Originally Posted by djplong

I rarely trot this out because the abortion debate is SO very overheated.

Equating kids with defects (of which I was one - bi-lateral club feet) with something so undeveloped is showing some level of desperation.

[WARNING - the following is graphic]

Let me tell you - the mess that my ex-wife and I cleaned up from her miscarriage at just over 12 weeks wasn't pleasant in the least. Of course, what we saw was life sized - not blown up 10x with a soft focus to try and sway people's emotions.

[End warning]

I have two daughters (23 & 18) so we know well about the joys of parenting. But the way that some people equate a blastocyte with a fully-viable fetus is just something I can't agree with.

I'll be the first one to admit that I can't draw a line as to where it changes - but current restrictions on very late term abortions are certainly in order. I would suspect that concepts like 'viability' and 'sentience' happen on a more individual basis. For that very reason it's difficult at best to make a blanket rule.

Last time I checked, 96% of all abortions happen in the first trimester. That number doesn't get a lot of publicity compared to the vitriol over the comparatively microscopic number of late-term abortions (usually because of defects or endangerments - look up Tay-Sachs to see an example of the former).

Then you get politicians just making stuff up about Planned Parenthood (90%+ of their revenue is abortion based?!?! - more like *3* - and then the politician says his remarks on the floor of the House were "not intended as a true statement").

It's a VERY volatile subject that leans towards more screaming than debating.

That being said, I once heard Rush Limbaugh explain a reason for his opposition that at least I could understand. He said he was opposed to abortion because he believed it was part of an overall attitude that diminished the value of human life. I may not agree with that - but at least I can respect that kind of thought.