"People say lots of peculiar things on SI. To me, it's just about exactly on the ethics-level of Grainne's comment to propose using the long arm of the state to force gestation of fertilized ova or embryos on unwilling citizens (in the cases of a few 'absolutist' posters, even on rape or incest victims), but I've seen that view espoused with nothing like the group freakout Grainne's strange comment caused.
Grainne objected to my using the term "forced gestation," btw, because she's in the abortion-is-murder camp. I replied by pointing out that banning abortion is precisely that, for all women who then can't obtain one."
E, I support abortion rights. I have never, ever said that I did not. What I have argued for is much fuller disclosure of what the procedure entails, what the fetus actually looks like, the potential for long-term psychological damage and depression for the woman who chooses to have one (I gave the example of my sister-in-law in that post, which I believe was addressed to you, although I could be wrong).
I think abortion should be much more infrequent--as Bill Clinton said, safe, legal and rare. I have consistently pointed out that although the religious right values babies before they are born, they do a horrible job of supporting innocent babies, children and families who find themselves in precarious situations. I also disagree with the right because I believe nonjudgmental sex education should be taught across the board to children, and that birth control should be available on demand (preferably in schools) for young people of all ages who are not going to follow the abstinence only advice.
I do believe that we should call a spade a spade and acknowledge that abortion is murder (taking a life), but only because then I think we could debate with the religious right the real abortion issues instead of arguing about zygotes and semantics.
I have said all these things here many, many times. It is becoming increasingly amazing to me how I can manage to keep the views of almost everyone who posts at Feelies pretty much in my head, and yet when I come here I repeatedly find my often (and I think clearly) expressed views distorted or totally misrepresented. It really becomes tiring. |
