Abortion, a wonderful political football.
There are many who polarize on this subject, unable to put this into perspective. While I was, at one time, against it, I've decided to let my pragmatic viewpoint take control and logic reign.... but a few points:
1. A fetus is **NOT** just a woman's body part. It's a genetically differentiated being, created by conception, involving TWO human beings.
2. Plenty of evidence indicates this being is a living, thinking, independent "thing" very early on in development. It feels pain, even dreams (though of what, I can't imagine).
3. Abortion is murder. Accept it. There's no point in denying it at all, except in a very LAME attempt to deny anti-abortionists their main argument.
Now, I'm pro-death penalty, and while I find abortion distasteful and would encourage pregnant women to seek alternatives to it, I support abortion - up to limits. I do feel it should be a choice of LAST RESORT, since, after all, you are KILLING AN UNBORN CHILD.
Life is hard. People have to make hard choices, and framed as I have, putting it into PROPER perspective, the "choice" of abortion suddenly entails a lot more moral weight, as it should.
Before I go further, please let me make this clear: People are killed every day, and not out of malicious evil intent, or even criminal negligence.... soldiers may kill an enemy combatant on the battle field.... a cop may kill an armed robber.... a convicted murderer may be executed for their crimes. Each of these involves a moral decision on the part of the "killer", and we, as a society (though not always as individuals) concur with the "justness" of those decisions.
Such as it is, it's much harder for me to argue the moral "justness" of killing an unborn child, but it teeters on the edge, balanced against the realities of the world that child may be born into. In that light, one might struggle, but eventually come to grips with such a decision. "Society" may decide that decision lies with the parents of that child (I said "parents" - not mother).
Now... some things that REALLY piss me off:
1. If you are anti-abortion and anti-death penalty, fine - I respect that. If you are anti-abortion and pro-death penalty, fine - If you are pro-abortion and pro-death penalty, fine, but logic dictates that only an insane nutjob could be pro-abortion and anti-death penalty!! That sort of logic places the worth of an unborn child, and all the potential is has, beneath that of a convicted criminal who has proven their unworthiness to breath the same air as you or me.
2. Stop playing semantical games. You are either pro-abortion or anti-abortion. Stop refering to it as "choice" (Dammit, "choice" is what I exercise when I decide what treat I want at the local dairyland!!) or "life" (Pro-Life describes a lot more than anti-abortion).
3. Stop playing the idiotic "it's not life until it's born" game. Bullshit. That isn't Momma's body suddenly growing a new organ. It's Momma's body designed to HOST another living creature while it develops into a creature capable of surviving on its own. By that logic, the CAR can decide it doesn't lilke it's passengers and throw them out, or maybe your house can spew you outside naked when it's ten below zero outside.
4. Stem Cell research... many people have laid down their lives in support of medical research, so why the resistance... but let's put this issue in perspective, please; the current "ban" in the US doesn't affect many programs, since it ONLY applies to government funded projects, and it's not a "ban" specifically, as it allows researchers to use an existing stock of cloned stem cells. This subject has been blown out of proportions by those who would use it to sway the opinions of the weak minded.
Grow up and take responsibility for what abortion is, if you support it - it's legalized murder, under justifiable reasons, if society is willing to consider it that. IF society decides NOT to support it, then that's proper as well. Trying to circumvent soceity using an activist court, for example, is chicanery of the highest order - a few deciding what is best for the rest, regardless of whether they are right or wrong - and that's fascism.