Abortion

[story645]

In media, how come nobody ever has an abortion?

TV shows, movies, fanfics, people get pregnant all the time. And they might talk about abortion, but nobody ever, ever, has one. Except in an Everwood episode that had less to do with the pregnant character and more to do with the two doctors. Oh and two of the characters in Sex and The City, but that

Comments

[redcoast]

Hmm. Well, one sentiment I've heard very widely from pro-choicers is that, while they support abortions, they themselves would never have one.

I actually tend to update lj more during finals cause I just use lj to put off homework. It's really quite counter-productive.

Hee! Me too.

[story645]

I'm pro-choice and mine is "while I support it, I hope to never have one" Abortions are painful and scarring and that kid/that what if haunts a lot of the women who've had any.

[redcoast]

I'm personally pro-life, so you can imagine what my take on this particular trend is. ;)

[story645]

*shrugs* To each his own.

As bad as this might sound, I'm probably pro-choice mostly cause so many of the women in my family have had abortions that this was kind of the philosophy that I was raised on, and I just grew up on reasons for why a woman would have one, and just I feel like I don't know, like being pro-life would somehow make a judgement on them. I don't know, it's hard. I'm definitely one of those who people who wishes that nobody ever had to choose abortion, but I also respect that it's a decision that each person needs to make for themselves.

[redcoast]

That makes a lot of sense, though somehow I don't think that's the best way to form one's personal philosophy. Then again, I also believe that people have little choice about what they believe ...

[story645]

It's not, though I think it's kind of shaped my personality in other ways. Growing up with all these reasons for things has helped me to learn that there are two sides to everything, and at this point, seeing a lot of sides to an argument is a big part of my personality.

I feel like for me, being pro-life would be passing a judgement on someone who I have no right to pass judgement on. I know for most people it's not like that. It's just what they believe and has nothing to do with anyone else. But for me, that's what it seems like, so I just can't.

[redcoast]

Growing up with all these reasons for things has helped me to learn that there are two sides to everything,

Yeah, I know what you mean. I have a weird ability to see both the fine details and the larger picture at once, which usually makes "picking a side" in a political debate harder.

Being libertarian, I don't think that abortion should be regulated legally, but that doesn't mean that I support it personally. A lot of people wouldn't understand how I could do both.

[story645]

I go libertarian if anything. Same as you, I hate picking sides for things.

A lot of people wouldn't understand how I could do both.
I get that. I'm for legalized prostitution and would am sort of for legalized drugs (especially pot) but don't particularly support either, though I'm more relaxed on prostitution. (I'm not comparing pot and prostitution to abortion, but somehow I think that you know what I mean.) The idea of supporting abortion is weird, cause it's not like I'm all "go have an abortion just cause you don't want a kid" it's just, I think it's none of my right to decide for anyone else what they should do. Which I think is the same viewpoint (from the whole other side) as you.

[redcoast]

Hey, libertarians pick sides. They just don't pick the sides that everybody else picks. I'd love to direct you to the Libertarian party site, but I think it sucks and I haven't found a better one.

Which I think is the same viewpoint (from the whole other side) as you.

Sort of ... I do think it's my right to make moral judgments about other people. But I don't think I or anyone else has the right to use governmental power to enforce these moral judgments, at least not in all situations.

[story645]

I know libertarians do pick sides. Fundementally very far right, all for strong federal gov't, individual rights, gov't staying out of people's lives, and fiscally responsible spending. I figure it's a better alt. to socially liberal, fiscally conservative.

I don't think it's my right to judge other people, though I do of course. I try not to, and am working on it. It's hard though, cause everyone's born judgemental cause most people are.

[redcoast]

Fundementally very far right, all for strong federal gov't, individual rights, gov't staying out of people's lives, and fiscally responsible spending.

No, libertarians do not believe in a strong federal government. Quite the reverse. Libertarians believe in smallest, weakest government feasible, and the greatest possible individual rights. Sort of a mix between what leftists think about moral issues combined with what rightists think about economic issues. A lot of conservatives have said that they really identify with libertarians, but they don't agree on issues like drugs or abortion.

As for fiscally conservative ... there are some libertarians who think that taxes should be abolished. Not all, but some. I don't know if you'd call that fiscally conservative.

[story645]

Oops. I'm mixing up ten different views. I know why though, I was thinking of state vs. federal rights and somehow got that mixed up with individual rights. Cause yeah, arch republicans were state's rights, dems are gov't strongest, and it all goes back to federalism. I'm too out of it right now to make anything reasonably accurate come out. Sorry about that.

Well the ones who want taxes abolished tend to also not want the gov't to spend money on anything, so I figure it balances out.

[redcoast]

You're quite close, actually. Libertarians probably support state's rights a little more, because the control of the state is closer to the people ... but the tyranny of the populist vote is no better than the tyranny of a dictatorship if you're on the wrong side.

What you said about morally lefts + fiscally conservative? That's it, basically.

[story645]

Yay, I'm not completely out to lunch. Sorry, it's just that unfortunately, most of my knowledge about libertarians comes from Bill Maher, which I'm sure isn't the best source. I haven't discussed politics with anyone in ages.

[redcoast]

Bill Maher?!

Oh, he says he's a libertarian and a liberal. Bet he's just really leftist.

[story645]

See what I mean about not the best source. Though he is very much fiscally conservative, at least the way a lot of people are now. A ton of people on both sides of the political spectrum want the gov't to cut down spending.