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From: hardie@uf-csg.UUCP (Bruce @ Univ. of Wallamaloo)
Newsgroups: net.abortion
Subject: Laws & Morals
Message-ID: <307@uf-csg.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 7-Jan-85 12:12:28 EST
Article-I.D.: uf-csg.307
Posted: Mon Jan  7 12:12:28 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 13-Jan-85 06:42:22 EST
Organization: Univ of Fla, Computer and Information Science
Lines: 44


	Well, the flak is flying over the question of the equivalence
of "legal" and "moral".  This is my 2 cents worth.

[1]	Laws are passed by people(legislators/dictators/etc) who are fallible.
In the U. S., few laws are passed in their original form or intention, what withthe snafus of a two house legislature.  Also, vested interests modify any law
affecting them (Witness the tobacco lobby).  Thus, *any* U. S. law is not
necessarily a correct moral judgement, and, knowing the strength of the profit
motive, may be blatantly immoral.

[2]	Enter *morals*.  As far as I know, a person's morality is a product
of their religion ( or life philosophy ).  Therefore all morals are the result
of individual interpretation of myriad experiences.  Thus, morals are not 
applicable to anyone save the holder of that view.

Examples of [1]:
	The auto industry defeating the airbag requirement even though it
		would save lives.
	The above mentioned tobacco industry staying in business at all, when
		there are *no* benefits from smoking.
	The lack of (until recently) an excess profits tax on the oil companies'		huge income from petroleum.
	etc...

Examples of [2]:
	The recent open letter from the Catholic nuns expressing the need
		for discussion on abortion, contrary to the Church's stance.
	The Thugee (sp?) cult in India, members of which considered ritual
		murder a good thing, but who were otherwise mainstream in
		their moral beliefs.
	The abortion clinic bombers, who feel that the property damage and
		possible injury caused by their bombs are outweighed by
		the destruction of the clinics.

	A law may be moral, and morals may be laws, but they are not equivalent.Is it immoral to drive 85mph to get a man dying of heart failure to a hospital?
It certainly is illegal.
It is perfectly legal to hand someone a contract, explain it to them neglecting
a clause, have them sign it, and then activate that clause, because if they
read and sign the contract, they are assumed to understand it.  But is it moral?

	Whether or not abortion is legal has no bearing on its morality.
	The moral judgement of abortion should have no effect on its legality.
-- 
	Pete Hardie, Univ. of Florida, CIS Gould
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