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Path: utzoo!linus!wivax!dyer
From: dyer@wivax.UUCP (Stephen Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: This newsgroup
Message-ID: <19450@wivax.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 28-Apr-84 01:02:10 EDT
Article-I.D.: wivax.19450
Posted: Sat Apr 28 01:02:10 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Apr-84 06:55:26 EDT
References: <7602@watmath.UUCP>
Organization: Wang Institute, Tyngsboro, Ma.  01879
Lines: 38

Sophie,

I can at least congratulate you on bring the discussion back to issues
like an individual's desire to control her own body--this bit about over-
population, infanticide and stress was getting a bit forced.  The article
is going to address some of the issues you bring up from a decided fetus-
is-human point of view, if only to clarify some of the reasons for the
position.  I warn the readers now, because many of the arguments make sense
only if you accept (or suspect your disbelief of) that basic premise.

I think that people who truly feel that the embryo/fetus is a human being
and hence due all rights and respect due any human will fail to be moved
much by your comments about the hardships of pregnancy that a woman goes
through.  Put simply, they feel that all of the inconveniences and potential
dangers of pregnancy do not validate the taking of a human life.  Probably
for some, the only possible exception would be if the pregnancy were directly
life-threatening to the mother, such as in certain diseases or in an ectopic
pregnancy.  So, it isn't a matter of "ignoring" the points you bring up,
but feeling that they aren't central to the issue, which is one of preserving
a human life.  Of course, this doesn't hold much water with those who don't
accept the first premise.  

Another issue brought up often is the desire of an individual to control
her own body--a pretty central idea to modern Western thought.
(Are you listening, Mr. Martillo?)  The concepts of equality and
egalitarianism are related issues.  But in this one particular case,
taking the same proposition that a fetus is human, are we truly free
and equal, or are we prisoners of our biology?  It is a bit unfashionable,
if not downright proscribed, to speak of the "tragedy" of one's biology
or of predetermined sex roles.  Pretty much all of us agree this is a
good thing, because it frees an individual to act as one wishes in
fulfilling goals, not those necessarily those imposed by society.
But, only a woman can become pregnant, and now we are talking about
two people, not one, and the issue of control becomes much more complicated.  
-- 
/Steve Dyer
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