Reply #159: Incorrect. They certainly claim they are protecting the women who abort.

[mondo joe]

You may not have been around enough to have heard it, but it is certainly an antichoice argument.

To clarify: "I think they should have the legal "right" to do what they do. I would support decriminalization of it. But I do not support government sanction of it."

I think if you are in any commerce there are rights and responsibilities that entail. This isn't "sanction". I further think workers have the right to choose to unionize, if they want to.

"Your "garden variety" depressive, bipolar, etc. people are not institutionalized, nor should they be. But these conditions and others do play havoc with their judgment."

Sure. But you have the right to make your own adult choices or you don't. If your judgment is SO impaired that you can't handle adult choices you should be institutionalized. Otherwise you have full adult rights.

"An adult has the legal right to become an alcoholic, or to commit suicide." Yes, they do, to a degree.

"Ideally one should have the legal right to become addicted to marijuana or other drugs, and it's unfortunate that these behaviors result in jail time." Yes.

"But I do think that such destructive decisions should be prevented by social services whenever possible. I'm sorry that you disagree. But whether you like it or not, "leave people to exercise their right to harm themselves" is a libertarian philosophy."

Again, incorrect. Simply leave people on their own is libertarian - that's not my philosophy. I support abundant free education, consumer and worker protection, and maximizing individual choice. That's not Libertarian by a long shot.

Now I cold certainly play your game and infantilize you. I could say your judgment is impaired by some fear of sex, or a loathing of men, or some other neurosis. But that wouldn't be nice, or fair to you. I'll opt to respect that you are an adult with your own choices an opinions, even if you don't care to extend the same to others.