On Sun, 2007-02-25 at 15:44 -0500, Roberto C. Sanchez wrote: > On Sun, Feb 25, 2007 at 11:14:05AM -0800, Michael M. wrote: > > > > a·bor·tion (??-bôr'sh??n) > > n. > > 1. a. Termination of pregnancy and expulsion of an embryo or of a fetus > > that is incapable of survival. > > b. Any of various procedures that result in such termination and > > expulsion. Also called induced abortion. > > 2. The premature expulsion of a nonviable fetus from the uterus; a > > miscarriage. > > 3. Cessation of normal growth, especially of an organ or other body > > part, prior to full development or maturation. > > 4. An aborted organism. > > 5. Something malformed or incompletely developed; a monstrosity. > > > > Don't see anything about "murder" there. > > > None of them say anything about aborting a viable fetus either. > Recently, there was a case of a premature baby (born at 22 weeks) > surviving. The previous record had been at 23 weeks. Thus, at the very > least that is viable. However, 2nd trimester abortions are pretty much > universally legal. But then, those abortions don't fit your definition, > since they are viable.
According to the CDC, [1] 1.4% of all abortions performed in the U.S. were obtained at 21 weeks or more (statistics for 2003). So, because some unknown portion of 1.4% of abortions have the potential to be aborting a fetus that might, under exceptional circumstances, be viable, then a politician who is pro-choice can be said to support "murder"? Still doesn't compute. It seems to me you can only equate abortion with murder if you believe that a fetus equates with a human being (in terms of the human rights it should be accorded), in which case viability is not an issue because even a not-yet-viable fetus should be accorded those same rights. That's certainly a valid point of view, but no more or less valid than the view that a fetus is not a human being entitled to the same rights accorded a human capable of conceiving a fetus. It seems to me what you're doing is claiming that because you believe abortion is murder, then anyone who is pro-choice must support murder. That is plainly wrong. [1] http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5511a1.htm -- Michael M. ++ Portland, OR ++ USA "No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream." --S. Jackson -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
