Abortion is only a symptom of the real issue and disease, that real issue and disease is unwanted pregnancies. Until the Obama administration-and everyone else envolved-grasps the fact that the real issue and disease is unwanted pregnancies and not the abortions that result from those unwanted pregnancies, the issue and the disease will never be resolved or cured. The primary resolution and cure, for the great majority of abortions, is to fully fund Family Planning and related agencies. Exceptions: Rape and the Life of the Mother which, by circumstance, must be addressed on a case by case basis.

Respectfully, Lewis R. Lowden, North Star, MI, USA

OK, and what about those women who are diligently using contraception but get knocked up anyway? No abortion for them? If you really don't want a baby, you shouldn't be having sex at all? How is this any different from the current pro-life position, except in extent?

I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. The real issue and disease is deep-rooted sexism.

"I'm afraid you're quite mistaken. The real issue and disease is deep-rooted sexism."

.....heh, or "uterus envy"---- just because you don't have a womb, doesn't mean you can control mine!

But even Mr Saletan argues that as a woman, you cannot be trusted to make moral choices independently

But even Mr Saletan argues that as a woman, you cannot be trusted to make moral choices independently

the ancient Greeks thought so too: the word uterus is derived from the Greek word for hysteria or frenzy.....and of course there's that (\heavy scarcasm) popular addage "never trust something that bleeds for 5 days and doesn't die".

For a 'Doctor', you sure are misinformed.

The word uterus is not derived from the word hysteria. The word hysteria means, literally, wandering womb - hence the term 'hysterectomy'. When early Greek doctors were trying to define all medical problems as excesses of of the four humours - Blood, Bile etc, they determined that Hysteria was caused by women's wombs moving around their bodies.

And Saletan does not argue that at all. If you're referring to his article on Tiller, where he states that he finds Tiller's post viability abortions performed for no real medical reason abhorrent, that's hardly saying that women are unable to make moral decisions. It's merely saying that abortion decisions are nuanced and that, assuming that you don't believe in the creation of a soul at the moment of conception, that there is a massive ethical difference between preventing an undifferentiated mass of cells from implanting on the wall of the womb and terminating an 8 month old foetus who could survive perfectly well if allowed to be born.

if abortion is murder, then masturbation is also "murder". if men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament!

<link>

...well, that's what i get for trusting the internet for a word derivation, and taking latin instead of greek in high school....

that's hardly saying that women are unable to make moral decisions. It's merely saying that abortion decisions are nuanced and that, assuming that you don't believe in the creation of a soul at the moment of conception, that there is a massive ethical difference between preventing an undifferentiated mass of cells from implanting on the wall of the womb and terminating an 8 month old foetus who could survive perfectly well if allowed to be born.

Notice your logic:

• assuming that you don't believe in the creation of a soul at the moment of conceptiion
  
  IOW, Saletan is asserting his personal belief
  .
• there is a massive ethical difference
  
  To set a critieria of morality
  .
• terminating an 8 month old foetus who could survive perfectly well if allowed to be born
  
  Which he believes women are violating.

This is very clearly a case where

• Saletan asserts his moral belief
• Applies it to women
• Finds them wanting in their ability to make moral judgements

And this differes from Roeder how?