Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-ngp.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!ut-sally!ut-ngp!kjm From: kjm@ut-ngp.UUCP (Ken Montgomery) Newsgroups: net.abortion Subject: Re: An abortion story Message-ID: <1092@ut-ngp.UUCP> Date: Sat, 24-Nov-84 16:43:46 EST Article-I.D.: ut-ngp.1092 Posted: Sat Nov 24 16:43:46 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 25-Nov-84 09:12:06 EST References: <44@tove.UUCP> Organization: U.Texas Computation Center, Austin, Texas Lines: 61 [] >[Liz Allen] > > [Emotional appeal deleted...] > >There are a few things in this narrative that I want you to notice >-- partly because people are in the habit of posting things >contradicting these things... > >1. The child is well formed -- not at all a "blob" or just tissue. >And, at ten weeks, this is not an "older" abortion; some abortions >are performed earlier, but most are performed at 10 weeks or later. The degree of development of the child is irrelevant. Why does an unborn child (or any child) have the right to have its life supported by its mother? Why does it even have the right to remain inside her body against her will? By what principle? Why is this principle valid? >2. The child is animated -- he doesn't just sleep unaware of >anything but seems quite active. So what? >3. The child is aware of the attack -- he moves away from the >instrument and as far away as possible. Or was he merely pushed away by it? >4. The child reacts to pain and seems aware of his death -- the >silent scream... Cats also react to pain. However, the evidence given in no way shows that the child "seems aware of his death". How can you tell what is going on in the child's brain, such of it as there is at 10 weeks? >I didn't post this to be gross or emotional -- even though this >narrative is both these things. I posted it because if there was >a window to the womb, abortion would be as unthinkable as murder. Why would abortion necessarily be unthinkable? I don't see any causal link here. >I think it says a lot (negative) about our society that at a time >in which we know so much more about fetal development than ever >before, we still don't consider abortion unequivocally wrong... Why does society even have a role in the decision? Tell me, Ms. Allen, are you willing to carry any and all children that you might conceive? Either way, why do you think you have the right to force other women to carry unwanted children? >-- > -Liz Allen -- "Shredder-of-hapless-smurfs" Ken Montgomery ...!{ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!ut-ngp!kjm [Usenet, when working] kjm@ut-ngp.ARPA [for Arpanauts only]