It's about the right to choose what happens to one's own body."
The female human body is literally designed to carry a baby. If this argument is about maternal deaths, only 0.02% of pregnancies ended in maternal death nationwide last year. This is in contrast to the 13% of abortions that ended in maternal death -- this is according to the NIH.gov. Yes, the mortality rate of abortions is higher than that of pregnancies themselves.
However, if this argument is not merely about maternal mortality, but rather giving birth to the child, maybe a person shouldn't conceive a child in the first place until that person is ready to care for a child.
"Similarly, the argument is that a fetus, dependent on the person carrying it, should not have rights that override the rights of that person."
We cannot ask the child consent on whether their mom should abort or not abort. However, in most cases, the mother gave consent to the act of conceiving the child, fully knowing the possible outcome of a child forming in her womb. This gives the child their right to life. The baby did not just "appear".
"The question then becomes, how do we balance the rights of a potential life with the rights of an existing one?"
Scientifically, the fetus is an existing life, but I know that is not the point of this question. The rights of the woman carrying the baby do not and should not include terminating the fetus because the fetus is protected under the US Constitution, where it talks about protecting our "posterity". Therefore, the rights of the mother and of the child remain equal. This because the mother, in most cases, consented to conceiving the child. The child is only the fruit of the act. The mother has the right to do as she pleases with herself, however, because the child is a human, she cannot dictate whether the child lives. The child has the right to live from her act of conception.
My question now to you is:
I live in Florida, and over the summer months, sea turtles are laying eggs. The turtles are highly illegal to touch, ESPECIALLY the eggs. If I were to theoretically start digging in a sea turtle nest at the beach, I will find these eggs not far underground. If I were to precede to stomp on the eggs and crush them, ultimately killing the baby sea turtles, I would be arrested immediately -- it is five years of jail and a $5,000 fine to even touch one egg. Why is this protection not the same for a child? After all, a baby sea turtle cannot survive outside of the egg, much less outside of its buried nest. Does that make it any less of a turtle? I would love to know your perspective on this law. Should it be taken away to match the laws regarding baby humans?
@HarmoniousMooseGreen8mos8MO
“I live in Florida, and over the summer months, sea turtles are laying eggs. The turtles are highly illegal to touch, ESPECIALLY the eggs. If I were to theoretically start digging in a sea turtle nest at the beach, I will find these eggs not far underground. If I were to precede to stomp on the eggs and crush them, ultimately killing the baby sea turtles, I would be arrested immediately -- it is five years of jail and a $5,000 fine to even touch one egg. Why is this protection not the same for a child? After all, a baby sea turtle cannot survive outside of the egg, much less outside of its buried nest. Does that make it any less of a turtle? I would love to know your perspective on this law. Should it be taken away to match the laws regarding baby humans?”
The analogy of sea turtle eggs brings an interesting perspective, but it's not entirely equivalent. Sea turtles are a protected species due to their dwindling numbers and threats to their survival, which is why their eggs are protected by law. Humans, thankfully, are not endangered.
However, the point you are making, about the value of life in all its forms and stages, is quite valid and worthy of discussion. But it's also essential to remember that humans have a complex societal structure and rights that extend beyond survival, including autonomy, dignity, and personal freedom.
@9FZKSH6 8mos8MO
There's no way you just argued that sea turtle babies should be protected but not human babies--greater is one human life than all of the sea turtles to ever exist.
