20 week abortions...

M&M's Mommy

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#21
So are you saying that just because those are a small percentage that EVERYONE should be prevented, because its saving all those other lives? That's ridiculous.
No, but saving life MUST be the primary purpose. If that inadvertently results in the death of the baby, then so be it... BUT, most often, it goes the other way around: Ending the baby's life is seen as a mean to save the mother's life. I hope I make sense.

Anyway, it's late and I must go home to my little Katie :) I doubt this thread still stay on track until I can log back in.. Until then, have a fun, constructive discussion everyone!
 

Shai

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#22
By reading the many abortion related threads in the past, I think most people choose to stand "in between" kinda like "I personally don't agree with abortion, and would not have one, but if you're pregnant and want to end it, go ahead, it's your choice!", as if we're afraid we'll offense...
Speaking for myself, it has nothing to do with trying to not offend, and everything to do with recognizing that what is right for me is not right for everyone.
 

stardogs

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#24
I think most people choose to stand "in between" kinda like "I personally don't agree with abortion, and would not have one, but if you're pregnant and want to end it, go ahead, it's your choice!", as if we're afraid we'll offense...
I stand in the middle, firmly pro-choice, by *choice*, not because I don't want to offend anyone. Earlier in my life I abstained from sex so that I wouldn't have to make a choice; now that I'm at a different stage in life I am comfortable that if I found out I was pregnant I would opt to keep that child, but I am an individual, and my choices need not force the hand of others. What is good for me, may not be good for someone else and I try hard to keep that in mind!

I come at this a bit from the animal welfare side of things - in the animal welfare realm death itself is not a "harm". The way that death is handled *is* important, but the actual death is a neutral. It may sound harsh, but to me, abortion is not a true "harm" - it is a humane death and the fetus/child/collection of cells/being's loss of possibilities does not come near carrying the same weight as the mother's life/needs because those are real, not possibilities. I realize that many may not agree, but that's ok, I just felt it might be helpful to provide my perspective.

And of course, all that being said, I'm not quite sure that this changes anything about the OP for me!
 

M&M's Mommy

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#25
Speaking for myself, it has nothing to do with trying to not offend, and everything to do with recognizing that what is right for me is not right for everyone.
Imposing one's belief/moral/way of life on someone else is not right nor recommended, but when it comes to right and wrong, there is a defined line and when being challenged/asked, one must stand up for what he/she truly belives.

What I tried to say is, for example, I think abortion is wrong. Do I go around and preach/bombarded everyone with it.. NO - but when a friend (a hypothetical friend) comes to me asking whether or not she should have an abortion... I would try my hardest to convince her not to. The decision is hers, and I realize I may not able to change her mind if she's already dead set on it, but I won't say "i think abortion is wrong, but if you think it's right for you, go ahead, I won't interfere with your choice". I can't...for she's responsible for her own action.. but oh how I wish I could.
 

Shai

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#27
Imposing one's belief/moral/way of life on someone else is not right nor recommended, but when it comes to right and wrong, there is a defined line and when being challenged/asked, one must stand up for what he/she truly belives.

What I tried to say is, for example, I think abortion is wrong. Do I go around and preach/bombarded everyone with it.. NO - but when a friend (a hypothetical friend) comes to me asking whether or not she should have an abortion... I would try my hardest to convince her not to. The decision is hers, and I realize I may not able to change her mind if she's already dead set on it, but I won't say "i think abortion is wrong, but if you think it's right for you, go ahead, I won't interfere with your choice". I can't...for you're responsible for your own action.. but of how I wish I could.
I have no trouble with anyone standing up for what they believe. Or telling others what they believe. Or trying to convince others to believe it too. And I sympathize with how heart wreching it is to see or know someone, especially someone you care about, is going to do something you deeply believe is wrong.

I do have trouble when the above crosses the line into harassment, or when those beliefs are being turned into legislation and not falling in line is criminalized.


(edited to fix typo)
 

stardogs

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#28
I have no trouble with anyone standing up for what they believe. Or telling others what they believe. Or trying to convince others to believe it too. And I sympathize with how heart wreching it is to see or know someone, especially someone you care about, is going to do something you deeply believe is wrong.

I do have trouble when the above crosses the line into harassment, or when those beliefs are being turned into legislation and not doing that isn't falling in line is criminalized.
^That. I never want to take away someone's ability to counsel a friend, offer their opinion, share their experiences if they are trying to help a friend, but to actually legislate those beliefs? No thanks.
 

Dakotah

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#29
I believe it is the woman's choice to do what she wants with her body. I have always said and believed that, and I always will.
I use to say I would never get an abortion. But honestly, I never know. Things happen and your mind could always change. You might say one thing today and tomorrow it could be totally different.

Here's a story:
A friend of mine from a few years back got raped at 15 by a friend of her family, she was pregnant, she planned on keeping the baby but when she went into labor at 7 months, the birth of the baby took her life and the baby's life. That was HER choice, regardless if she was 15 or not (because I know her age will be brought up into this. Its not like she willingly went and had sex). Her family & friends supported her (me being one). Though I did not agree with her choice, I supported it because she was my friend.

Just my 2 cents.
 

Lyzelle

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#31
As far as "baby's choice" I highly doubt the soul of an innocent child wants to be born in anything less than ideal conditions where it will be loved, nurtured, and wanted. I'm not of the belief that just because the baby wasn't born, that it died. The body, the physical mass, yes. But not the soul. That lives on until it is truly born.

But does that mean I'm going to force that belief on other people? No, of course not.

Pro-Choice rarely ever means Pro-Abortion. Like I said before, and many others here have also said, it simply means the ability for the woman to make a choice regarding her body. And sometimes, that choice is far better than the alternative. Pro-Choice is most certainly Pro-Life in it's own way. I know very few pro-choice people who would want a child born into less than ideal circumstances, or instances where the child will not be loved or wanted.

But, really, at the end of the day, it's not a single person's business except the woman, her significant other, and her doctor. Period.
 
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#32
Speaking for myself, it has nothing to do with trying to not offend, and everything to do with recognizing that what is right for me is not right for everyone.
This... I DO have stand up for my belief - my belief that, as Shai says, what is right for me is not right for everyone. Heck, what is right for me in one context might not be right for me in another context.

Also, that there is no objective definition or agreement of when "personhood" begins. I know I don't believe it begins at conception. I know I do believe it happens well before birth. But where exactly is it? What week of pregnancy? I don't know. And nobody else does, either, and basing laws on something that is too slippery to even be legally defined is bad juju IMO.
 

M&M's Mommy

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#33
How is "pro-choice" different than "pro-abortion" when the "choice" in this very context means "abort/terminate/end the pregnancy which directly results in the baby' death, which means abortion?. How can those who think life is precious and begins at conception renders their support (pro) to the killing of that very life? I may be frown upon, but I have the feeling it is just the play of words, somehow the word "pro-choice" lightens the situation and makes one feel better/more justified than "pro-abortion?"

I kinda understand the reasons someone can be "pro-choice" (of abortion) if he/she thinks an unborn fetus is just a mass of cells & not really a human... then of course, he/she has no problems with abortion... (When life really begins is another can of worms I don't want to re-open!)

I'm pro-choice, too - when the choices are to say what you want (freedom of speech), choose what faith/religion you believe in (freedom of religions), or a millions other things - but even these freedom have limitations, i.e, freedom of speech doesn't mean one can yell "Fire!" in a crowed theater, and freedom of religion doesn't mean you can kill/harass others who don't share your belief in the name of your religion, etc... True freedom doesn't mean one can do whatever he wants whenever he wants it, let alone when what he wants costs the life of other!

Also, everyday everybody makes tons of choices. Some are good, and some are bad. Aren't rules neccessary to prevent/punish those who make bad choices?. Murder, rape, stealing, lying, etc.. are all choices, aren't they?
 
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Xandra

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#34
Pro-choice really does mean CHOICE... to get an abortion or to not get one. I mean, if someone wanted to forgo treatment to ensure their fetus' survival (I believe an article of a pregnant teenage girl who did so was posted a while back), vs getting an abortion and saving themselves, that's their CHOICE. Honestly, doing that doesn't sit well with me, personally, just like many many abortions don't. But those are just my inklings. It's their choice... to abort yes, or to not.

I don't think a label of "pro abortion" fits me well, just because in some cases I think it is the best option. I get what you're saying... if I think it's wrong than I should be consistent and say it is wrong, period. But to me it's just not clear enough... at 7 months yes, it's wrong, no abortions unless the woman's life depends on it. But at 2 months, I find that blurry. I would err on the safe side and say no for me, but for anyone else, they can figure it out for themselves. I am not confident enough in my judgment to so "NO WRONG." And it isn't because I don't want to offend... it's because I'm trying to be fair... I don't think my reasons for personally saying "no" at 2 months are sound enough to force on everyone else.

I do believe the issue boils down to personhood. If a fetus is a person/baby, then it doesn't matter if it's "wanted" or not, we can't make those choices for it anymore than we can for a baby. I don't think a zygote is a person... no way. But when you start getting brainwaves... a beating heart, eyes, fingernails all that jazz... sometime in utero a fetus becomes a person.

Of course like Dakotah said... that's just what I'm saying now... I've never been pregnant, much less by a rapist. But that's my basic opinion.
 

Kat09Tails

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#35
I'm pro - choice. I have never met anyone who has had an abortion that wasn't deeply affected by that decision, just as I have never met anyone who has put up a baby for adoption that wasn't deeply affected by that decision, and certainly having and keeping a baby is a big choice as well. Personally if and when I have a kid I want the choice available - not that I plan on taking it but as a plan B if something should go horribly awry.
 

SizzleDog

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#37
If my mother came to me today and said she'd thought about ending the pregnancy (and thus ending my life before it even began), it wouldn't make me mad at all. It would have been her decision to make. And if I'd had a choice in the matter, as a fetus.... if my mother had wanted abort, knowing she would not give me a good life... I would choose to let her do as she wished. Choice isn't absolute - some choose differently than others. There is no way to prove that every fetus would choose to be born, if given that chance to choose. I just can't buy that "reason" to outlaw abortion.

I'm sure people will disagree with me, and that's fine.
 
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#38
I have many friends who where adopted at birth. If you dont want to be responsible for your actions, death is not the only option.
 

Lyzelle

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#39
Adoption is really a specific case thing. There are plenty of people who don't want to pass on their genes, period, and women can have health reasons for why they cannot carry a child to term. There is also the simple idea that some people don't want to bring more life into this world.

Not to mention, adoption is getting increasingly harder for parents to be unless you have a couple thousand and look like a God - minus the Old Testament violence.
 
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#40
Adoption is really a specific case thing. There are plenty of people who don't want to pass on their genes, period, and women can have health reasons for why they cannot carry a child to term. There is also the simple idea that some people don't want to bring more life into this world.

Not to mention, adoption is getting increasingly harder for parents to be unless you have a couple thousand and look like a God - minus the Old Testament violence.
Sweet Zombie Jesus. I put adoption as an option not an absolute. I can completely understand if a woman cant carry to term for health reasons.

My older brother was a zero growth advocate for many years. I flat asked him what he would do if he knocked up his GF at the time. His response, "We are Liberals, she will have an abortion". That zero population growth advocate made me an Uncle last year.

Adoption would be easier and cheaper, if abortion was harder and more expensive.

Personally the human race sickens me more every day and the zombie apocalypse cant come soon enough.
 

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