Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece From: preece@uicsl.UUCP Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Abortion - (nf) Message-ID: <5907@uiucdcs.UUCP> Date: Mon, 27-Feb-84 22:48:15 EST Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.5907 Posted: Mon Feb 27 22:48:15 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 29-Feb-84 07:27:42 EST Lines: 31 #R:decwrl:-582300:uicsl:16400047:000:1580 uicsl!preece Feb 27 08:09:00 1984 I can't at the moment think of an argument in FAVOR of abortion that would not also apply to a three year old or a thirty three year old. ---------- I don't argue anything that doesn't apply equally to the fetus and the three year old. I argue against giving the fetus SPECIAL rights that the three year old doesn't have. A three year old in need of a kidney transplant or a blood transfusion cannot compel its mother to provide it, even if her failure to do so will lead to the child's death. We have an absolute right to control the use of our bodies. The fetus has no special right to the use of its mother's uterus. Suppose, for a moment, it were discovered that drinking three ounces of substance X would lead to shutting down the mother's end of the fetal oxygenation system. Would you ban consumption of X? I would argue that the individual has the right to decide what she wants to put into her body regardless of its effect on the fetus temporarily drawing on her facilities. If you abrogate that right you throw the door open for offspring to sue parents on the grounds they were injured by the mother's use of caffeine, tobacco, cannabis, aspirin, or whatever. If court or Congress could order a mother to provide space in her womb for her fetus, why could it not order another woman to provide space for someone else's fetus? Why could it not order a man to provide an arm to someone unfortunately born without one? The physical control of our bodies has got to be about as central a right as our system provides. scott preece ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!preece