I have a very good friend that was raped at 21. She got pregnant from that rape. Chose to have an abortion.

 

Its the main reason I am pro choice in the matter.

It'd be a crime that is literally impossible to punish though.

 

Exactly. I think abortion is sinful and should be illegal. I have never thought though about what the punishment should be.

As has been said or alluded to, it really matters when you believe life begins and even "life begins" is debatable.

 

I have no idea, I am not a scientist. I believe a woman has the right to decide. Also, it is not punishable IMO. I do understand those that believe that life begins at conception and why they believe strongly about how wrong it is and should be punished.

It's extremely hard for me to understand how some people think it shouldn't be a woman's choice about whether or not to keep a pregnancy. It baffles me to be completely honest.

 

My response: The heart that stops beating after an abortion does not belong to the mother.

 

I voted illegal.

My response: The heart that stops beating after an abortion does not belong to the mother.

 

I voted illegal.

 

Until it is outside her body, it absolutely belongs to her. JMO, of course.

For those that would criminalize it:

 

1. Give us a summary of why you think it should be a crime and then give us your suggested punishment.

2. Who would you charge? Mother? Doctor? Both? If only one, why?

 

Since I asked I'll give some fodder for discussion here.

 

I voted "morally against but legal." I can't wrap my head around putting a female in prison for this. I do not equate it with murder, thus, my position.

 

You?

 

Clyde, what is your evaluation of the approach taken in the article I linked to in post #34 ? It appears the legal precedent in this country was to prosecute the abortionist not the woman for reasons that seem prudent to me.

 

So far, that approach seems the best to me as one who thinks abortion should be made illegal. The woman is not penalized, the doctor is.

 

I do not think that it is good policy to ignore the behavior because women will go underground if we don't. I understand the desire to reduce the chance a woman will have a botched abortion but to allow a person (a doctor or whomever aids the abortion) to take a human life without a consequence does nothing to protect the pre-born. It seems like that stance is similar to saying we should legalize heroin use and not go after drug dealers because to make it a criminal offense punishable by jail time will only encourage addicts to take the risk of shooting a drug into their veins that may be a strain that will kill them.

Until it is outside her body, it absolutely belongs to her. JMO, of course.

 

Still, it's not her limbs that stop moving, not her heart that stops beating, not her body that stops developing/growing.

 

Scott Peterson was convicted of two murders in 2004: his wife Laci and the baby inside her womb. One was first degree and the other was second degree, but still, two separate murder convictions.

Can I assume your basis is that it's a human life that is being ended?

 

Yes. I think you would have a tough time arguing the pre-born person is anything other than human.

 

But to answer your question, this is why i am against abortion and think it ought to be a criminal offense. For the kind of punishment and who should be punished, see my other posts.

Yes. I think you would have a tough time arguing the pre-born person is anything other than human.

 

But to answer your question, this is why i am against abortion and think it ought to be a criminal offense. For the kind of punishment and who should be punished, see my other posts.

 

Let's for a second say that it does become a criminal offense. Let's also for the sake of argument say that women stop going to "abortionists". How do we prosecute? How do we punish the offenders?

I have a very good friend that was raped at 21. She got pregnant from that rape. Chose to have an abortion.

 

Its the main reason I am pro choice in the matter.

 

Terrible circumstance. I cannot imagine the pain she experienced then and continues to experience even today.

 

Would you be in favor of a law that prohibited abortion except in cases where the life of the mother is at stake, or the baby is the result of rape or incest?

Terrible circumstance. I cannot imagine the pain she experienced then and continues to experience even today.

 

Would you be in favor of a law that prohibited abortion except in cases where the life of the mother is at stake, or the baby is the result of rape or incest?

 

No.

My body. My choice.

 

My God. My penance.

My Lands. You're brave.

Let's for a second say that it does become a criminal offense. Let's also for the sake of argument say that women stop going to "abortionists". How do we prosecute? How do we punish the offenders?

 

Not all women will stop seeking an illegal abortion but a significant number will. It will also reduce the number of people willing to do them substantially. Therefore, the number of abortions in this country will drop drastically over a period of years.

 

Those who choose to break the law and have an illegal abortion will be caught and prosecuted the same way they were prior to Roe v Wade. The woman was not prosecuted or even considered a criminal, the abortionist was. For you to say that we could never catch one doing this or prosecute this crime you will have to show that there were zero prosecutions (or an extremely low number) prior to Roe v Wade. I don't think you can do that. Therefore, such laws are enforceable and have been prosecuted in the past and can be in the future.

 

You make it a very high risk with low reward for the abortionist and you will drive them out of business. This is a business, after all. Huge money in abortion (and now selling body parts). Let's say a doctor does not do it for the money. He or she still wants to practice medicine. Take away the medical license and threaten them with jail time and there will be far fewer willing to do abortions. This will greatly reduce the number of abortions performed in the US and thereby save many human lives--if you believe the pre-born is a human life.

Not all women will stop seeking an illegal abortion but a significant number will. It will also reduce the number of people willing to do them substantially. Therefore, the number of abortions in this country will drop drastically over a period of years.

 

Those who choose to break the law and have an illegal abortion will be caught and prosecuted the same way they were prior to Roe v Wade. The woman was not prosecuted or even considered a criminal, the abortionist was. For you to say that we could never catch one doing this or prosecute this crime you will have to show that there were zero prosecutions (or an extremely low number) prior to Roe v Wade. I don't think you can do that. Therefore, such laws are enforceable and have been prosecuted in the past and can be in the future.

 

You make it a very high risk with low reward for the abortionist and you will drive them out of business. This is a business, after all. Huge money in abortion (and now selling body parts). Let's say a doctor does not do it for the money. He or she still wants to practice medicine. Take away the medical license and threaten them with jail time and there will be far fewer willing to do abortions. This will greatly reduce the number of abortions performed in the US and thereby save many human lives--if you believe the pre-born is a human life.

 

You're missing my point. Stop with the "we go after the abortionists" stuff. There is no abortionist. All there is are pregnant women on their own choosing to end the life of their unborn child. How do we prosecute that? How do we catch them?

 

An 18 year old goes to the doctor and finds out she's pregnant. She comes back for her next checkup and she's no longer pregnant. Do we charge her with a crime? Do we look into every miscarriage or botched pregnancy and examine to see if foul play was involved?

Edited July 30, 201511 yr by UKMustangFan

By way of clarificATION, "abortionist" can be a medical doctor or not. Anyone who performs the abortion is an "abortionist" in the way I am using the term when talking about who gets prosecuted.