# Abortion. Yes or No? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 25, 2003, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791 "2003-07-25T02:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/41 "2003-07-25T20:56:31Z")
No ---
**Author:** ![badmana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@badmana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badmana)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/42 "2003-07-25T20:57:43Z")
Ya know, only four posters including myself posted the way the op wanted šŸ˜ƒ ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/43 "2003-07-25T20:58:57Z")
**Beagle**. Reasonable post over all but where did you get that 5% figure for ā€œhard cases?ā€ Do all women who get abortions self-report rape and incest? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/44 "2003-07-25T21:02:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kaspar Hauser \* > \*\*Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others. \*\* And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards a coherent OP. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/45 "2003-07-26T00:09:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\ ***Beagle**. > Reasonable post over all but where did you get that 5% figure for ā€œhard cases?ā€ Do all women who get abortions self-report rape and incest? :dubious: \*\* My 5% was a ballpark figureā€¦I was off by 2%, the correct estimate of ā€œhard casesā€ is 7%. [Cite](http://www.californiaprolife.org/abortion/whyabot.htm) Yes it is a pro life web siteā€¦they are citing pro choice research for the Allan Guttmacher Institute (Planned Parenthood ā€œspecial affiliateā€)that predates the web Also [here](http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html) You may wish to forward your ā€œdubiousā€ smiley to AGIā€¦they were the folks who asked the questions. ---
**Author:** ![Nomadic\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Nomadic\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nomadic_One)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/46 "2003-07-26T04:17:11Z")
> [@](#): > > are you interested in debate or did you just want to poll people without actually debating the issue? It seems odd to place a poll in GD. Actually I origionally wanted it to be yes or no questions, and me being illiterate didnt see that I was supposed to place polls on a different poll. ā€¦no deep secret meanings behind this oneā€¦ no really theres notā€¦ šŸ™‚ > [@](#): > > Meh. Itā€™ll turn into a debate eventually, so it probably just saves time. I was thinking this as well. > [@](#): > > If youā€™re interested in labels. 48% self identify as ā€œpro choiceā€ while 42% self identify as ā€œpro lifeā€. > > Does this answer the question of the OP? ā€¦Slightlyā€¦Thank you. Since this issue seems to be an issue that carries some meaning I will tell how I feel of the issue. First I think its a sad state that we have come to take human life so friviouslly. A person is more then just a body or a stitistic. I am against abortion because it is a murder of a human being. I also think that its a sad day when a mother is selfish enough to kill a child instead of giving it up to a loving family for adoption. This might be bold but people its the truth. Who are we to end a childs life before it has a chance to even expierence it. This is my side of the issue. If you would like to tell me yours please do so. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/47 "2003-07-26T11:21:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nomadic\_One \* > \*\* I also think that its a sad day when a mother is selfish enough to kill a child instead of giving it up to a loving family for adoption. \*\* FWIW, Iā€™ve taken a pro life position in my fair share of these debatesā€¦and Iā€™m certainly an advocate for adoption in these situations. However, I donā€™t think it does the pro life position ANY good to automatically ascribe **selfish** motivations to all women who have an abortion. At the very least, it doesnā€™t reflect much compassion for the pregnant woman. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/48 "2003-07-26T14:08:32Z")
**Nomadic\_One** , youā€™re wrong. Iā€™m sorry if that bothers you, but itā€™s the plain truth. (sheesh) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/49 "2003-07-26T19:43:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by I\_Know\_Nothing \* > \*\*Irrelevent. I only deal with real world consequences world and donā€™t deal with abstractions. \*\* Spelling, like abortion, is apparently irrelevant. What if, say, your house caught fire? Would it not, maybe, be kinda useful to have a plan? ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2003, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/50 "2003-07-26T20:03:05Z")
Maybe ---
**Author:** ![Nomadic\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Nomadic\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nomadic_One)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/51 "2003-07-27T02:58:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Nomadic\_One, youā€™re wrong. Iā€™m sorry if that bothers you, but itā€™s the plain truth. ā€¦Can you please explain andros? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/52 "2003-07-27T04:49:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by beagledave \* > \*\*My 5% was a ballpark figureā€¦I was off by 2%, the correct estimate of ā€œhard casesā€ is 7%. > > [Cite](http://www.californiaprolife.org/abortion/whyabot.htm) > > Yes it is a pro life web siteā€¦they are citing pro choice research for the Allan Guttmacher Institute (Planned Parenthood ā€œspecial affiliateā€)that predates the web > > Also [here](http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/abreasons.html) > > You may wish to forward your ā€œdubiousā€ smiley to AGIā€¦they were the folks who asked the questions. \*\* Fine, but i would point out that these studies seem to rely on a lot of self-reporting from women. I think itā€™s only fair to assume that many women who are victims of rape or incest may not want to eslf-report it out of shame or guilt. I have known at least one women who was sexually abused by her step-father and became pregnant. She got an abortion and she did _not_ tell anyone at the clinic about the abuse by her step-father. She made up a story about a non-existent boyfriend instead. Iā€™m sure there are other women like her. Incest, in particular, can be extremely deeply hidden in families. I also didnā€™t agree with the pro-life siteā€™s use of the term ā€œsocialā€ reasons for abortions that are motivated by economic concerns, fear, youth and other reasons that are more complex than some sort of glib lifestyle choice. I consider those to be perfectly legitimate motivations, especially in the early stages of pregnancy. I know you disagree, of course, but I feel like that kind of rhetoric trivializes the situation that many women are in. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/53 "2003-07-27T04:54:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nomadic\_One \* > \*\*ā€¦Can you please explain andros? \*\* Take a look at **beagledaveā€™s** last post. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/54 "2003-07-27T05:33:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Fine, but i would point out that these studies seem to rely on a lot of self-reporting from women. I think itā€™s only fair to assume that many women who are victims of rape or incest may not want to eslf-report it out of shame or guilt. \*\* The speculation game goes both ways. One could just as easily postulate that many women falsely claim to have been raped, so as not to implicate their boyfriends, or to cover up their sexual lifestyles. If somebody wants to claim that the actual incidence of abortions due to rape and incest is significantly higher, they are free to do soā€¦ but I think such a claim lacks empirical evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/55 "2003-07-27T06:18:10Z")
The number of women who remain silent about rape and incest dwarfs the infintesimal minority of those who fabricate such things. ---
**Author:** ![Essured](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Essured](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essured)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/56 "2003-07-27T06:32:55Z")
Is it wrong to have an abortion, especially when the relationship is stable, the health and finances of all involved are impeccable, yadda yadda yadda ??? No. ---
**Author:** ![AbbySthrnAccent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@AbbySthrnAccent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AbbySthrnAccent)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/57 "2003-07-27T07:11:51Z")
Yes ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/58 "2003-07-27T07:16:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*The number of women who remain silent about rape and incest dwarfs the infintesimal minority of those who fabricate such things. \*\* Cite? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/59 "2003-07-27T20:22:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Nomadic\_One \* > \*\*ā€¦Can you please explain andros? \*\* Sure. You say your views are correct, and other peoplesā€™ are wrong. You say your views are the plain truth, and if other people donā€™t like it, tough noogies. Well, Iā€™m here to tell you that _you_ are wrong. Sorry if itā€™s painful to you, but itā€™s just the plain truth. ---
**Author:** ![Nomadic\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Nomadic\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nomadic_One)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791/60 "2003-07-28T00:17:15Z")
> [@](#): > > You say your views are correct, and other peoplesā€™ are wrong. You say your views are the plain truth, and if other people donā€™t like it, tough noogies. ā€¦Where did I say this? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/abortion-yes-or-no/190791.md?page=4)