Ending another human life because you prefer not to take responsibility for a Choice you made is appalling. IMNSHO.
What if the pregnant woman was
a) raped, or
b) was lied to by her partner who claimed he was infertile, or
c) had defective birth control, or
d) going to die if she gave birth,
would you still feel the same way?
Generally, no. I definitely find some issues to hugely change the moral calculations. My real mom would have died without a surgical abortion, due to ectopic pregnancy. I think every "Rape Response Kit" should include a morning after pill, just take that trauma off the table right away.
No, I don't think that every pregnancy is salvageable and sometimes abortion is the Pro-life choice.
Tom
Indeed, sometimes the pro-life choice IS abortion. At least if you care about the woman's life.
I'm thinking about a lot of girls and women I know or have known. One, in particular, always comes to mind in these discussions. She lost her virginity under circumstances that were far from ideal but did not fit the definition of rape at the time--or perhaps now, nor did she ever consider it rape. But it wasn't what she thought was going to happen or intended and in that moment, she couldn't figure out a way to extricate herself from the situation as she wanted to do....some time before the penis went into her vagina. There wasn't a big chance that she was pregnant but there was some chance that she might be. Abortion was not legal in her state at that time. Almost immediately, a friend offered her the money to get on a bus and go to a clinic the next state over. Which she would have done. But if that had not been available to her, if there had been no magic money to help her obtain an abortion, she would have done anything not to have had that child. Including--and I cannot stress enough her sincerity--killing herself. Bearing a child by that person, at that time was absolutely something she could not even consider facing, although she very much hoped to have children in the future. Fortunately for all concerned, there was no pregnancy. She didn't need her friend's money; she didn't need to jump on a bus and go to some out of state clinic. She didn't need to climb over the security fence on the roof of her very tall dormitory and jump, which was, for her, much preferred to being pregnant with that person's child. So all of that was moot. She wasn't pregnant. She didn't have to be alone with that person again. She didn't have to make terrible choices. She simply got to go on living. But I will never ever forget her. Or the women I helped find an abortion provider when, for various reasons, they were desperate. And often quite religious.
I believe that murder is wrong. I believe that capital punishment, the death penalty, executing prisoners is wrong. Even in the case of mass murderers and child murderers. Even in cases where I would be willing to sit there and pull that lever over and over and over again until my arm fell off. Which is how I know for certain that capital punishment is wrong. It is motivated by strong emotion, not justice.
I also believe that it is wrong to insist that life prolonging measures be continued no matter hopeless the situation, or how much pain and suffering the patient is enduring. I believe that it is wrong to prolong life of a patient who has suffered such devastating irreversible brain damage that they cannot make any decision for themselves or to know what is happening around them.
I am not opposed to providing whatever medication is necessary to alleviate intractable, persistent pain for a terminally ill patient or one who can no longer deal with the level of pain, even if that medication might also suppress respiration sufficiently to shorten life.
I am not opposed to abortion. I know absolutely that some will choose abortion for reasons I don't understand or think are foolish. But it's absolutely not my body and so, it is not my choice.
Is there a conflict in these positions? Sure. I'm human. And I know enough that I cannot judge for someone else whether or not they should continue a pregnancy that they do not want or that is unviable or would result in negative health consequences.
