Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site ucsfcca.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!ucbvax!ucsfcgl!ucsfcca!dick From: dick@ucsfcca.UUCP (Dick Karpinski) Newsgroups: net.suicide,net.religion,net.abortion Subject: Re: A modest proposal Message-ID: <423@ucsfcca.UUCP> Date: Sat, 23-Nov-85 17:15:52 EST Article-I.D.: ucsfcca.423 Posted: Sat Nov 23 17:15:52 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 26-Nov-85 08:22:07 EST References: <925@utcs.uucp> <1117@mtx5a.UUCP> <1863@hao.UUCP> <274@l5.uucp> Reply-To: dick@ucsfcca.UUCP (Dick Karpinski) Organization: UCSF Computer Center Lines: 47 Xref: watmath net.suicide:792 net.religion:8299 net.abortion:2486 Summary: In case of doubt ... reticence is a virtue. In article <274@l5.uucp> laura@l5.UUCP (Laura Creighton) writes: >In article <1863@hao.UUCP> woods@hao.UUCP (Greg Woods) writes: >> >> On the contrary, that modifier is the entire issue. If you consider >>a fetus to be life from the moment of conception, and I or someone >>else happens to disagree, what on earth goves *you* the right to >>impose YOUR belief on everyone else? What GALL! What an ego! You >>think you can determine morality for everyone. Your way is best for >>everyone. People like that make me want to puke. > >Greg, you are not thinking straight. If a fetus is human being, then >abortions are murder. If a fetus is not a human being, then they are > ... >Laura Creighton Laura, I guess I think you are only partly right. Greg was confused. Greg did not seem to realize that the essence of effective civilization is to avoid unnecessary constraint on others to live together in adequate harmony. What you seem to advocate instead is that the full weight of our most repressive social force should be employed to suppress activity which a minority evaluates as murder. Rather than avoiding murder, you advocate that many many people should be accused of murder. If the penalty be death, then are you not similarly liable to accusation of murder for these new deaths? The argument which takes no cognizance of other aspects is doomed. The world is very complicated, and trying to simplify it by taking absolutist, single minded approaches to complex issues can only further polarize and harden peoples positions. This does not seem to lead to resolution of the conflicts. If you see a way that you could be led to a broader view of this abortion issue, please let others know, that they may lead you to enlightenment and joy. Would it help to know that throughout our human history, the law regarding abortion has very seldom been the same as the law about murder. Freedom of individual choice is another major principle which we tend to emphasize (and I agree) in Western culture. Allow others more latitude and life will improve for you, too. Dick -- Dick Karpinski Manager of Unix Services, UCSF Computer Center UUCP: ...!ucbvax!ucsfcgl!cca.ucsf!dick (415) 666-4529 (12-7) BITNET: dick@ucsfcca Compuserve: 70215,1277 Telemail: RKarpinski USPS: U-76 UCSF, San Francisco, CA 94143