Say Anything Blog

Another Victory For Abortion Culture In New Orleans

Interesting headline for a story that has nothing at all to do with abortion.  :(

Why isn’t this a victory for “Capital Punishment Culture” or “Pre-emptive War Culture”? They both have as much to do with the story as abortion--that is, not at all.

Yes, I understand your reasoning Rob. I just wonder why you don’t make the same connection vis-a-vis capital punishment--doesn’t that also make people “callous in situations of life in death”?

Note: I support capital punishment (I support its right to exist; I would oppose it on a personal level; e.g., if someone murdered my hypothetical wife, I wouldn’t pursue the death penalty). I just want to know your logic here.

This was a victory for “euthenasia culture”, sure. You just seem to be unfairly demonizing pro-choice individuals here, when someone could make the exact same (and similarly flawed) argument that capital punishment is to blame here.

From my perspective, Dave, the legalization of abortion in this country has made people callous in situations of life and death.  Many people in this country could care less about children, who are unable to speak up for themselves, being killed because they are an inconvenience.  Its not that much of a leap of faith to think that this same attitude applies to health care people killing patients, who cannot speak up for themselves, who have become a nuisance.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

I just wonder why you don’t make the same connection vis-a-vis capital punishment–doesn’t that also make people “callous in situations of life in death”?

Like Rob said, it’s making the connection between death and inconvenience.  Abortion is 99% about selfishness.  It’s women sacrificing their own children in order to make their life easier ("I don’t have the money to take care of a child, so I’ll just kill it") The same logic applies to euthanasia.  If your grandpa is old and dying, the hurricane is coming and your safety is in jeopardy, it makes it easier to decide to let the old man die.  It’s a desensitization.

The same logic does not apply to capital punishment.  That death decision is not made out of selfishness, but rather respect for the life of others.

Am I making sense?

‘Course, we also don’t know that this is fact, these are just rumors at this point.

Mr. Lead brings up a good point.  Since the MSM has botched almost every other “horror” story coming out of that area since Katrina hit, we should take stories like this with a grain of salt, eh?

This is what our low level sanctity of life culture we devolved to means by really late term abortions.  How is it different.  Involuntary, implemented by medical folks, for convenience.  JUST LIKE ABORTION

Yes, I understand your reasoning Rob. I just wonder why you don’t make the same connection vis-a-vis capital punishment–doesn’t that also make people “callous in situations of life in death”?

You’re asking me to make the same point about something I don’t support?

I’m am not a capital punishment proponent.  I think it costs too much and it doesn’t serve as much of a deterrant.

It’s never a matter of convenience or avoidance of responsibility, but a concern for the suffering of others.

Does anyone ask the children if they’d like to be mercy killed?  How about these patients, did anyone ask them?

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

This is what we’ve learned from decades of abortion propaganda. When someone in your care becomes inconvenient it is perfectly acceptable to kill them to alleviate yourself of responsibility.

I think you’re minimizing what actually was going on there, and the decisions that the caretakers had to make.  It’s never a matter of convenience or avoidance of responsibility, but a concern for the suffering of others.  And these decisions are made every day, not just for a few days in flooded New Orleans. 

‘Course, we also don’t know that this is fact, these are just rumors at this point.

The same logic does not apply to capital punishment. That death decision is not made out of selfishness, but rather respect for the life of others.

Am I making sense?

Whoa… how is the decision to pursue the death penalty made out of respect for the life of others? 99% of the time it’s made out of vengeance--you seem to be implying a certain level of altrusim that I don’t believe exists.

One thing I must clarify before I respond to your comment.  You said earlier:

e.g., if someone murdered my hypothetical wife, I wouldn’t pursue the death penalty).

I didn’t say anything when you said it cause it wasn’t that important, but your understanding that the victim’s families somehow decide if the death penalty is pursued or not is off I believe.  Sure, if they get on the stand during sentencing and ask the jury not to pursue the death penalty I’m sure it makes a little difference, but ultimately it’s up to the Judge based on the recommendation from the jury (in CA anyway, maybe it’s different elsewhere).

So when you say:

99% of the time it’s made out of vengeance–you seem to be implying a certain level of altruism that I don’t believe exists.

I get the sense that you believe the death penalty is pursued by the victim’s families out of vengeance.  I don’t believe this is the case.

The death penalty is simply that, a penalty.  If you steal a TV, you pay a fine and spend time in jail.  If you attack a police officer, you go to jail for a long time.  If you murder 10 people, your life is taken.  It’s the appropriate response to a horrendous crime.  When I say that this response is done out of respect for the victim’s life, I guess I mean it in a religious kind of way.  Capital punishment is a very biblical concept, blood crying out for blood and all.  So yeah, I guess you can say in that sense it is for vengeance, but it is also our of respect for life that if you take someone else’s life, we have the right to take yours.