Dear M.S. Bellows..
So sorry to do this from here, but I've tried multiple times to respond directly to you over there at your post on Huffington Post.. Even though I'm logged in, the webpage is flipping out.. Guessing it's some temporary technical glitch as the design continues to visually change before our very eyes these days..
An-EE-way.. So, ok, here my Mind is, quickly smoking through the comments section of that article when it comes across what, in your eyes, are some great talking points for making late term abortions acceptable.. Two of the three you highlighted as admissible were:
- people get raped
- postpubescent children get molested
So, where those are effective is that they successfully distract from the topic at hand because they are acts of violence towards vulnerable people.. Good call..
Still trying to mentally work through the third one.. Condoms.. Late term abortions for when condoms break..
Seriously..?
How about.....
Buy more expensive condoms..?
But then, oy, goodness, you just plum broke my Heart with your fourth item, broke it in a way almost not totally unlike the way it felt when I encountered that piece on Tom Cruise telling Jack Kevorkian how much he admires the doctor's assisted suicide and right to die work..
Yup, can still feel the pang.. You done broke my Heart when, intermingled among the two terrible occurrences of extreme violence mentioned above, one can find where you chose to also express that late term abortions are unobjectionable in instances where:
- mentally ill people have sex
Number One: What an incredibly, absolutely flamingly, blatantly discriminatory statement.. Regardless of whatever your personal bias may be, persons with mental illness actually do have your basic civil rights under our Nation's laws.. The stereotype of yore towards PWMIs was once again perpetuated straight ahead seemingly forever forward through your very own Fingertips.. :pouted lip:
Number Two: The longer I think on it, by including when mentally ill people have sex
in with the acts of violence mentioned as you have, you consciously wrote to feed on how some countable part of Society feels towards persons with mental illness.. Shame, shame, SHAME ON YOU.. :vigorously shaking naughty-naught finger:
Number Three: Maybe I've just missed this side of your usual commentary, but it feels so completely out of character for you.. Feels like I've just been stabbed in the back by a trusted confidante..
Number Four, Five, Six, ad infinitum: Coming soon.. Will have to find a way to drop a quick bug in my friends' ears so they can fill them in..
And thensome..
Sighing heavily in disappointment from Talking Rock..
Reference:
- M.S. Bellows, Jr., McCain's Odd Townhall: Woos Clintonistas By Defending Rights Of The Unborn; The Huffington Post; Posted June 14, 2008 (06:26 PM EST)
2 comments:
Hi! I just stumbled across this, and thought I'd (belatedly) respond.
I agree with most of what you say; I think you misunderstood me. I was replying to a commenter who said there was no need to protect abortion rights -- early term or late term -- since the rise of STDs means that all responsible people use condoms anyway. My response was to point out just a few of the circumstances in which even a fervent "personal responsibility" advocate might concede that there's still room for concern: rape, molestation, mental illnesses that reduce people's executive function or intelligence, etc.
I think Roe's trimester framework is awkward at times -- yet I couldn't come up with anything better myself. It's a sliding scale. Early in a pregnancy, Roe makes abortion a private choice between a woman and her physician, no business of the government's. Late in a pregnancy, the government's interest in protecting a viable fetus overwhelms everything except the life or health of the mother -- ie, Roe allows government to ban late-term abortions of convenience, and I think it's right to do so.
The abortions I was suggesting might be appropriate in cases of rape, molestation, diminished capacity, etc. would ideally be early in a pregnancy, not late as I think you took me to mean.
I hope this helps. Also, I'm sorry the comments section of HuffPost gave you trouble; I'm always happy to correspond by email, too: msbellows ...At- gmail dotcom.
Have a great evening!
Thanks for a grreat read
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