QuestionQUESTION: Hi Deborah. My question is in your opinion is it hypocritical for a person to be pro-choice and anti death penalty?
I got into a heated debate the other day with a family member. He is aware that I am involved in advocating for prisoner's rights, and that I am a strong opponent of capital punishment. The argument started when I mentioned that I have been doing some volunteer work for our local Planned Parenthood. He said he couldn't understand how I could write to/befriend a "death row" inmate and feel compassion for him, but have no problem with "murdering unborn babies". He said I am a hypocrite because I am defending a murderers right to life but have no qualms with "killing babies".
His words bothered me because this is an emotional issue for me. I started writing to this man(a "death row" inmate) three years ago and we have become good friends. I have also had two abortions. It bothered me that he called me a hypocrite. I don't think that I am, but I couldn't get him to understand why I felt the two issues were different. What do you think, and what approach would you have taken in responding to his arguments? Thank you very much for your time.
Abbey
ANSWER: Dear Abbey,
First of all, a human being, an adult male, is a very different entity from a fertilized egg or an embryo, for one thing. Only the born person is sentient, can think and can suffer, to name a few things that differentiate the two. Second of all, being pro-choice ultimately means you believe a woman is entitled to control her own body, and therefor can decide for herself what to do about an unwanted pregnancy. That choice includes keeping a pregnancy and giving birth as much as it involves choosing an abortion.
Check out prochoicetalk.com. My id is futureshock3 over there. You will find answers to all kinds of questions.
Best wishes,
Deb
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Deborah. Thank you very much for your response. I agree with you one hundred percent, and that is exactly what I was trying to get him to see. To be honest, I found it rather insulting that he was comparing an embryo/fetus to my friend, who is a thinking, feeling human being with people who love him(including a little girl).
I thought of another argument one could use, and I wondered if you thought it would be an effective one. I hope you don't mind a follow-up question. I will try and keep it short.
Basically, I was going to argue that abortion is actually a form of self-defese. While there is an alternative to the death penalty(incarceration) there is no alternative to abortion if you do not wish to be pregnant. The woman who is having the abortion is defending herself from the embryo/fetus who will cause her discomfort and pain, and could even jeopardize her health.
Whenever you use the health argument though, they will say it is very rare for a woman to suffer serious health problems or to die in Canada and the US from pregnancy and childbirth. Even if she suffers from a disease like diabetes for example. And I was just wondering if you knew of any articles that discuss the potential danger to a woman's health a pregnancy can pose. I read somewhere that pregnancies put a strain on a woman's body, and that each pregnancy actually shortens a woman's life span. but I don't know whether that is true or not?
Thank you for your time.
Abbey
AnswerDear Abbey,
The self-defense argument is brilliant. Check out this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-Abortion-Deadlock-Choice-Consent/dp/0195091426
Basically the embryo can be analogous to a mentally impaired rapist. He isn't responsible for his actions, just like an embryo isn't responsible for its actions. However, if such an impaired man were raping a woman, she would be within her rights to KILL HIM to stop the rape.
A rape won't (in some cases) kill a woman or even maim her for life, and yet she has a right to bodily autonomy, and can kill him for violating it.
As far as the health argument, just google that question. You can also find it on prochoicetalk,com by using the search function, Put the words harm pregnancy into the search and you will find lots of discussions.
In a nutshell, only a person who has never been pregnant and given birth would say there is no harm in pregnancy. I have had a child, and the pregnancy was debilitating, arduous, and painful. Vomiting 24/7 for weeks on end is a nightmare. Childbirth involves more agony and torture than we allow prisoners to endure.
Ask as many questions as you like, Also type questions into google or the search bar on prochoicetalk.com.
Best wishes,
Deb
P.S. under my id, futureshock3, search for "why I am pro-choice".
