by Joe Cooler » 4/9/2007, 3:21 pm
Ahh yes, the abortion topic. My old soap box. I believe this is the fourth or fifth time this has been discussed and each time it all goes to hell. (Usually my fault) Anyway, the more I talk about it, the more I realize that the topic is far more complex than either side really wants to believe. It's generally agreed that a fetus is human, and thus, abortion involves killing another human life. The actual process of aborting a child is by no means humane, but rather quite sickening and barbaric. Certainly, the process of killing livestock or even executing criminals is far more "tasteful."
Regardless, most Pro-Choice advocates argue that abortion should exist to give mothers who are backed into a corner an out. I can certainly understand this. They argue that if abortion were to become illegal than pregnant mothers would abort their child using extremely dangerous methods (coat hanger). Another valid point to be sure.
Yet no seems to have addressed the fact that most mothers do not abort because they have been raped or because they do not have the economic means to afford them but rather because they simply do not want the child. I'm sure most of us would agree that this is not a good reason. Therefore, because abortion is legal, there are hundreds if not thousands of children who are aborted for reasons that we as a society would not deem valid. Because of this, there is a tension between banning abortion and keeping it legal. Both have huge disadvantages.
Now, there are many who argue that the fetus is part of a women's body and because of that, it is her "right" to do whatever she likes with it while it is within her. This mentality is primarily promoted by the extreme feminist movement. By extension, pro-choice is a liberal idea as has been mentioned. I'd like to put forward that abortion should be an entirely separate issue from the left agenda and for that matter, women's rights.
Historically, it was the feminists who argued against abortion, citing the rights of an unborn child. Today this is not the case. As I mentioned, nearly all partisans of the abortion debate acknowledge the humanity of the unborn, that the unborn is a human individual distinct from its mother. Thus unborn humans fall into the same category as women with the regard to these foundational moral principles. Ironic, that pro-choice feminists deny the application of these principles to the unborn yet argue that it be applied to them. Pro-choice feminists resent that their value has been historically determined by men and yet declare that the value of a child is determined by whether a mother wants the child or not. Certainly this is something that needs to be addressed by the feminist movement.
Anyway, I realize that the issue is highly complex. Ultimately, neither legalizing it or banning it will solve all problems. Rather, I think our government should look at ways in which it can support pregnant mothers. Abortion should by no means be the first option to any struggling mother.
Finally, if I have not made it clear, I am against abortion but believe myself to be far more sympathetic to both sides than i once was.