Abortion Ban
South Dakota's new abortion ban in my opinion is absolutely ridiculous. I feel it encroaches on woman's rights in so many ways. I have a firm belief that if a woman does not want to have a child then is should be her decision. No law should force her to give birth to a child she does not want. Maybe she is a scared seventeen year old girl who got pregnant by accident, maybe she was raped and did not realize it till later that she was pregnant or maybe she was raped by her boy friend and is so confused that she does not even report it and half blames herself for it. This law expects this child to stop her life and give birth to a child that will probably end up with social services and innumerable foster homes. In my opinion abortion is a woman's right and she should have the right to choose if she is ready for a child or not.
posted by MYV @ 11:33 AM
16 Comments
16 Comments:
I very much agree.
In the case of rape, or sex without protection etc., the morning after pill comes handy and can be used to ensure that fertilisation/insemination does not occur. In the case that the pregnancy causes a risk to the mother's life, I agree that abortion is a hard choice that needs to be taken to save her life. But please explain to me the justification of killing a foetus because a woman cannot use birth control, or decides much later that she cannot handle the child ? In my opinion, the foetus also has a right to life, and just hacking away and cutting it into small pieces just on a whim, is not justified. Did you know that foetuses feel pain, even before the legal abortion limit of 24 weeks ? And they do not even use anaesthetics ! So, this entire abortion issue is not blak and white...somewhere along the line, quality and value for life, becomes important...
As for the argument put forward by some that it is better to have abortions than to bring in unwanted kids into this world...with no one to really take proper care of them, and that they might turn degenerate and cause problems in society...well, I say where does one stop with the argument ? One can just as well club sick and invalid people in the same argument and say - let us get rid of them as well...there's no one to take good care of them anyways and they are a burden on society...well...pretty soon, we're on a fast downhill slide towards Hitler's agenda!
the morning after pill works only 72 hours after the act. What if the girl realizes that she is pregnant after missing her next month's cycle. Birth control is not 100% effective and there is still a possibilty of women getting pregnant. Life in the real sense does not begin immediately after conception. The law only allows for abortion to save a woman's life and not in the event of rape or incest. Have you ever thought about how violated a woman must feel if she is raped and how she is even more violated by the law that protects the rapists child and not her.
The morning after pill works immediately if I am not mistaken...the idea being that if someone has been raped or has not used contraception, then they can go for this pill immediately so that there is no chance of becoming pregnant...if someone misses even that opportunity, then who is to blame ? Why is it the fault of the child then ?
Secondly, if the woman has been raped (or incest), and she reports it, then doctors ususally suggest the immediate use of the morning-after pill...you may say that the women may not report it...and then go for an abortion...but then, aren't we trying to cure the symptoms than the disease ? The real smart thing to do, is to educate women that in the case of rape/incest they must report it immediately and get medical attention...the reason why the law says that only after 6 days after the act is is illegal, is for exactly such situations like rape where they can use the morning after pill within that timeframe.
The law protects the child...not the "rapists child" or someone's child...but a child nonetheless...is it the fault of the kid ? And why are people punishing the yet-unbon baby because of the faults of the parents ? In that case, all kids of criminals must be put to death as well, right ? If the woman feels so strongly about it, then she can give the child up for adoption...there are many childless couples out there and I am sure they would welcome and cherish the child.
Life does begin after inception...in my opinion, life is just as precious, whether it is 2 months old or 100 years old...and to just carve away at an unborn foetus that feels pain, just like the rest of us, for some selfish motives, is just not right...but then again, that's my opinion on it.
As I said...in case the woman's health is compromised, then there is no alternative but to go for the abortion. About the genetic disease point - I completely disagree with Radha...I mean, humanity is nothing if there is no hope, and the idea should be that life is precious and that hope is what carries us all through...hope that a cure will be found, hope that athe disease may not be transferred, hope that it won't be terminal for the child, etc...I would much rather err on te side of life than the other way round, because in most situations, there is no undo button in life !
Also, the point is not only about "inhuman" practices...except in the case were it is abolutely necessary (like the medical emergency situations), I think value for life should drive these decisions...
Cannot agree more. Its really a matter of choice and its bloody well a personal one!
One of my classmates (a southerner from Raleigh) actually is promoting the "Choice is good" mind-set - http://choiceisgoodtshirts.com/
Now I know Sarat would point out the "MBA connection" but me thinks it helps!
-Venky
This is going to be one hell of a discussion when Sibin gets back from Key West. I don't even know if I am keenly anticipating it, or dreading it.
Let the battle begin!
The point about having comments and a discussion on this kind of a forum, is simple...if you express comments then you must not be afraid about receiving comments about your comments ! :) If you do not want anyone to comment about what you have written, then there is only one solution - do not express/write them...Meeta, Radha, Sarat and I have expressed our opinions about the topic and about each others' as well...that's generally now most discussions proceed...and the reason why we write our thoughts about your comments, contrary to popular opinion, is not to convince you, but just to express our thoughts on the ideas mentioned...it is completely up to the other person, whether he/she wishes to take up the opinions expressed or not...
I do not have issues with people being pro-choice or pro-life...I just stated my side of it and what I think about this topic...I understand that it is sometimes a difficult stance to take, but then again we can't drive our principles and convictions based on what we think is the popular choice, now can we ?
If anyone wishes to have a frank disuccssion about this, I am open to it...as long as it can be kept clean and logical and one understands that the point is not necessarily to convince the other person to switch over to your side and not take it pesonally when they refuse to do so...
Also, why is it always the case that one assumes that people who are pro-life are that way 'cos of religious agendas ? I agree that many rligious conservatives have latched on to that, but the very fact that the group is called pro-life should actually give away their motivations for being on that particular side of the issue right ?
At least that is the case for me...
Sibin changed his views and agrees with us now. He just needed a different perspective on things I guess. http://sibin.blogspot.com/2006/03/mens-bill-of-rights.html
I have not changed my views on this issue...see, sometimes someone can take some words that are supposed to be funny and then twist it around as having subscribed to that point of view.
My post about the Men's bill of rights was a piece abound with humour, satire and sarcasm at best...and that has even been stated in the comments.
Meeta...perhaps you put up the last comment as a joke...in that case might be fine...but then again, in my opinion, this somehow was a serious discussion...not to be tainted by such humour...
Now I understand that convictions mean nothing and that indignation is all part of a facade...sad...but true !
That said, I am not DC ! :)
Now that some things have been cleared up...no one took the time or effort to have a serious discussion about the value for life that I was advocating. I stated that my reasons for opposing MTP (medically terminated pregnancies) was because I value life a great deal...I like to think that the child growing inside a woman, is actually alive...well, research has also proven that it can feel pain, can dream etc. So, essentially, in my opinion, MTP is a way of murdering a defenseless individual...one who cannot speak or defend himself/herself.
Life !
Please read...comments welcome...
I just realised that my smart-alec comments above could again be misconstrued as being serious...ok...disclaimer...disclaimer...the following are just attempts at self-effacing humour (remember the "taking it personal" issues of mine ?)..
Meeta...perhaps you put up the last comment as a joke...in that case might be fine...but then again, in my opinion, this somehow was a serious discussion...not to be tainted by such humour...
Now I understand that convictions mean nothing and that indignation is all part of a facade...sad...but true !
That said, I am not DC ! :)
Sib, you obviously value only human life in this enthusiastic fashion. So specify that life in your case means only human life. And not "life" in general. It could be terribly misleading to not specify that.
And that being the case, it does lead to very interesting questions.
Sarat, if you read the post on my blog, I do mention that I value human life the most...but that said, I also value life in a similar enthusiastic fashion...
And where do you get the idea that I don't cherish "life" in general ?
That said...shoot the questions...I have an inkling as to what's coming up though, but I won't steal your thunder...
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