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Path: utzoo!watmath!saquigley
From: saquigley@watmath.UUCP (Sophie Quigley)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Re:  A recent exchange
Message-ID: <9470@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Oct-84 19:08:36 EDT
Article-I.D.: watmath.9470
Posted: Thu Oct 18 19:08:36 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 21-Oct-84 08:09:57 EDT
References: <175@mhuxh.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 54


>You are still missing the point, I think.  The analogy does not
>depend on fires being sentient.  The point is that when partners
>choose to have intercourse, both of them should be responsible for the
>consequences of that act.  Pregnancy, despite what you say in the
>quote below, is typically a possible consequence of intercourse even when
>birth control methods are used. There are exceptions, such as when
>one or both partners is sterile.  Now, if you don't want a pregnancy
>on your hands, one obvious solution is not to have intercourse at
>all, hence the "playing with fire" reference above.  Of course, one
>may still choose to have intercourse, and thus, I must point out,
>exercise control over his/her body.  A resulting pregnancy is just
>that:  a result of a choice made.  Asserting that abortion is
>controlling one's body is true enough on the surface, but underneath
>it just denotes a cop-out and unwillingness to take responsibility for
>one's own actions.  Note that BOTH partners should be held
>responsible for an act of intercourse, so don't just slip away, guys, as
>society looks the other way.
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>>>                         And as far as the woman's will, if she takes the
>>> risk, she should be willing to accept the consequences.
>>>
>>>
>>>                                         Steve Wall
>>
>>The very existence of the medical procedure called "abortion" indicates
>>that an unwanted child is not the necessary consequence of an unwanted
>>pregnancy.  The very existence of fairly reliable birth control indicates
>>that an unwanted pregnancy is not necessarily a risk associated with sex.
>>Pregnancy is neither a necessary risk nor a necessary consequence of sex.
>>There is, therefore, no such "risk" or "consequences" as you refer to.
>>
>Hmmm, I was under the impression that there was always a risk of
>pregnancy arising out of an act of intercourse involving two fertile
>individuals...birth control can indeed be "fairly reliable", but there's
>always a chance...  My feeling is still that one should have the
>courage to take responsibilities for one's actions.  There is a chance
>of pregnancy when intercourse occurs; if you choose to have intercourse,
>be prepared for that possibility.  I cannot emphasize enough that such
>responsibility includes both partners.

My partner and I are prepared for the possibility of being pregnant by having
deciding that if it will ever happen in the near future I will have an abortion.
I do not see how you think you are allowed to say that we do not have the
courage to take responsibility for our actions; we do; having an abortion takes
a lot of courage when you know that you are destroying a potential beautiful
relationship with your own child.  Having an abortion when you know damn
well you would not be able to take care of a child properly, is a much more
responsible way to behave if you do find yourself pregnant, than keeping a
child and making her suffer because of inadequate care.

Sophie Quigley
...!{clyde,ihnp4,decvax}!watmath!saquigley