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From: tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: The Status of the Fetus and Its Rights
Message-ID: <1213@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 10-Sep-85 12:57:52 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1213
Posted: Tue Sep 10 12:57:52 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Sep-85 06:35:56 EDT
References: <436@cmu-cs-spice.ARPA> <1631@pyuxd.UUCP> <1260@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 36

> [Matt Rosenblatt]
> Mr. Newton and Mr. Rosen:
> 
> Enough already!  Isn't 900 lines of "who-shot-John?" enough?  How much
> longer do we have to wade through it?  Why doesn't each of you restate
> the principles and assumptions upon which his argument rests?  Then we
> would see that two people, both with sound arguments and relying on
> substantially the same facts, can reach opposite conclusions simply
> because their principles and assumptions differ radically.  Surprise!!
> [Much omitted]
> But both Mr. Rosen and Mr. Newton know that whatever
> you call a seven-month fetus, "autonomous" vel non, "independent" vel non,
> "human being" vel non, some of them will survive immediate removal from
> the womb and some will not.  It's a question of values, not facts.  Mr.
> Rosen seems to think it's better to risk the death of the seven-month
> fetus (or to ensure its quick death with an abortion, if unwanted)
> than to burden the pregnant woman with an additional two months
> of pregnancy.  Mr. Newton does not, and neither do I.
> [Much omitted]
> Seriously, neither of you is under a compulsion to reply to every 
> single point his opponent makes.  If you've stated your position, and
> your opponent has stated his, let the rest of us decide whose argument
> is sounder.  What kind of light do comments like "bogus!" or "A lie on
> top of another lie" shed on the issue at hand?
-----
Bravo Matt. It's a pleasure to read a posting from someone on the opposite
side of the issue that I can wholeheartedly agree with.  Not only that,
but you have hit the nail on the head.  Abortion IS a question of values,
not facts.  It is a sad choice between two evils, terminating the life of
an embryo or fetus, and forcing a woman to bear an unwanted child to
term.  It is not a theological discussion of when life begins, or what
name you call the fetus.  Many of us have made this point many times,
but the endless insoluble "when does human life begin" fights go on and on.
Bravo again.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan