Can someone please explain to me why "pro-life" politicians in the US never raise a stink about our obscenely high infant mortality rate?
Re:Presumably...
Ovid on 2009-01-28T13:26:04
As two people on my Twitter feed have sadly reminded me, "pro-life" means "not yet born". After that, let 'em eat cake (with apologies to the misunderstood Marie Antionette).
Re:Presumably...
jk2addict on 2009-01-28T14:10:38
The cake is a lie!
Re:Presumably...
Ovid on 2009-01-28T14:21:07
Never have I heard that used more appropriately.
Re:Presumably...
xsawyerx on 2009-01-28T16:30:09
This reminds me of something George Carlin said about "pro-life" people. How much they care for the unborn, "but once you're born you're fucked". Seems suitable here...Re:Presumably...
chromatic on 2009-01-28T18:53:21
I realize that Mother Teresa wasn't American, but she did offer to find a home for every child who would otherwise have been aborted (see IN MEMORY OF MOTHER TERESA from the Congressional Record; this is the best authority I've found for this quote).
Re:Presumably...
djberg96 on 2009-01-28T15:19:47
Yes, because anyone who is pro-life must be a religious fanatic. Jeez.
If pro-choice -> abortion == murder, how much prison time should the mother get?
They never answer that one.
Re:I like the other argument better
mpeters on 2009-01-28T14:48:48
That makes the assumption that all people who are against abortion equate it to murder. I think you're generalizing the beliefs of those who are screaming and waving protest signs to the other people who believe abortion is wrong.
Re:I like the other argument better
jk2addict on 2009-01-28T14:53:33
I did generalize for the sake of that post.
Personally, I believe in pro-choice and pro-life. I wouldn't choose abortion, but I wouldn't force that choise on others.
Or more to the point, I believe that the government and any other group should stay the hell out of it completely as it's a personal matter.
Re:I like the other argument better
davebaker on 2009-01-29T04:28:57
In the abstract I like the idea that one shouldn't force a choice on another. But as applied to abortion it is curious that the parent gets a choice, but the child in the womb doesn't get a choice when her mother decides to kill her.Re:I like the other argument better
sigzero on 2009-01-29T12:47:40
Zero
There, now you can't say "never" any more.
Which ever side you are on in the debate, it should be obvious to see a difference in something that is a choice and something that isn't.
Nobody chooses to have a high infant mortality rate (yes it could be prevented, but that's not the same as choosing to have it). Some people do chose to have an abortion.
Just food for thought on the other side of the question -- I've never seen good analysis of broader explanatory factors for high infant mortality rate. I would be curious abou such things as older average age of mothers, higher rate of multiples due to IVF, higher maternal obesity rates, etc -- all of which I could imagine being the case for the US and which could increase risk of infant mortality.
Re:on the mortality rate...
Ovid on 2009-01-28T15:11:45
Actually, there's lots of information out there regarding the reasons for the infant mortality rate in the US. A quick google should return plenty of results to follow for original information.
Re:on the mortality rate...
rurban on 2009-01-28T23:45:58
Sure. Because of the obscenely low social standards in the US.
No standard health care access, female education, armed conflicts and "cultural practices". (just citing the CNN report)
I've heard the mortality rates are measured differently.
Then again, my wife and I intentionally make unorthodox birth choices, such as having three children at home (twins, once) attended by a midwife, instead of at a hospital attended by an OB. We're aware that there are issues with the current birth system available in America.
Of course, we don't believe government action can fix it. We believe government action caused it.
We believe something similar about abortion, which is starting to make us look "pro-choice," even though we think abortion is unequivocally the taking of the life of a human being.
Re:Measured differently
sigzero on 2009-01-29T12:45:52
We did the same (except with 4).
:-) I believe that abortion is the taking of the life of a human being. I also believe that abortion will never go away. Given that, I hope and fight for a system where there the least amount of abortions necessary are performed.
Re:Measured differently
jdavidb on 2009-02-10T16:47:16
Well, the fourth at home (fifth overall) is due on the 23rd of this month. Did I mention we're unorthodox?
:)
Re:Because ...
sigzero on 2009-01-29T12:42:44
Who is "their" and what the heck are you talking about?
