Iriemon

If a fetus is not viable, not taking emergency measures to prolong its life is not killing it, anymore than not taking emergency measures to prolong the life of a terminally ill cancer patient is not killing.

Killing generally implies taking affirmative action in any case.

Felicity

If it's outside the mother's womb, how do you figure it's a fetus?

talloulou

How 'bout a funny pick instead?



I don't think Obama voted to kill babies however it does appear he's trying to widen the definition of abortion to apply it to born babies.

Probably it's all under the guise of wanting to look as prochoice as possible and believing if you give an inch folks will take a mile. But you have to be really cold hearted to think treating a born baby that is moving somehow equates to an attempt at abortion restriction.

talloulou

It's PC speak for unwanted. If he or she is unwanted we only speak of "fetus" regardless of location. Hospital tray, toilet at McDonald's, etc.

Get with the program Felicity. Sheesh.

Felicity

Sometimes I'm such a dolt!

Iriemon

I figured it was based on time of gestation, but if it is defined as terminating at birth, then it wouldn't be a fetus.

Iriemon

Unwanted means unwanted, whether it is a fetus or not.

talloulou

Nah. When they find them in the toilets at fast food chains or in a stall at the prom they speak of a "fetus."

So I'm pretty sure fetus which is latin for baby is English for unwanted.

independent_thinker2002

One minute it's abortion, then next it's infanticide. It's an interesting quandry. I understand both sides of this. Pro lifers are taking the position that it's a person once born after a failed abortion (botched implies that the Physician did something wrong, but in reality it's a flaw in the procedure itself). Pro choicers are afraid that pro lifers are going to say "If it's wrong after the baby is born and viable, it should be wrong beforehand because of that viability." And yes, that viability is subjective. I would like to see a poll of doctors that would say that it's worth it to try to save a 22 week gestated fetus/baby with Down Syndrome that the parents don't want to raise. That's a heckuva thing to do though. It's essentially putting a price on life. But quality of life factors into that. It's not as simple as some people would make it out to be. Yes, I know, it's still a human life. But, why do you think that parents wish for healthy babies?

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Iriemon

That is true, it is artificial and inconsistent to say that it is OK to abort a fetus but then say if it exits the womb still alive it is not OK to let it die.

It's a reason I am against late term abortions.

A parent finding out their potential baby has down's syndrome is a tough case.