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From: michaelm@3comvax.UUCP (Michael McNeil)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: The Status of the Fetus and Its Rights (Dependency)
Message-ID: <226@3comvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Dec-69 18:59:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: 3comvax.226
Posted: Wed Dec 31 18:59:59 1969
Date-Received: Sat, 21-Sep-85 03:56:44 EDT
References: <429@cmu-cs-spice.ARPA> <1546@pyuxd.UUCP> <998@brl-tgr.ARPA> <1597@pyuxd.UUCP> <1095@brl-tgr.ARPA> <214@3comvax.UUCP> <1674@pyuxd.UUCP>
Organization: 3Com Corp; Mountain View, CA
Lines: 33

[*Ohhhh*, yoooouuu'll *never* catch me, you Line Eater Monster, yo...]

KEY:   > > Me   > Rich Rosen

> > Rich, I'll disagree with you first.  I don't agree that dependency
> > by the fetus is an important consideration in the abortion debate.  
> > If a human (adult, say) should be connected with another by some
> > vital lifeline, surely the person that line was tied to would *not*
> > be able to cut it on a whim.  The fact that the fetus isn't built
> > to live outside the womb until birth doesn't alter that situation.  
> 
> First, there's a big difference between being tied to a machine for
> a small subset of life functions and being tied to A HUMAN BEING for
> all life support.  Are the machine's rights in violation because the
> person is "using" it?  Of course not.  Are the woman's rights in
> violation if an entity is "using" her without her consent?  

All right, Rich, since you claim that ``being tied to a human being''
is the crucial factor, let's use an example of dependency on a human.  
A pair of siamese twins are born.  Initially considered unseverable,
they grow to adulthood.  Finally, surgical developments arrive which
will allow *one* of the twins to survive separation, but the other
(due to sharing of his liver, say) would die.  Do you claim, Rich,
that the twin who would survive separation could, legally or morally,
*force* his brother to accept surgery that would result in his death,
simply because his brother is ``using'' his body without his consent?  

________________

Michael McNeil
3Com Corporation    ``All disclaimers including this one apply''
(415) 960-9367
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