> In this case, however, I suspect that Mr. Hill and those who think and feel > like him feel that they have already argued at length with abortion doctors > in general and perhaps with that doctor in particular and have concluded > that no amount of further arguing will dissuade them from performing > abortions.� > Their argument is rightly with society as a whole for permitting abortions. And, in a democracy, at what point are you justified in taking the law into your own hands, if you cannot persuade others to your line of thinking. Is sincerity and true depth of feeling sufficient? What about someone who feels equally strongly on some other point of view - can an environmental extremist shoot lumberjacks to keep them from chopping down ancient redwoods? (Again, just for purposes of discussion.)
> Or they might point out also that by the above logic the guy > who operated the gas chamber at a Nazi concentration camp was not an > immediate threat when he was having breakfast at home in the morning, so > would one have had to wait until his hand was actually on the switch that > would drop the cyanide to be justified in shooting him? > That was during wartime, and the guy with his hand on the switch was a member of the SS, not a physician who (you know) did more than just perform abortions. They call them "abortion doctors" but most of them do far more than that, and it would be nice to have that acknowledged. Barnett Slepian, the Buffalo obstetrician who was shot in his home in front of his children, took on the most difficult pregnancies and saved countless newborns, but no one ever remembers that; instead, they call him an "abortion doctor." But that's changing the subject. Maybe it's my moral blindness, but I do not equate fetuses with living people. Performing an abortion is not the same as committing murder, in my eyes. It's certainly not the same as gassing a roomful of naked, terrified Jews. Someone about to shoot a person - yes, shoot him if there's no other way to stop him. The SS officer about to drop the cyanide - absolutely, kill the Nazi bastard. And then kill him again. But a doctor? Even one preparing to perform an abortion? I just don't agree. Tom Beck www.prydonians.org www.mercerjewishsingles.org "I always knew I'd see the first man on the Moon. I never dreamed I'd see the last." - Dr Jerry Pournelle _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
