Crimson Chuck and JThomas (I believe)
While I do not agree with you regarding this issue, may I at least say that there is some logic to your position despite my opposition to it (as opposed to fosterkeats' usual emotional blah blah blah).
By the way, JThomas,the crack about Knoxville left me in stitches, so there is some humor to be found even here.
Now, in terms of 'changing anyone's mind,' no that rarely (if ever) happens. So I have a compromise proposal for you:
Since the argument seems to center on whether or not the unborn child (fetus is usually used to escape the question of whether or not it is a life) is actually a living being, why don't we have the women who seek abortions take it out to the garbage when finished?
After all, let's say I'm the doc. I just say, "Hey, it's your body now go dispose of it." And I give her a see through bag with what's left.
I have a hunch that would surely change a lot of people's minds (although obviously too late for the aborted child).
There's something else I want to point out here. Most people who have a position on this have not even read Roe v.Wade. I have. So let me discuss one of the points the Supreme Court talked about - and then legislated for the rest of us.
The SC determined abortion to be legal because they noted that different religions, science, and philosophy could not agree on the question of when life begins. That, may I add, is a very defensible position for the court.
The problem, however, is they prescribed a remedy that, in essence, declares when life begins. They determined abortion to be legal without restriction for the first three months, limited restriction for the second three, and the state having an interest in the final three months. What this says, quite frankly, is that life begins at six to seven months.
And there are bad arguments on both sides. I have not (on this board during this post) called anyone who has had or who is pro-choice a 'murderer.' While I believe it is the taking of a life, I also realize that many people who do it either do not hold that view or they are not aware of it. Many, if not most, are teenagers who are doing (usually) what someone else (her father or mother, best friend, or partner in knocking her up) tells them is the right thing.
Now here's another bad argument. "Women will be forced into back alley coat hanger abortions." Oh spare me the crap!!!
Let me get this straight:
1. The woman CHOOSES to have sex.
2. The woman CHOOSES whom to have sex with.
Note: rape is irrelevant here since most people including activists allow for abortion via rape
3. The woman CHOOSES whether or not to use birth control
And then I'm a Neanderthal simply because I believe actions have consequences. Okay, birth control doesn't always work, I agree. Guess what? Seatbelts don't always work, either.
In the typical abortion case, the female has already made TWO choices (and many times THREE), yet we will rid ourselves of an inconvenience like a human baby and call anyone who opposes it 'anti-choice.'
I don't think pro-death or anti-choice are very edifying terms, either. But again, something is wrong when a woman can kill her unborn child at eight weeks because 'it's not viable,' but it's murder when anyone else does it. I mean, the baby is either alive or it's not, it doesn't depend on who kills it or makes that choice.