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Re: OT: sponge burning!



On Sun, 2007-02-25 at 15:44 -0500, Roberto C. Sanchez wrote:
> On Sun, Feb 25, 2007 at 11:14:05AM -0800, Michael M. wrote:
> > 
> > a·bor·tion (??-bôr'sh??n)
> > n.
> > 1. a. Termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or of a fetus
> > that is incapable of survival.
> >    b. Any of various procedures that result in such termination and
> > expulsion. Also called induced abortion.
> > 2. The premature expulsion of a nonviable fetus from the uterus; a
> > miscarriage.
> > 3. Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body
> > part, prior to full development or maturation.
> > 4. An aborted organism.
> > 5. Something malformed or incompletely developed; a monstrosity.
> > 
> > Don't see anything about "murder" there.
> > 
> None of them say anything about aborting a viable fetus either.
> Recently, there was a case of a premature baby (born at 22 weeks)
> surviving.  The previous record had been at 23 weeks.  Thus, at the very
> least that is viable.  However, 2nd trimester abortions are pretty much
> universally legal.  But then, those abortions don't fit your definition,
> since they are viable.


According to the CDC, [1] 1.4% of all abortions performed in the U.S.
were obtained at 21 weeks or more (statistics for 2003).

So, because some unknown portion of 1.4% of abortions have the potential
to be aborting a fetus that might, under exceptional circumstances, be
viable, then a politician who is pro-choice can be said to support
"murder"?

Still doesn't compute.

It seems to me you can only equate abortion with murder if you believe
that a fetus equates with a human being (in terms of the human rights it
should be accorded), in which case viability is not an issue because
even a not-yet-viable fetus should be accorded those same rights.
That's certainly a valid point of view, but no more or less valid than
the view that a fetus is not a human being entitled to the same rights
accorded a human capable of conceiving a fetus.

It seems to me what you're doing is claiming that because you believe
abortion is murder, then anyone who is pro-choice must support murder.
That is plainly wrong.

[1] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm


-- 
Michael M. ++ Portland, OR ++ USA
"No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions
of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to
dream." --S. Jackson



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