全球人口增长问题 Global Problems of.Population Growth 24-21.pdfVIP

MCDB 150 Global Problems of Population Growth Lecture 21 Notes The topic of todays lecture is abortion. The abortion issue has hit the US in a way that is unique in the world. Abortion has taken over as the central issue in the American debate on values . I think the power of the issue is that it encapsulates diametrically opposed views of our roles in everyday life. sex roles, work roles, husband and wife roles, motherhood and fatherhood roles. abortion relates to absolutely fundamental matters and the two sides see them in a completely opposite manner: both sides agree that the issue is about murder: a pro-lifer sees images of a three month fetus, which, even though only about the size of your finger, in the blown up photographs, which everyone has seen, already looks quite babylike and thinks of it being dismembered and murdered. a pro-choicer sees a young woman, maybe herself, in a back alley abortion being butchered and possibly murdered. Almost every one of the older generation of pro-choice women has had a back-alley abortion, or knows a friend who died, or almost died in an illegal, back alley abortion. both sides agree that the issue is about babies and motherhood: a pro-life mother thinks babies are so precious that, whenever they come, they will be loved and wanted. a pro-choice mother thinks babies are so precious that they should only be had when the woman really wants the baby and is in a situation in life where she has the resources to care for the baby. both sides agree that the issue is about sex: a pro-life woman thinks sex is so special that it should be guarded by strong religious and social controls so that it always has an almost sacred character. a pro-choice woman thinks sex is so special that it should be freed of worry about pregnancy and disease, so that it can be enjoyed as a unique sharing of intimacy. both sides agree that the issue is about the status of women: pro-life w