Reply #180: to be clear

[cushla_machree]

I was separating it from "property" of the state. i was using the term rather loosely. A fetus is part of a womens body just as her appendix is. Though I'd like to think people would hold a fetus above that of their appendix! But when a women gets pregnant, it is her that is carrying the child. until we develop children outside the uterus, the fact that a fetus is part of the women will not change. Americans all have different views on this issue, and being a secular nation, i think its important to respect them.

When you give rights to a fetus, your going to run into some problems. Can you arrest a mother for endangering her fetus if she drinks while pregnant? Do frozen embryo's have rights? Does every miscarriage warrant a death certificate? If a pregnant women attempts suicide should we arrest her for attempted murder on little baby sue? the fetus-rights argument just gets ridiculous.

Everyone can argue over when you become fully human, but its not going to change the fact that life begins at conception. Without a doubt. It is what this means that differs for everyone. A fetus can develop brain waves, but that doesn't mean it is a fully sentient being. potential to be one, yes. Every month a potential life dies in my uterus (each ova is unique, and once gone will never be again). If it is lucky enough to be fertilized, it may never implant or it may later miscarry do to problems of viability. Does all this mean that each fertilized egg "dies" and goes to heaven, never to live?

Religion is almost impossible to remove from the abortion debate. You have to get away from the idea that god is putting buns in the oven. To me, life is a random chance. There is so many things that could go wrong, it is a miracle that any fetus comes to term in my eyes. i think life just happens, and there is a continual march towards life and survival. Therefore i am against the government drawing up laws upon someones uterus. My body, my choice. If there is a god, he can take this stance up with me when i die. I have never entertained the thought of getting an abortion, but no one will ever change my mind that that wasn't my decision to make.