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July 13, 2007 Abortion, except in the case of rape or incest is as stupid a position on the issue as it gets, but that is John McCain’s position and the position of many anti-abortionists. How in the world does this conclusion even cross the mind of anyone insisting they are intelligent enough to be taken seriously on the topic? Unfortunately it not only crosses the minds of some but solidifies in the hearts of many as a justifiable exemption to their doctrine. Anti-abortionists by-in-large believe and promote the doctrine that life at conception is equal to life outside the womb. The qualifiers as to the equality of life at conception and life outside the womb differ with varying anti-abortion sects and examining those distinctions isn’t my objective and not necessary for this topic. Suffice it to say that some anti-abortionists understand there are differences in the quality of life experientially between womb life at its various stages and life outside the womb and some insist no distinctions should be made lest a door of opportunity open for pro-choicers, but in the end they come to the same end, that abortion is immoral and equivalent to murder. Homicide comes in differing contexts and our judicial system recognizes varying forms of homicide, from murder to manslaughter and in between. Murder-homicide is understood and codified as the deliberate and unjustified taking of a human life. An interesting side note is that while animals can be slaughtered and destroyed they cannot be murdered. On the other hand, animals can murder humans. Hence murder is categorically something to which only a human can be subjected (please, UFOlogists, leave me alone!). There is one form of homicide that is universally recognized in the world as justifiable which is commonly known as self-defense. While every jurisdiction does not employ identical statutes regarding self-defense they are in general the same, ultimately recognizing that one person has the right to kill another in self-defense; that is to say in the context of saving their own life from the attempts of another to murder them or assault them in such a manner that the attack is demonstrably life-threatening. Anti-abortionists place abortion in the category of a murder-homicide. They do not view it as a form of manslaughter, either voluntary or involuntary but a premeditated act to deliberately take the life of another human being. And in the case of a woman whose life is threatened by the life in the womb, the abortion of that womb life is justified because it falls within the morally acceptable range of a self-defense homicide. So such a view is consistent not only with the courts but with the ideology of anti-abortionists and pro-choicers all around, other than bizarre extremist personalities that condemn self-defense. So now we have left the case of rape and incest. Are these womb lives threatening the life of the mother? No, not in the context of McCain and other’s belief that they too should be subject to the abortion choices of the mothers. They simply are lives that have been imposed upon the woman quite unwillingly and quite unfortunately. They are unwilling pregnancies that are the result of crimes against them. But you and I know this begs the question…SO? So what? They are still the very lives that you anti-abortionists claim have equal rights and are in fact equal to life outside the womb and suddenly, because they have come as the result of some genuinely tragic and painful offense they must be eliminated? What damned crime did they commit? Isn’t this the same question you ask when it comes to non-threatening fetuses that are the result of consensual sex? Yes, they might be unplanned, unwanted and the result of rape or incest (which comes in the form of rape often but sometimes consentingly so out of ignorance). Still, what right do you suddenly give these women to destroy these non-threatening lives that you consider equal to life outside the womb? Do you see? Do you understand? If indeed you really believe that womb life is equal to life outside the womb then you wouldn’t for a moment accept such an offensive position that believes undesirables may be murdered when they pose no life threat to the mother. In fact, such a position only demonstrates one to be the quintessential hypocrite. Anti-abortionists, abort this doctrine now. (Author's Note: For the record I oppose any legislation making abortion illegal and believe the decision of abortion is a matter of medical privacy.) ------------ About the author: Guy Arthur Thomas was born an Air Force brat and raised mostly in South Carolina. He has traveled and lived in the Middle East and the Pacific Islands and now makes his home in Virginia. Guy has a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical studies and enjoys social, political and religious discussions. Email: guyarthurthomas@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com. Please link to this article rather than copying and pasting it onto your site (which would be unauthorized and illegal). |
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