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From: rat@tybalt.caltech.edu.Caltech.Edu (Ray Trent)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: I'm "just" being provocative, BUT...
Message-ID: <903@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu>
Date: Thu, 14-Aug-86 21:04:59 EDT
Article-I.D.: cit-vax.903
Posted: Thu Aug 14 21:04:59 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 16-Aug-86 06:15:03 EDT
References: <1619@videovax> <1655@videovax> <2504@jhunix.UUCP> <1677@videovax> <893@cit-vax.Caltech.Edu> <531@andromeda.RUTGERS.EDU>
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Reply-To: rat@tybalt.caltech.edu.UUCP (Paul Torek)
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In article <531@andromeda.RUTGERS.EDU> marco (the wharf rat) writes:
>[assorted stuff]

Have you ever heard of a "reductio ad absurdum" argument?  It works like
this:  Someone says something I disagree with.  I take their premise
and use it to derive an absurd conclusion.  I then conclude that because
the conclusion is absurd, the premise must be false.  Usually my opponent
is smart enough to figure out that I reject the conclusion, without my
having to say so explicitly.

Apparently, this time is different.  So let me make crystal clear:  I
think it would be crazy not to prohibit anti-abortionists from doing the
things I mentioned.  We should impose our moral views on them.  We
should legislate our "opinion" about the legitimacy of such actions.

>[...]  I can only say
>that dis-allowing this sort of might-makes-right violence in society is
>not a moral decision, but in fact based on logic. [...]

Why not both?

> By refusing to legislate that it is acceptable to bomb
>abortion clinics, you are not legislating the opinion that fetuses are not
>human beings;

The issue was destroying property, not bombing, but:  Sure I am!

> you are legislating my right to control my own life
>without fear of violence from those who do not agree with my actions.

That too.  It's not either/or.

>	A ridiculous question : If anti-abortion violence is acceptable
>because it merely expresses your opinion, is anti-anti-abortion violence
>also acceptable ?  Will the abortion question be solved by which side
>has the best marksmen ?

It would be.  And that's the reductio ad absurdum of your premise.
		Paul Torek, not necessarily reflecting the views of:
		rat@tybalt.caltech.edu