Get an abortion, go to jail...but for how long?

[Erich von Manstein]

I found this article on MSNBC.com and it raised a very good point: if you successfully criminalize abortion, what exactly should the punishment be for violating its prohibition? After all, merely criminalizing it is not enough; without a consequent punishment, merely outlawing abortion will do nothing to end (or at least diminish) the practice. If a woman manages to survive a back-alley abortion, do you really throw her in the clinker? And for how long?

I'd like to avoid a debate on the merits of criminalizing abortion if possible; this discussion assumes that abortion will be criminalized at some point in the future for the sake of argument.

[Gary88]

well 'pro-life' people compare abortion to murder so it only seems right that you should serve a murder sentence if their logic is right.



(i am adamantly in favour of abortion, terms and conditions apply)

edit,
i just read the article, how can some of these people want to make abortion illegal and yet only punish the doctor. its like saying the doctor tied her down and gave her an illegal abortion

[removeduser_487563287433]

Get an abortion, go to Canada. All it will do will be increase your neighbour's tourism revenue.

[The Knight 2100]

I would think that the death penalty would be an appropriate punishment.

Either that or life in prison.

(for both the woman and the doctor)

[The White Knight]

I would think that the death penalty would be an appropriate punishment.

Either that or life in prison.

(for both the woman and the doctor)

Yesterday I saw the movie 'Palindromes' and I had to chuckle when they satirised Christian fundamentalist actions towards abortion by introducing a character called 'Bob'. This man was a Christian hitman, and he was paid to kill doctors who do abortions.

This satire wasn't at all exaggerated apparently.

[The Knight 2100]

Yesterday I saw the movie 'Palindromes' and I had to chuckle when they satirised Christian fundamentalist actions towards abortion by introducing a character called 'Bob'. This man was a Christian hitman, and he was paid to kill doctors who do abortions.

This satire wasn't at all exaggerated apparently.

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

Life is sacred! Life begins at contraception!

These bumper stickers do not seem to compliment the death penalty, Knight.

[Justinian]

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

The Knight ... is back ... the world is at an end?

There is no feasible way to punish someone for abortion... if you punish the doctors, the women will go to back alley abortionists with such complicated tools as a coathanger and a pocketful of dreams . And it really doesn't seem fair to punish the women, does it? The vast majority are pressured into it by angry parents or scared partners.

I have a feeling it would be like the drug laws, unenforceable and probably more harm than good. Besides, there's nothing stopping women from just going to Canada and having it done there.

[The White Knight]

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

We disagree with so many things I don't know where to start. Perhaps this question is a good starter: what is principal: the rights, health and life of the mother or the rights, health and chances of survival of the foetus?

One can argue about the term in which abortion is legal, or the methods in causing the abortion. To outright deny any possibility for abortion is a bad idea. Not only can this lead to all kinds of misery, abortion will not seize to exist. The mothers will have more trouble finding someone to do the abortion and it is undeniable that a legal way of abortion is much safer than an illegal way.

By the way, I take it you are not against means of preconception? These reduce the chances of unwanted pregnancy enormously, but they are often not tolerated by those who are pro-life which is in my opinion slightly hypocritical. Not hypocritical ... actually. Rather: naive.

[Richard]

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

...which also happens to be murder. Well, at least 'legal' murder, like abortion is currently. Neat huh?

[LoZz]

I would think that the death penalty would be an appropriate punishment.

Either that or life in prison.

(for both the woman and the doctor)

but then you lose 3 lives instead of one, one of those lives being a very skilled person who takes years to teach and the other could always make another life at a later point.


but i guess for arguments sakes the only way it could be banned would be if it was viewed as murder so the punishment should be the same i guess.

but i think maybe more like drunk driving killers, 10 years.

[The Knight 2100]

but then you lose 3 lives instead of one, one of those lives being a very skilled person who takes years to teach and the other could always make another life at a later point.


but i guess for arguments sakes the only way it could be banned would be if it was viewed as murder so the punishment should be the same i guess.

but i think maybe more like drunk driving killers, 10 years.

As far as I'm concerned, any doctor that performs abortions is just like the nazi doctors that experimented on the Jews in the concentration camps. They are a disgrace to the medical profession. I don't care how much training they've had or how long it will take to train another doctor, they're murderers and should be punished for their crime. The same goes for the woman, she agreed to undergo the operation, if it wasn't for her agreeing to the operation it wouldn't take place, she's just as guilty of murder and should be punished as well. The doctor and the woman aren't the victims here, the victim is the unborn child that was mercilessly slaughtered.

As for adoption, it's a lot better for a child to spend years in a foster home or be adopted than it is for them to be killed. People always say stuff like "Well the child will have a miserable life if it's not aborted". That's like saying "I think your life sucks so you should die". No one has the authority to make that kind of decision. All people have a right to live regardless of their age or how people perceive their quality of life.

[Gwendylyn]

I don't care how much training they've had or how long it will take to train another doctor, they're murderers and should be punished for their crime. The same goes for the woman, she agreed to undergo the operation, if it wasn't for her agreeing to the operation it wouldn't take place, she's just as guilty of murder and should be punished as well. The doctor and the woman aren't the victims here, the victim is the unborn child that was mercilessly slaughtered..

Then I ask you, directly, to answer the damn questions I posed to the thread, rather than say "MURDERERS! Lynch them!"

What if the woman is mentally retarded? What if she is extremely underage? What if someone else forced the abortion on her? What if the baby was dying, or would die in a matter of days, and she broke the law to abort it rather than wait it out? What if she went to a foreign country to have it done and returns to the United States? What if the court can't determine if her fall down the stairs was self-induced abortion or just a mistake?

[morteduzionism]

I would think that the death penalty would be an appropriate punishment.

Either that or life in prison.

(for both the woman and the doctor)...

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

I'm not sure if you're from the US or not but...if you feel this strongly about it, do you demand your country only have good relations with other countries that share your views? If not, why?

[STReetSamurai]

Long enough for another inmate to rape you and force you to get another abortion, that way the it would ****ed up enough for the religious right to accept and we could still get abortions!

[Duke_of_Bavaria]

Long enough for another inmate to rape you and force you to get another abortion, that way the it would ****ed up enough for the religious right to accept and we could still get abortions!

Exept women and men sit in separate jail houses :/.

p.s. it is murder..

[removeduser_487563287433]

I would think that the death penalty would be an appropriate punishment.

Either that or life in prison.

(for both the woman and the doctor)

Both appropriate and practical! Wonderful idea!

[Feliks]

Hmmm... Punishable by Rape.

It would certainly fit the "crime".

[Gary88]

Abortion is murder and should be punished as such by the state, and in many cases this involves the death penalty.

see when i said

well 'pro-life' people compare abortion to murder so it only seems right that you should serve a murder sentence if their logic is right.

i was exagerating to make a point...turns out i was right though

[Gary88]

if you make correct and safe abortions ilegal women would just go in for 'holistic abortions' (throwing themselves down the stairs)