What is wrong with both the abortion supporters' (AKA pro-choice) and abortion opponents' (AKA pro-life) movements and why a religious rights(AKA pro-religion) viewpoint is more ethical. Pro-Religion is defined as respecting the beliefs of the patient and the doctor or supporter not trying to force their religious belief or non-belief on another. As the Constitution guarantees separation of church and state, those that support a Pro-Religion viewpoint oppose legislation about abortion issues if it would force one religious belief on another. Comments on these ghastly murders.
It was reported that a Pennsylania doctor licensed in family practice was running an abortion mill where untrained persons as young as high school students were administering potent sedatives and high numbers of late term abortions were done in a most illegal, unsanitary, murderous and grotesque manner, without any care to stage of pregnancy or law and without any over-sight from the state licensing agencies.
This is ghastly and I am sure all that support the right to an abortion or like me, that oppose both the pro-choice and pro-life movements clearly do not support this criminal.
I'm sure the pro-life movement will exploit this sad case and try to tie this murderous nut case with all those who support abortion and use the imagery to describe all abortions. I am also sure the pro-choice groups who clearly do not support this murderous nut will say this is what happens when abortions are not regulated properly and will see the pro-life depiction of their views as defamation and will vehemently appose it. Both will have missed a chance to denounce this together and work together so it does not happen again anywhere in the country.
I oppose both movements due to the tendency to see things black and white; the tendency for the people in both movements to be intolerant and disrespectful of persons with other religious viewpoints; and the tendency of both to spend their money on denigrating and defaming those with opposing viewpoints instead of working together on that which all agree upon along with engaging in respectful and moral debate.
That's why I prefer the term pro-religion. According to my religious beliefs, I do not consider a morulla (the first stage after fertilization in development towards a human being)or blastula (ball of cells after conception before the formation of organs or a body) life, but I highly respect those that believe life begins at conception. Nor do I consider a 7-mo fetus with anencephaly (an extreme birth defect where the body forms but there is no brain or skull or skin behind the face, except a nub of lower brain tissue - the top of spinal cord just at the top of the neck) life. To me this is no different than brain death. I don't consider this a slippery slope. I respect those with the religious belief that life begins with conception and even a fertilized egg is life - so that it's destruction is murder. However, I don't think it is appropriate to legislate this as it is a matter of religious belief.
I highly respect Jenna, who wrote a comment on a post in Illinois Review (religious right IL blog - which I follow along with blogs from left wing liberals too- what I read does not represent my viewpoints) but feel she is ignoring the facts as I state above in generalizing that ALL abortions are inappropriate, encourage a slippery slope, and murder, without giving other viewpoints the time of day. I believe there are some appropriate late term abortions as I state above and there is a gray area, where proof of life is not clear and is therefore a matter of religious belief, that we all need to discuss respectfully, openly, honestly, and factually between the formation of organs and 20 weeks gestation after which the fetus is clearly viable if normal.
As my patients, the "lightest set of surviving triplets in the world" according to the Guinness Book of World Records (1997 ed), prove - JV, AV,and BV born in 1990 who had a combined weight of 4 lbs and 4 oz are now 20 years old, intelligent, talented and a great joy to me to know, - this is an area in medicine and law that I have particular expertise and knowledge about.
Until the discussion is more civil, no progress will be made for either side.
My only question regarding this horrible crime is: Where were the police, licensing agencies, etc., earlier? This is a total and grotesquely tragic failure of government.
Both pro-life and pro-choice, as well as pro-religion advocates can agree on this, and should work together to make sure this negligence on the part of government, which let this happen and didn't stop it earlier, never occurs again.