Thursday, March 02, 2006

Bush Against Abortion Ban

Bush is against the abortion ban that South Dakota is now pushing in an attempt to topple the infamous Roe v. Wade. Bush is against it in part because he wants three exceptions to the ban, for 1) rape 2) incest and 3) life of the mother. The South Dakota ban gives an exception for the life of the Mother.

1) Rape
Arielle has posted on the issue of aborting the child of rape, as well as a letter she recieved from just such a child. She has done a fine job on those, so go read it.

2) Incest
What is incest? Sex between close familial relations. What is it about this that makes the child so monstrous? Is there a higher incidence of mutation/defect? yes. But realistically the risk isn't any higher than a (now common) 40 year old woman bearing children. And the other objection is that incest is forced, I mean, everyone knows that right? Where do people get that? Incest is either consensual or it isnt. If it isnt than it is rape. If it is rape then it falls under the rape argument which Arielle has already discredited. If it is consentual then who is to say that that child is unloved or unwanted? Or that the child of a consentual act deserves death? I am not sure a reasonable argument can be put forth for killing this child.

3) Life of Mother
Bush has this one right. Saying the "health" of the mother is simply to ambiguous. The way such things are interpreted today that could mean just about anything including the potential for post-partum depression. At the very least there needs to be a clear and compelling threat to the mother for any 'justification' of infanticide.

Thanks to Astrosmith for this item