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Originally Posted by balderdash111
But I did want to respond to a couple of will's points, as there may be some confusion
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I appretiate that.
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Originally Posted by balderdash111
I can't speak for all pro-choice people out there, but for me there is no contradiction here. I think you assume that we view both a murderer and a fertilized egg as a human life (and therefore it is contradictory to say killing one is ok, while killing another is not).
Personally, I don't view a fertilized egg as a "life." Yes, it is alive, in the sense of a living group of cells, but not in the sense of being a person.
Therefore, I don't see a contradiction between favoring a right to abortion while opposing the death penalty.
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I hope that I'm clear that I am only speaking for myself. I, personally, find pro life and pro death pentalty confusing, as well as pro choice anti death penalty. I know that a zygote isn't a person in the sticktest sense of the word, but the fact that the line is so fuzzy cuases me to er on the side of caution (I wouldn't want to be wrong about when "life" is formed). Abortion = killing of human life(?) that has less intrinsic valuem than the average human that's been born. Death penalty = killing of human life that, because of behavioral or mental problems, has less intrinsic value than the average human. I see those as fundamentally linked, but I respect those who don't.
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Originally Posted by balderdash111
I think you are greatly oversimplifying the 16 year old's ability and motivation. It is not a simple procedure, so I don't think you can accuse someone of "simply aborting her problems away." I know some women who have had abortions, and it sucks. A lot.
Also, though obviously people differ on this, I have not known anyone to casually decide to have an abortion. Typically, they agonize over it before taking that step.
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The reason it sucks a lot is because their conscience says it migth have been wrong. I agree with their conscience. If you are old enough to have intercourse, you should be old enough to raise a child. Sex shouldn't be causal, espically at a young age.
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Originally Posted by balderdash111
I'm not sure of your biology on the timing of fertilization and release from an ovary. I believe that eggs are fertilized well after they leave the ovary, but defer to those with superior knowledge if they can step in on this. What the pill does, as I understand it, is prevent the ovary from implanting in the uterine wall after it is fertilized. So it's sort of a forced miscarriage.
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Well the morning after pill and the "pill" are two different animals. As far as contraceptives, condoms, spermacide, and abstainence are pretty good. Forced miscarriage? I'm really not sure. I'll have to do some reading before I can be sure about that one. For now, let's say you're right.
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Originally Posted by balderdash111
The contraceptive pill does do what you describe - prevent an ovary from releasing an egg during the monthly cycle, but that is different from the 72 hour pill you can take after having sex.
That said, I do recall once being told that a woman who is afraid of being pregnant can take an overdose of the latter pill, and what will cause a miscarriage of some kind.
Also, as a practical point: 72 hour pill aside, not everyone knows they have accidentally become pregnant right after it happens. The contraceptive pill does not always work, nor do various other types of birth control, and you would not know it until well over 72 hours have passed. So the 72 hour pill is helpful if you have reason to think you have an unwanted pregnancy during that time frame, but not otherwise.
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The morning after pill is the pill that prevents fertinization by holding the release of the egg, and it can work up to 72 hours after intercourse (according to the nice folks at planned parenthood around the corner). If one has been raped and then takes this pill, odds are that she will not become pregnant. Combine the 90% success rate of the morning after pill with whatever odds there are of simply not getting pregnant because sex does not always result in successful fertilization...and there is a very good chance that rape pregnancies can be drastically reduced. If those pregnancies are reduced, then the need to abort drops. Combine that factor with accountability for intercourse between consenting people....and the abortion rate drops down to almost nothing.