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From: tan@ihlpg.UUCP (Bill Tanenbaum)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re: "The child of a fiend"
Message-ID: <1333@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 8-Oct-85 02:09:37 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.1333
Posted: Tue Oct  8 02:09:37 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 10-Oct-85 06:53:43 EDT
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Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
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> [Paul Dubuc]
> Who *is* psychologically prepared to handle the trauma associated with
> being the victim of rape?  Does abortion really lessen the trauma?
> Might not it add to it.  The woman *is* the mother of the child (though
> not a willing one) and the child that is being stigmatized is hers
> as well as his.  Could abortion possibly add to the trauma of rape
> in some cases?
------
It might.  But nobody is forcing the woman to undergo an abortion.
Who is better qualified to decide how to minimize the trauma, the woman
herself or YOU.  
------
> The question of what is the best thing to do about
> the "psychological unpreparedness" of the woman seems to be being begged
> here.  Is there anything that can or should be done to help a woman
> in this predicament that doesn't involve abortion?  Is that really
> considered an option, or do we just default to abortion as a good
> solution?
------
No default occurs.  Adoption is another option, as is keeping the child.
No one objects to giving women, rape victims or otherwise, information
about adoption.  It is the pro-lifers, not the pro-choicers, who eliminate
options.
------
> If the fetus is not to be hated because of the rape then there
> is a greater possibility of remorse from the abortion being added to
> the trauma of rape.  This may explain the placing of the stigma on the
> fetus as a defense mechanism, an added justification for abortion.
> But even as such, I think it is misplaced and unjust.  On top of these
> possibilities, the burden of how to deal with them seems to be placed
> completely on the woman (and may be shared by members of her family).
> Is she going to make the best decision for her and her child on her own?
> Is there much support for decisions other than abortion?  It seems that
> nobody dares ask her these questions.
------
Oh, come on.  You seem to think the way to relieve the burden of a
difficult choice is to make one of the alternatives illegal.  Just think
of the possibilities of extending this way of thinking into other difficult
decisions we must make.  We could have the state decide where we will live,
where we will work, etc., etc.  Think of all the burdens we would then
be relieved of.
-- 
Bill Tanenbaum - AT&T Bell Labs - Naperville IL  ihnp4!ihlpg!tan