Well thought out reminders

[ApatheticNoMore]

I don't know what men like Alan want women to be. Celibate until they are past childbearing? Single mothers? Have perfectly effective birth control? The most realistic answer is perfectly effective birth control, well it gets quite close but not to 100%, and the best birth control costs a bunch of money. It's the right that has opposed most of these things: single motherhood and providing such mothers adequate financial support, widely available free birth control for all etc.. Oh heterosexual men in general probably oppose women all becoming celibate. I may speak for myself but us women would be pretty happy enjoying cake in lieu of sex thank you very much. You have no idea how little we think about sex, at any age.

[Alan]

I don't know what men like Alan want women to be.

I want women to be just as they are. My comments on this subject have never been about control of women, it's always been about recognition of the life that's lost and letting that lost life be part of the discussion.

I'm only commenting this last time because my views and motivations have been misrepresented in virtually every response.

[catherine]

I do respect your opinion about the sanctity of life, just for the record, and share it.

[Teacher Terry]

Alan, I agree that abortion should never be taken lightly. I would like birth control to be free so there would be less of a need.

[happystuff]

I want women to be just as they are. My comments on this subject have never been about control of women, it's always been about recognition of the life that's lost and letting that lost life be part of the discussion.

I'm only commenting this last time because my views and motivations have been misrepresented in virtually every response.

I think you don't understand that when a woman gets pregnant, the recognition of that life is there for her - forever and always - period. Whether that life continues or is lost, is part of the resulting conversation, discussion, and decision of that recognition. But, again, I don't know of ANY woman who has not recognized the potential life connected to her pregnancy, regardless of the outcome of that pregnancy.

Edited to add: And not to be nasty or anything, but I have to agree with a previous poster... I agree that it is rather arrogant for you to think or assume that the individual woman - or couple - do not recognize the life that may or may not be lost. To think/assume that an individual woman or couple have not discussed the life from every aspect of their pregnancy IS a control issue on your part. Again, no offense, but you seem to be trying to impose your thoughts of someone else's situation as being theirs.

[LDAHL]

I think the central argument over abortion is whether a fetus is a human being or not. The rest is distraction. If your answer is no, the economic, political and gender equity arguments make sense. If your answer is yes, you might argue about cases of medical necessity, but the rest doesn’t much matter.

That’s why I think we talk past each other so much.

[herbgeek]

I think the central argument over abortion is whether a fetus is a human being or not.

An additional point of view: WHEN is the group of cells a human. Is a group of 8 cells A human or only the potential to be a human? I remember reading the encyclopedia as a kid and seeing embryos of different animals and remember thinking they all kind of look like lizards at an early stage.

[jp1]

What Alan seems to be saying is that he wants the status quo but with less abortion. The other concerns you all have are not concerns to him.

[Teacher Terry]

I would like less abortions too but we have to trust women to make their own decisions. Plus having worked in child protection some of those kids lives were ruined from abuse they will probably never recover from. Another reason for free birth control.

[Tybee]

My comments on this subject have never been about control of women, it's always been about recognition of the life that's lost and letting that lost life be part of the discussion.

I'm only commenting this last time because my views and motivations have been misrepresented in virtually every response.

Thank you for expressing concern for the lives ended with abortion. I agree with you, and I also feel you have been misrepresented terribly here. In fact, all kinds of evils are attributed to anyone who speaks up for those lives ended in abortion.

And yes, that is of course only my opinion. All we can do is speak our individual truths. Thank you for speaking yours.