Wednesday, August 01, 2007
"How Much Jail Time?"
In her most recent column in Newsweek, Anna Quindlen poses the compelling question: "How much jail time would we give a woman who had an abortion if abortion were criminalized?" I find the question compelling for the same reason Quindlen does--when ani-abortion activists are asked this question, they are wholly unable to answer the question. It seems they haven't thought beyond the act of criminalizing aboriton. As Quindlen rightly points out, if abortion is criminalized, then women who nonetheless seek abortions are criminals and should face jail time, yet the people arguing for criminalizing abortion miss this logical flaw.
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3 comments:
I think if you search further, you'll find that most anti-abortion advocates don't really care how much time a woman would have to serve as a result of seeking an "illegal" abortion. This is because it is not the life of said woman that they care about, but rather the "potential life" of the fetus. [I intentionally use the word fetus and not baby because that's what it is, if not still a zygote.] In my experience, anti-choice activists privilege the "life" of the fetus over the mother, and only care about her to the extent that she's providing incubation services. So whether or not she has to do it in a jail cell is neither here nor there to them.
After a fetus is born, and this is often supported by evidence I found directly at so-called "Pregnancy Counseling Centers," nothing beyond a few references are given for things like WIC, state assistance for health care, breastfeeding literature, etc. The new mother becomes fairly disposable after serving her purpose. A pretty picture of "hope" huh?
I've noticed that many anti-abortion advocates only seem to care about the babies (as they call them rather than the correct medical terms you used) until they're born. You rarely the same people who protest outside of Planned Parenthood clinics protesting our government's inability to care for the millions of children without insurance and living below the poverty level. . .
well, I have to say that I have friends who protest outside planned parenthood here and they have undergone special training with the roman catholic diocese so that they know all the information they need to make referrals to catholic social services. I wouldn't throw all pro-life (or anti abortion) protesters into the same category.
that doesn't actually affect the argument. but the behavior of anti abortion folks in front of the clinic doesn't really affect the argument for abortion, either.
On the other hand, I do think it's a shame that so many people think you have to republican to be pro life. pro life and anti-social services don't go together if you ask me.
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