifers what the actual punishment should be, I think most would say something minor. Most haven't thought that far because to them, it's a battle for values and sending young girls to prison is not a value.
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Unfortunately, I think you're correct to some degree in that assertion.
But I'm a pro-lifer, how about I ask myself?
...I'm about as reluctant to send a young girl to jail for an abortion as I am to send a young girl to jail for infanticide.