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November 1, 2007 at 13:02:10

Abortion: Who will speak out for the little ones?

by Mary MacElveen     Page 1 of 2 page(s)

www.opednews.com

 

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In writing this most controversial column, I do so out of great concern for the firestorm in which many I suppose will lash out through angry emails.  I am not writing this one particular column out of judgment but how I feel personally concerning the issue of abortion.  For all of my adult life, I have been pro-choice when it comes to this issue, but these past few days, I have had an awakening of sorts and have switched my beliefs.  I am now pro-life. 

 

I think this new way of thinking is consistent in how I have spoken out against the war through column after column in which I only scream for the killings to stop.  I have always been against capital punishment.  So, in those two instances, my previous belief system was not consistent when it came to being pro-life. I asked myself; how can I defend other’s right to life but not innocent babies?

 

For quite sometime, CNN has been airing a commercial in which a health care provider asks of herself, how she can hold steadfast to her belief of being pro-choice when through the advance of medical science some premature babies can undergo surgeries to save their lives and where others are aborted.  I can personally identify with that one.

 

On February 2, 1989, I gave birth to twins.  One was deformed who I never saw but named Scott and Sean who lived for three days.  I gave birth to these twins prematurely since I was not feeling the viable twin, Sean move.  I noticed in his brief life, how the doctors and nurses tried with all their might to keep him alive, but to no avail he died.  Sean was of the same gestational age as some third trimester babies who are aborted each day.  So, while we mourned both of them and buried them in the same casket, other babies who through no fault of their own are aborted and discarded.

 

Through the gift of adoption, a family member came into our lives nineteen years ago.  I have often prayed for her birth parents for giving us this precious gift and at her sweet sixteen party, she invited them to be a part of it.  I often wonder had her birth mother decided not to give birth to her, we would never have come to know her.  In fact, I do pray for her on a daily basis thanking her for her decision to allow this wonderful young woman to be a part of our lives.

 

In previous pieces in which I have spoken out against the war in Iraq and Israel’s pummeling of Lebanon, embedded within those pieces are the horrors in which the most innocent have been killed namely Iraqi and Lebanese children.  In this feed called The Truth about Abortion, I just do not see the difference.  I have watched similar feeds and have broken down sobbing for these children.

 

I even decided to watch the entire 27 minute presentation called The Silent Scream in which one can see through a sector scan a child trying to get away from the suctioning catheter.  His/her movements were so violent trying to get away from it.  That suctioning catheter tears apart a child piece by piece.  The only part that is not able to be suctioned out is the head which an abortionist takes a polyp forceps and crushes the head of the child.  He/she then removes the remnants of the head piece-meal.

 

Now here is where I will become judgmental.  Those that are pro-life and have supported this war in Iraq which have killed innocent people especially babies are not consistent with preserving life.  Many will approve spending billions upon billions for these unending wars, yet they are not activists in speaking out for health care for all so that babies saved from abortions can have quality of life after being born.  That is inconsistent thinking.  You cannot be an advocate for a child unless you demand they get health care after they are born.

 

Many will support abstinence only programs and quite frankly these programs do little to prevent unwanted pregnancies.  What they should be doing is getting behind the rest of us who do believe in birth control.  If you have a daughter who has just started her menstrual cycle, teach her how to put a condom on and demand that anyone she does have sex with wears one.  If you have a son upon reaching puberty, he should be taught to respect women and if he chooses to have sex, he too must be taught how to put a condom on and carry them with him at all times.  It all boils down to, no condom, no sex.

 

For those who are pro-choice ask yourselves; what choice did an aborted baby have?  I have seen some emails sent all over calling for a moratorium on capital punishment in which some will try to save the life of a murderer.  In fact, an email came into my email box as I was writing this column in which Amnesty International is calling for all to save the life of Troy Davis. Where are their voices when it comes to aborted babies? 

 

Some will even scream out against gun violence, and yet many more lives are taken by abortion.  On the day that Seung-Hui Cho took the lives of 33 innocents at Virginia Tech, thousands more were taken by abortion on that day.  As those victims at Virginia Tech screamed out in horror, victims of abortion scream out in silence.

 

If you find yourself or someone you love faced with an unwanted pregnancy there are alternatives instead of facing an abortion.  One such group is called, Birthright International.  As you will see in going to their web site, they offer a range of support systems so those in distress can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  They are not the only group that delivers alternatives to abortion.

 

There have been many cases of people selling babies over the Internet preying on those who cannot bear children on their own.  Perhaps if we were to help women in crisis see the merits of adoption over abortion, these couples would not find themselves falling for many of these schemes.

 

One must be asking how I feel concerning militant anti-abortion groups such as Operation Rescue and as of right now, I cannot answer that since I came to this awakening a few days ago.  I would say that they are as passionate as those who protest the war in Iraq.  Both groups of people do want to save lives.

 

In that feed embedded within this piece called the “Truth about Abortion”, they clearly state that this issue is a serious one and in doing research of both my conscience and this issue, I could not believe how some see it as being humorous.

 

Last night, I sent this notice out to many, “I came upon two feeds titled Extreme Abortions and Home Abortion Kitt.  Words cannot adequately describe the anger along with the bile rising in me as I viewed these.  What have we as a nation become when joking about the deaths of babies can be joked about?  Over these past few days, I have been watching the most horrific feeds concerning abortions and the babies that have been killed and those who make these sick videos should be made to watch them with their eyes taped open.” I have often said that of those who mock the taking of lives over in Iraq they should have to view feeds and pictures in which one will clearly see man’s inhumanity to man or in many instances innocent Iraqi babies.

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http://www.marymacelveen.com

I am a writer who currently writes pieces for my own blog http://www.marymacelveen.com I have been published by Buzzflash.com, Legitgov.org, TheLiberalPatriot.org and MikeHersh.com. I was a guest on the Jay Diamond Radio Show on WRKO in Boston and have appeared on CNN.  I have done numerous web broadcasts for sites such as RadioLeft.com, TVNewsLies.org and FranklySpeakingRadio.com.

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20 comments

DaveyS is a 5th-generation Texan now living in California, a proud liberal (product of the public education system in North Texas!), and a staunch critic of conservative policies that are destroying our nation.
daveysDaveyS is a 5th-generation Texan now living in California, a proud liberal (product of the public education system in North Texas!), and a staunch critic of conservative policies that are destroying our nation.

Pro-Choice does not mean we favor abortion.

I cannot resist the opportunity to pick apart the doublespeak that the religious right has used to frame this debate for so long.  The reason I am Pro-Choice is not because I would ever want anyone to have an abortion, and not because I think it could ever be the best decision in any given situation.  The reason I am Pro-Choice is because I do not feel that I, or anyone else for that matter, have the right to ever force a woman to have a baby she does not want.  I would never advocate abortion.  But I sure as hell would not legislate a ban on abortion, either.  It is not my decision to make.  It is not your decision to make.  It is the pregnant woman's decision to make, period, The End.  Restore the Separation of Church and State!

by daveys (2 articles, 0 quicklinks, 15 diaries, 169 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 3:52:09 PM
 


I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.
chip90043I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.

Abortion

To Mary: You have every right to feel this way. But lets ponder the thoughts for a second. You said you were once pro-choice and now you are pro-life because of all these aborted babies. Where are your feelings about how many woman died in these back alleys or the fact that they did it themselves and lost their lives. Where was their right to life? Who speak for these woman when someone decides(usually men) that their rights and moral beliefs is not enough for them to decide whether to choose or not to choose. To me the abortion issue does not belond in politics it is a health issue for one the mother's health and her rights to decide for her self is at stake. No man or for that matter any woman can decide for her and tell her what to do. You or anyone else will not be there to pick up the pieces. These pro-life woman who are the most fervently among the pro-lifers have had multiple abortions themselves and now feel that they have to atoned for all the abortion that they have by taking away a woman's right to decide for herself and when she doesnt she is a baby killer? what about all the killings that we do when these woman end up dead? people like James Dobson have done their best to end roe v wade where it is just in name only, no birth control pills let alone sterilization. The bible says nothing about abortion I believe GOD trusted a woman to make her own decisions. After all she knows her perdictment better than others. And since abortion is as old as child birth it goes as far back as ancient times. Too many pro-lifers have used it to be hateful and mean to woman when they dont even care what happens to it afterwards. And speaking as a black woman-adoption does not happen that often among black or latino babies, not even those with physical or mental disabilities. In this sluggish economy that seems to be getting worse.  People do not have the money to adopt or even the lifestyle. Simply telling a woman to give up her baby for adoption is misleading-in most cases it will end up in the foster care system. Where they are raped and murdered and abandoned. What kind of life is that for a child? As far as rape and incest is concern. Motherhood is not about budding your nose or anyone else's in some woman who moral beliefs and feelings are different than yours. If she aborts than she has to live with that. How can it bother you when you dont know whos pregnant and whose aborting? Ther will always be abortions whether you like it or not. Why not teach them sex education, make sure that they are armed with birth control pills, talk about good paying jobs, and healthcare and leave the rest up to them? The pro-life movement and these other alternative organizations cannot be trusted most of them have lied to these woman and in the most vulnerable way have intruded on their privacy. No cohersion allowed please. For these womans lifes have been altered permantly by someones else's idea of morality.  I believe in the constitution and that is that everyone is an equal do you honestly think if a man can get pregnant we will be having this conversation? No it will be a sacrament. Please leave the issue alone for once and let these woman decide in peace. Thank You. This goes out to all the woman who have lost their lives because of people who are only concern about the fetus and not about her.

by chip90043 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 4:15:16 PM
 


Undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy: summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; with postgraduate work in political economics. Postgraduate degree is a juris doctorate. I am a voracious reader and, although I make no claim to expertise, have self studied in logic, linguistics, theology, theoretical physics, macroeconomics, technical and fundamental market analysis, world history, and many other subjects, which I believed at the time helped explain the world around me.

...

to see more of bio, click on member name

W.M.L.Undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy: summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; with postgraduate work in political economics. Postgraduate degree is a juris doctorate. I am a voracious reader and, although I make no claim to expertise, have self studied in logic, linguistics, theology, theoretical physics, macroeconomics, technical and fundamental market analysis, world history, and many other subjects, which I believed at the time helped explain the world around me.

...

to see more of bio, click on member name

THE BASIS OF THE RIGHT TO AN ABORTION

The legal basis for a right to an abortion is that government interference in a woman's right to decide what happens regarding her own body violates the Constitution's implied right to privacy. Of course, there is no such right explicit in the Constitution, or implied, but the federal government has no power at all that is not specifically granted to it by the terms of the Constitution. The states and the people retain all other rights. Therefore, states can legitimately legislate on the issue of abortion absent an amendment to the Bill of Rights, which has not occurred. Thus, it is true that the Supreme Court overstepped its authority in legalizing abortion in Roe v. Wade.

Nonetheless, what has always baffled me is the sexual inequality inherent in the Roe v. Wade ruling. Ignoring the fetus, the woman's body, as a practical matter, is not the only body at stake. In fact, it is much less at stake than is that of the father. If the mother decides to have an abortion, the father has no input into that decision, and perhaps, rightfully so. But if the mother decides to have the baby, the father is bound into servitude for eighteen to twenty-one years, whereas the mother's ordeal lasts only throughout the gestational period and birth. The female is granted all of the decision making power by the law, but the male is burdened on pain of incarceration with the financial support of the female and the child for a great proportion of his life. He, unlike the female, has no opt out proviso, such as abortion. This situation is inherently unfair under the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution which grants Equal Protection under the law to all citizens of the United States. If women are to have abortion on demand, then justice requires that the father be allowed to opt out of paternal responsibility so long as the abortion option remains feasible. Only if both parties have agreed to a viable fetus, should the legal ramifications of child bearing and rearing take mutual effect.

I, for one, would never want to see Roe v. Wade overturned. I want no abortions, but I want women to make that decision because they hear how many women have later regretted having an abortion. I do not want to return to the days of back alley abortions.

In my late teens, my girlfriend and I had to fly to New York in secret to visit a clinic there. Many years later, I happened to run into her and we got a chance to talk. She had four sons and so did I. We both found out that we both often wondered what our first son would have looked like. We both knew how old he would be at that time. We both had named him secretly--surprisingly, the same name. We both had often cried over what we had done. I guess it was looking at those four beautiful sons each of us had that caused us to face up to what we had really done. We had killed. Whether we had merely killed potential, or a baby, was irrelevant. We had killed. We had ended a son.  There was someone missing from our world that we both knew should have been there. 

by W.M.L. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 324 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 6:12:28 PM
 


Hater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired
John HanksHater of Nazis above all. Hobbies include activism, military model building, military history, exciting and vital conversation with retired crooks. Retired

Acorns and Oaks

A fetus or an embryo are not babies.  The anti-abortion crowd is a fertility cult that wants to use the power of the state or the mob to impose its religious fantasies on everyone else,  without having to bear the cost.

by John Hanks (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 1203 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 7:26:45 PM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Fetus

A fetus is not a baby because it lives inside the womb and not out?

Beg to differ. 

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 932 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 8:14:36 PM
 


I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.
chip90043I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.

Fetus

TO Gormley:

I beg to differ-First the bible does say nothing about abortion(right or wrong) secondly scientific community never once said that a fetus is a human being. You men talk as if you experience this before. SInce when do you men been pregnant before. How do you know what it is like. What would you said if most woman especially those who do not have any children decide to seek sterilization? what would you guys talk about then since you cant control a womans uterus? If a baby is a fetus than an embryo must be a blastocysts? Please quit trying to play GOD and let a woman answer for herself. We live an a society where there are many woman from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. Whose to say that your views on life and religion are more important than what she thinks. We each have the right to answer our own morality. No one not even the catholic church as the right to decide for woman. period. I feel as a woman I especially a black woman feel that I have the right to speak since so many bllack and Latina woman have died from botched abortions.

by chip90043 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 12:54:25 PM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

I Have Experienced it Before

When my daughter came out at 24 weeks she sure looked like a human being to me. Morality can not be imposed. People will do what they want. If someone really wants to get an abortion they will get one. All I'm saying is that I would hope people would make life their top priority when making decisions to abort

or not abort. You don't have to "play God" to support the right to life, I would

think it would come naturally to anyone with a heart.

    By the way... it does say in the Bible that sex should occur only between

married couples. If people followed that advice there would be less abortions. But again, people don't want to hear that do they?

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 932 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 4:01:28 PM
 


I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.
chip90043I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.

I Have experience it before

Gormely: Since when have you been pregnant-no one can say if a woman aborts she doesnt have a heart? without thinking about her circumstances. Thats not fair to her. Your daughter when she came out did not always look like that. heart doesnt start until the 8 week and the brain somewhere around the 6th weel. ^0% of woman abort somewhere between 4th adn 6th week. So what is it that she is aborting. You know any humans without a heart or a brain?? By the way where is your feelings about woman dying from unsafe abortions since life is your top priority. I notice those who talk like this never once mentioned all these dead life that use to walk around this earth. If your daughter who you said you love was to one day abort for what ever reason would you want her to die from an unsafe abortion because of some moral ground that you and those like you are basing it on? Also not everyone follows the bible we do have other religions in this world.

by chip90043 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 9:06:55 PM
 


electronic technician, truth seeker
Bob Gormleyelectronic technician, truth seeker

Your Awakening

Hi Mary,

Like you we lost a child from a premature birth. We also adopted a baby

when it became obvious that childbirth would be too dangerous for my wife.

Best decision we ever made. The birth mother was 18, and decided not to have an abortion. Where would we be, and where would our beautiful daughter be

if she decided to have an abortion?

I agree that one must be consistent..... if you are against the killing of innocents during war, then you must be against the killing of innocents in the womb. There will always be those extraordinary circumstances where

the rightness or wrongness of an abortion is in that gray area. That said, most

abortions are performed out of selfishness (ie career advancement) or fear.

I for one applaud your "awakening".

Best wishes,

Bob

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 932 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 8:12:31 PM
 


I've been a musician for 40 years.married with 5 kids.
larry boothI've been a musician for 40 years.married with 5 kids.

People like Daveys................

say they are not in favor of anyone actually getting an abortion. So, why do they get so pissed when someone decides not to?

by larry booth (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 279 comments) on Thursday, November 1, 2007 at 11:03:34 PM
 


A writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Mark SashineA writer is a rogue goose. All other gees fly in a flock formation; every goose knows his place and time for honking. The rogue goose is undisciplined. He leaves the formation indiscriminately to have a look at it from aside. He roams back and forth, takes a peep at the leader, honks a little bit from behind, distracts everyone and writes on what he sees. Time passes and as he wants to return back to his place he discovers someone else there. Thus he either has to wait until they land for rest...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Abortion

is an unfortunate but  available option for a woman only to decide to choose. It must not be glorified or even argued about- it is  supposed to be a grieving and difficult experience.  People have to acknowledge that some things they  can do  thanks to  the technology are not the  things for fun- they are in fact   tough choices. But freedom of choice is the basic freedom of the human and  without it  a human is a slave. It is thus absolutely  vital that a female grown up enough to make her own choices would be aware of that choice too and  be provided with the safe means to do so  if  she so  decides.  Individuals  are welcome to any opinions they  can have. But the same as we can have  opinions about, say, the other people raising  their children we  should keep those  just as opinions and not try to impose those on other people.

by Mark Sashine (51 articles, 19 quicklinks, 244 diaries, 3454 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 7:29:00 AM
 


Undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy: summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; with postgraduate work in political economics. Postgraduate degree is a juris doctorate. I am a voracious reader and, although I make no claim to expertise, have self studied in logic, linguistics, theology, theoretical physics, macroeconomics, technical and fundamental market analysis, world history, and many other subjects, which I believed at the time helped explain the world around me.

...

to see more of bio, click on member name

W.M.L.Undergraduate degree in political science and philosophy: summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa; with postgraduate work in political economics. Postgraduate degree is a juris doctorate. I am a voracious reader and, although I make no claim to expertise, have self studied in logic, linguistics, theology, theoretical physics, macroeconomics, technical and fundamental market analysis, world history, and many other subjects, which I believed at the time helped explain the world around me.

...

to see more of bio, click on member name

TO JOHN HANKS

Is your statement true simply because you made it? Or do you have an argument, other than the fallacious ad hominem attack, to back it up? Have you been involved in an abortion so that you can speak with authority on the subject, or do you possibly speak from complete ignorance, or worse; from fear of facing up to what you may have done.

by W.M.L. (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 324 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 7:59:36 AM
 


JackN is a retired phyicist living in Delaware County Pennsylvania.
JackNJackN is a retired phyicist living in Delaware County Pennsylvania.

Let's Do the Research

Medical science has progressed to the point where a research project can be launched, with quite reasonable expectation of success, to transplant a fetus from a woman to someone of either sex. I say either sex because it is not unknown to have a man's "twin" to be embedded in his body and begin growing. Upon completion of this research, an anti-abortionist can "save a baby" by having the fetus transplanted into him or her. Of course there will be willing takers on both sides of the abortion argument, which I would applaud. I think the men, however, will STFU. (WWDD? -- "What Will Dobson Do?") From there on, there will be a silence on the subject that will be deafening. So all you so-called Pro-Lifers, what are you waiting for? Raise the money for the research.

by JackN (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 28 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 11:36:40 AM
 


I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.
chip90043I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.

Let s do the research

Sorry Jack- I dont think there will be any takers they are only doing this for control purposes. These conservative christians/fundamentalist are anti-woman there fear and hatred of them make them this way. I am all for this research. Let people see for what they really are. cowards and control freaks.

by chip90043 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 9:10:31 PM
 


Mail carrier who drives the rest of my colleagues nuts with my politics.
ScottMail carrier who drives the rest of my colleagues nuts with my politics.

For cryin' out loud

"Christian conservatives are anti-women..."

Horse puckey. Tell that to all the women who are anti-abortion. Pro-lifers believe that a life is being snuffed out when an abortion takes place, and that is why they are against the practice. It has nothing to do with trying to subjugate women.

by Scott (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 489 comments) on Friday, November 2, 2007 at 11:22:10 PM
 


I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.
chip90043I am a black woman who is a progressive and which to find a way to get this country back on its feet by shaking up the status quo.

For cryan out loud

Pro-lifers who are woman are the ones who have had multiple abortions themselves. They feel that they hae to atone for all the abortion that they have. And why do I know this go to truthdig.com and Chris Hedges article" the greatest threat to choice" By the way Dan what happens when the life of a woman is sucked out becuase of a botched abortion- doesnt she has the right to life. And since it is her body what right do you or anyone have to tell her what to do. And to lie about it at that. These people are willing to do anything which doesnt mean that because you think something is immoral doesnt mean you have the right to do whatever.

by chip90043 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 60 comments) on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 5:28:00 PM
 


R. Queisser has been an unabashed progressive activist since the '60s. After 28 years in non-profit health care management he left that field, disgusted at the mess commercial health insurance companies have created. He now resides near the Canadian border where he does ontological work repairing gashes in the fabric of truth created by "conservative" politicians & pundits.
R. QueisserR. Queisser has been an unabashed progressive activist since the '60s. After 28 years in non-profit health care management he left that field, disgusted at the mess commercial health insurance companies have created. He now resides near the Canadian border where he does ontological work repairing gashes in the fabric of truth created by "conservative" politicians & pundits.

Biology and Babies

"Pro-life" is a misnomer, Mary, a false choice framed by religious bigots who disagree with the primary right of all pregnant females, their free choice of (1) term delivery or (2) abortion. "Pro-life" is neither an accurate characterization of those opposing abortion nor (by implication) of those who honor a woman's choices.

BTW, notice that most "pro-lifers" also advocate continuing the killings incident to the Iraq occupation--with its increasing pace of civilian bombings--and the killings inherent in capital punishment--the arrogant taking of life by a state agency. So "pro-life" really doesn't mean pro-life, any more than "pro-choice" means anti-life.

But look also at the biology. After conception, human cells divide and differentiate for 36-38 weeks. The cells of a fetus exhibit normal cellular reactions to stimuli such as electrical, chemical or mechanical disturbance. This cellular effect is evident whether observing living cells under a microscope or suspended in a uterus.

It doesn't mean that pain, or consciousness, or terror occurs--simply that cells exposed to certain stimuli may retract, bloat, cease or slow molecular functions, etc. (Drop some alcohol on a clump of live liver, bacterial or muscle cells under a 'scope--they'll do the same thing you observed the foetal cells doing in the ultrasound film, Mary.)

The anti-abortion crowd counts on our biological ignorance and sentimental anthropormorphic projection when it argues that foetal actions under duress are necessarily equivalent to killing a live being. Don't buy it.

As a society we don't really believe that "life" begins in the womb. Only a religious nut-case can deny this with a straight face. (Ever notice that a fetus can't buy or own property, be counted in a census, apply for a Social Security card, join a union or church, register for kindergarten, etc., etc. ??)

As the old song should have said, "Life is just an electro-chemical phenomenon," and virtually all of our societal conventions implicitly recognize that "life" begins at birth. Neither social practices nor observable biological processes support the quaint "pro-life" dogma you just swallowed whole, Mary. But please keep up the otherwise fine posts you have been producing. Up 'til now they have been top-notch!

by R. Queisser (7 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 62 comments) on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 3:03:26 AM
 


I'm a 29 year old male. 
TyI'm a 29 year old male. 

Babies

A fetus is not a baby. You're not a baby until you're born. Fetuses don't have rights. Pro-life is nothing but a slogan. Either you're pro choice or you're anti choice. Its about choice not abortion. Like Dennis Kucinich you can personally oppose abortion yet still respect a woman's right to choose whether or not to have one.

We have no right to ban something just because we may personally disapprove of it.

 

by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 821 comments) on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 3:12:37 PM
 


I'm a 29 year old male. 
TyI'm a 29 year old male. 

Constitution

Abortion is a right under the 9th amendment to the Constitution.

 

by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 821 comments) on Saturday, November 3, 2007 at 3:24:52 PM
 


Having lived six decades now, I've had a lot of experiences! Grew up in a family often oppressed because of our faith - we stood for peace and against war, and for the rights of all regardless of ethnic background. Active from youth in peace and civil rights. Vietnam-era draft resister. Worked for a while for peace and social justice groups, and then became a civil servant. Felt a call to a consistent life ethic, and am currently serving as President of Consistent Life. All this is out of Chr...

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Bill SamuelHaving lived six decades now, I've had a lot of experiences! Grew up in a family often oppressed because of our faith - we stood for peace and against war, and for the rights of all regardless of ethnic background. Active from youth in peace and civil rights. Vietnam-era draft resister. Worked for a while for peace and social justice groups, and then became a civil servant. Felt a call to a consistent life ethic, and am currently serving as President of Consistent Life. All this is out of Chr...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Thanks for speaking out

Mary, thanks for speaking out and joining those who adopt a consistent life ethic. Sometimes people assume that everyone who opposes abortion is a right wing Republican who is gung-ho for war.  Taint so.  200 groups and many individuals are part of the network known as Consistent Life - http://www.consistent-life.org/  A number of peace activists, including ones who have done time for peace witness, are among the endorsers.  There are more voices speaking out similarly to you than you might think, since there is little coverage of this viewpoint in the mainstream media.

by Bill Samuel (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 276 comments) on Monday, November 5, 2007 at 9:10:19 AM
 

 

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