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From: wetcw@pyuxa.UUCP (T C Wheeler)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: My Opinion on Abortion
Message-ID: <648@pyuxa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 27-Mar-84 10:51:25 EST
Article-I.D.: pyuxa.648
Posted: Tue Mar 27 10:51:25 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 28-Mar-84 01:22:30 EST
Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J.
Lines: 47

I have been following this abortion discussion for quite awhile now
and have come to some conclusions.  First, no one is going to change
anyone else's mind on the subject over this net.  Both sides are
firmly entrenched in their beliefs and no amount of logic or 
persuasion is going to change a mind.

There is, however, one thing that may change some minds, one way
or the other.  The birth of their own child.  On one side, if the
child is born with major birth defects or as the result of a rape
or incest, the pro-lifers may wish they had gone the route of
abortion.  On the other side, once the pro-choicer gets one look
at that magical bundle they produced, they will probably be very
glad that they did not opt for abortion.

There are just too many variables in the abortion issue to say
that one side or the other is right.  My parents didn't have a
pot to pee in or a window to throw it out of when I, the surprise,
came along.  I've always considered it strange that my folks did
not get married until 5 months before my birthday, but that's
another story.

As I have said before, using abortion as just another birth control
method is criminal.  The Chinese government does just this to
try and control their population.  There was a very good hour
show on NOVA covering their population control methods and it
was a tearjerker.  I will have to agree with what they are 
attempting to do, but it was very sad to see the anguish on
the faces of the women who had to have an abortion because they
were not authorized to have a child at this time.

It seems to me that most of those opting for abortion as a birth 
control method are from that economic class that can damn well
afford it.  There is an all pervading attitude by these people
in that they are "ME ONLY".  The "ME" generation seems to be
doing itself a disservice by wearing blinders that reject any
notion of "US".  I digress.

The jury is still out on the question of when life begins and
stops.  And, when it comes in, one side or the other will reject
the findings.  I just hope that we do not have to go the route
the Chinese government has taken.  Better birth control methods,
education, and a sense of responsibility will keep us from that
road.  There is just nothing romantic about being 16 and pregnant.
To just sit back and say, "Let them get an abortion." is not
the answer to the problem.  It is the lazy person's way out.

T. C. Wheeler