Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/3/84; site mhuxt.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!js2j From: js2j@mhuxt.UUCP (sonntag) Newsgroups: net.abortion Subject: Re: Response to Gary's (a pro-choicer's mind is changed (slightly)) Message-ID: <530@mhuxt.UUCP> Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 14:35:29 EST Article-I.D.: mhuxt.530 Posted: Thu Jan 17 14:35:29 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 18-Jan-85 02:46:49 EST References: <3300@alice.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Murray Hill Lines: 38 > > And do you mean that you would support a law forbidding third > > trimester abortions? (Definitely not a rhetorical question). > > My answer to that is "maybe." Such a law would have to be based > on medical evidence that a third-trimester fetus is (probably) > capable of thought, and that there are no other overriding philosophical > aguments. I'm another pro-choicer who wouldn't be upset by such a law. Some arbitrary line must divide between fertilized eggs and babies, in terms of when they are accorded the legal status of human beings. Currently, that arbitrary line has been drawn by our society at birth; anti-abortionists want to draw the line much earlier. Where SHOULD the line be? Well, a lot of people are unhappy with the each of the naturally occuring dividing lines, conception and birth. Maybe we should consider a compromise? I'm sure that there exists no compromise which would satisfy everyone; I'm sure there IS a compromise which satisfies more people than either endpoint would. After all, if someone accidentally gets pregnant, they should be able to find out about it within 8 weeks, even in the worst of circumstances. A four month limit should be enough time for anyone who needs an abortion to find that out, decide what to do, and arrange an abortion if that is what they decide to do. This wouldn't be interfering with anyone's freedom (much), and would prevent the abortion of fetuses which have developed enough that tney MAY be capable of concious thought. I don't really know enough about the stages of human developement here. Perhaps someone could post some (undistorted) information relating time since conception with fetal development. Well, how about it? Are there any anti-abortionists who would be satisfied with a 6 or 5 or 4 month limit? Are there any pro-choicers who would be satisfied with such a compromise? -- Jeff Sonntag ihnp4!mhuxt!js2j "Know thou, O rash and foolish mortal, that this is none other than the infamous subterranean abode of Zazamanc the Archmage. Abandon hope, all ye who linger here."