Comments on: “No one with a penis is entitled to an opinion about abortion.”

By: CWMackowski

CWMackowski — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:26:09 +0000

I disagree with the original sentiment. I think fathers’ rights get trampled by current abortion laws. The thinking behind them comes from the same frame of mind that, for decades, strongly favors mothers with child custody in divorce cases.

It takes two to tango, and while the mom has to carry the child to term, the child is still half dad, and dad should get a say. That many fathers abdicate this responsibility is unfortunate. (That many fathers abdicate any and all parental responsibilities is shameful, period.)

By: Ann Ivins

Ann Ivins — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:10:28 +0000

What Dawn said… and I love it when La Wellen goes old school on the patriarchy. Maybe she could elaborate in a guest post? Hint?

By: JThompson

JThompson — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 13:08:55 +0000

The idea that abortion is about the “sanctity of life” kinda falls flat when the very people screaming that abortion is murder are bang alongside the idea of state sanctioned killing, be it random wars, police shootings, or the death penalty.
It’s about keeping women in their place, nothing more.
The men are typically authoritarian “Women should do as they’re told.” types.
Though the most vicious anti-abortion folks I’ve ever met were the women that’ve had an abortion and later discovered religion.
Of course when you ask if they confessed to murder and demanded to be prosecuted for it they give you a blank look. After all, Jesus forgives them. Not anyone else, though!

By: Bob

Bob — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:32:35 +0000

nice post….but you lost me in the spaceship piece…..maybe I need my first cup of coffee and I’ll read it again.

By: slag

slag — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:06:46 +0000

As an unambiguous proponent of abortion, I feel that I can afford to give pro-lifers the benefit of the doubt. Let’s assume that they actually are more interested in saving lives than keeping women in their place.
This is a very generous assumption. If pro-lifers really equated abortion to murder, they wouldn’t hesitate to pronounce that women should bear the full weight of the law for deciding to murder their fetuses. But many of them do hesitate. And it’s that hesitation that signifies intellectual dishonesty. Secondly, what next? Manslaughter/murder investigations in miscarriage situations? How about forced pregnancy tests just in case? The “abortion is murder” argument is complete BS, and anyone who’s concerned enough about children to really want to solve some of these problems knows that.

And I agree with Dawn.

By: Alex Great

Alex Great — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 07:05:38 +0000

I absolutely agree (I am of the kind with a penis and have two kids thanks to my wife:) Kids are serious responsibility and it’s mostly mother’s. So it’s up to her to decide. We, men, can help as much as we can, or as much as we are allowed to in this miraculous process but its the mother that does the miracle: bringing new life to this world. And its up to her to decide. Pro-life men are misguided idiots. You can’t tell another adult person what to do with her body what’s more try to force them to do something you think is right. Your body is your sovereign domain..

By: Dawn

Dawn — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 05:41:20 +0000

Before we can begin an honest national conversation on abortion, we need to have an honest conversation on being human.

How about that my humanity is bound up in yours? That we value educating, feeding, and housing all the members of society… that we have a society with opportunity for everyone that wants the chance to make something of themselves.

If we honor ourselves enough to recognize that we are sexual beings with reproductive needs – then maybe we could address those needs in a straightforward manner. Our collective behavior says abstinence doesn’t work, but contraception does. How about educating the population on their proper use – then make them affordable. I suspect the abortion rates would drop. Fighting over abortion seems like arguing with the back end of the animal. Our energies are better served up front.

Provide a better solution than unwanted pregnancy.

By: Lex

Lex — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 02:17:19 +0000

Great googly-moogly.

As i stated previously, i don’t really go for the life/value argument…but that’s just me.

Legally – or how we should settle the debate – i think we need to decide on a point in fetal development that counts as personhood. Conception being that date is just silly. Is a miscarriage abortion/murder? If it’s God’s will, then the decision to abort can be argued (albeit difficultly) as God’s will too. Isn’t everything God’s will?

I believe that the rule of thumb applied when America was so new and all revolved around noticeable fetal movement. That sounds about right to me. Before that time the mother’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness takes precedence; after that time the child’s right takes precedence. It shouldn’t take 5 months to realize that one is pregnant and decide what to do about it.

But maybe we should just let the women decide this one…