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This idea came to me from reading through the Terri Schiavo thread. What I'm after here is everyone's opinion in the CoN regarding abortion, the death penalty, and the right to die debate.

Since this is a thread covering some pretty heated topics, let me go ahead and put myself out there and state my beliefs first. Feel free to criticize and discuss on this thread, but please.... no bashing of others thoughts and opinions. If you don't agree, say so and then back it up. I want lively and intelligent discussion here.

Abortion

My religious beliefs should make it seem obvious why I feel as I do about this, but let me put religion aside and explain why I feel that almost all abortions are illegal.

Modern cellular biology defines the beginning of human life as the moment of conception. Thus, a human "life" has begun, although it is not yet a "person". Legally, a baby is not an individual, and as such protected by the Bill of Rights, until the child is born. This, I believe, is totally incorrect. It is a case of where the law has not kept up with science. Science dictates that life begins at conception, but yet abortions are allowed that snuff that life out. What else can that be called, both morally and legally, but murder?

The Death Penalty

If your child runs to you on the playground and says "That kid hit me! Can I hit him back?", you would probably say no at that point. To allow it after the fact like that would be revenge. However, most of us would probably say "Next time you get hit, son, hit them back.". That is not revenge.... that is simple justice. To not tell your chils to hit back only makes it worse for them in the end, because it encourages the perpetrator to hit them again, knowing there are no reprocussions.

The death penalty is no different, to me. As a society, when someone bloodies our nose, we hit back. To not do so is to allow those that would commit murder to feel as if they are untouchable.

The Right to Die

The Shiavo case was a tragic situation, but we would never have even heard of the situation had Terri had a living will. I believe that if you wish to not be kept alive by artificial means, then you should have that right.

Extending that to euthanasia, I do not believe that someone should give up on life when their body and mind are still actively functioning.

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Join the Army, see the world, meet interesting people - and kill them.

~Pacifist Badge, 1978

Quote (Hamedo @ 1st April 2005 08:27)

I want lively and intelligent discussion here.

And I'm sure you'd get it for at least thirty seconds. Come on, you have been here long enough to see how EVERY THREAD LIKE THIS ENDS. Why continue posting threads that are 95% likely to end in idiotic flames and "ur not rite i am?"

Moderator Edit

Also, the current Terri Schiavo one is a perfectly good place to discuss right to die at the moment -- You already know how I feel about abortion threads, having closed one of yours quite recently. -Neal

This post has been edited by Neal on 1st April 2005 14:46

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