LiberalJustice wrote:
I am actually pro-choice, but I do not like abortion itself. I simply think that women should have the option of abortion, you can be pro-life all you want and support fetal rights all you want, but the concept (of fetal rights) seems too broad to me. There have been cases of court-ordered caesarean sections (in one case, a woman was critically ill and objected to a caesarean because she knew it was not likely that she would survive, but an emergency hearing was held to determine the fetus' rights and the order was granted. After it was done, the baby only lived for two hours, and the Mother died 2 days later, with the c-section listed as a factor in her death.), blood tranfusions, detention of pregnant women specifically because they wanted to give birth at home, etc. etc. etc. So, if fetuses are granted full rights under the law, will it really mean they have the same rights as the mother-to-be, or will they have rights that are superior to hers? Women do not give up their right to bodily autonomy or to make their own decisions about what medical treatments they do and do not get when they become pregnant, if they did under fetal rights laws, it would undermine their legal status and send the message that women are only good for mothering. Which would you rather have, pregnant women's bodily integrity/informed consent rights violated, or the fetus' rights being more important than her rights? Take your pick (sorry if I sound bitter).
I am near you position.
I would wish that women would not get pregnant unless they (and their mate) really wanted to have a child and I would wish that once a women has made a commitment to have the child, should should go through with it, her health and physical well being permitting.
Even so, the State has no business either mandating that a women become pregnant or mandating that a pregnant women bear the child or children inside her. That is her business and not the business of the State, Society or any church.
ruveyn