Icky Topics

It's time I start to crystallize my view on abortion. I've hemmed and hawed for years. But, then, along comes Hillary Clinton - who just happens to be one of the few sane commentators on the topic.

Now, before I get started, if the name "Hillary" just made you nauseous, post in the comments why you have a problem with her, and I'll prove you wrong. Both Bill and Hillary Clinton are two of the smartest and most balanced politicians of our generation. I've disagreed with certain policy decisions, but then politics can often require compromise. For the record, the abortion rate declined during the Clinton administration.

The extremes of the left and the right are really insane on the issue. Those on the far fight (like our current President) contend that a human life begins at the moment of conception, therefore abortion would be murder at that point. Of course the scientific reality is that conception produces some globules of cells. Those cells could be used for stem cell research, helping to cure some really horrible diseases. It's ridiculous to think of that clump of cells as a human being. In fact, most on the far right want to make abortion completely illegal for any reason, including in the case of rape, or danger to the mother's life.

So, why is the right wing so insistent on this issue? Religion. Why religion? Power.

The Catholic church does not even support the use of condoms to stem the spread of HIV in hard impacted African nations. Wouldn't any rational person find that absurd? I certainly hope so. So why is the Catholic church so hell bent on preventing any kind of contraception or oppose abortion in any case? They need church goers to put money in the collection plate. It's exactly the same for any organized religion. It's about money, and squashing the other religions through sheer numbers.

Remember when I wrote about the right wing, and religious nut cases being followers and not leaders? These organized religions have managed to convince these very weak willed people to abandon rational analysis, and scream murder at any mention of abortion. Religion is to blame for these nut cases shooting up Planned Parenthood offices, as seems to happen on occasion.

Then there is the far left wing, who seem to want to have conscious free abortion, as if you're taking an aspirin for a headache. While the "morning after pill" may be exactly that, the far left wants that in the 3rd trimester. I sometimes think that they believe aborting a fetus a few days before it's born is okay.

So, why does the far left go to such extremes? Libertarianism. They feel that they should be in complete control of every facet of their bodies. They reject the notion that government has any say on what they do, or have done, to themselves.

On it's face, that can be a powerful argument. But, it assumes one important thing; the fetus is part of the mother. A rational person might think that somewhere along the line of development, the fetus becomes it's own being.

So, what is Hillary's position? First - abortion should remain a legal right. Second - abortion is always a moral tragedy.

The consequences of over turning Roe vs. Wade would be horrifying. It would reduce women to seeking illegal and barbaric procedures. It would result in severely malformed babies, and the death of mothers from medical complications. It would result in psychological trauma of women forced to carry to term pregnancies resulting from rape and incest.

The key is to acknowledge the moral pain of abortion, and the gravity of what it is needs to be impressed heavily. Emphasizing effective contraception should be a national mandate, not the silly "abstinence only" crap the administration pushes. Emphasize family planning, and encourage adoption.

If we are emphatic that abortion exacts a huge moral cost, both on the mother and society, we can continue to reduce both unwanted pregnancies, and the abortion rate in general.

I believe that is the sensible, and progressive approach. It just happens to be the mainstream thought in the Democratic party. The Republicans? We know where they stand.. Fantasy Land..

Now.. how about a couple philosophical questions?

Is the soul chemical or divine? If divine, when does it get inserted into the cells that make up a fetus? Is it inserted the moment sperm meets egg, or further down the process? If it's chemical, better enjoy life while you can - cause there's nothing afterward..