ConNiPtioNs

On life and death...

A couple of life and death issues have been in the news over the past week or so. These are some complicated and divisive issues but my view is pretty simple: the government should not be in the business of making medical decisions.

The easier (for me) is the abortion ban passed by both houses of Congress. Although I probably could not advise any woman to opt for an abortion, I do not think that the federal government can outlaw medical procedures and once again make women second class citizens.

If I had to make a choice between

1. deliver a baby that will have no chance of survival and at the same time putting my wife's life risk; or
2. opt for a late-term abortion to ensure the life of my wife

the choice would be easy for me. I would choose to have a healthy, living wife.

If abortion is outlawed women will continue have them, as they always have. Does the christian right think that before the US Supreme Court ruled that abortion is legal women did not get them? Well they did.

The right-to-die issue in Florida is more complicated for me. I would find it very difficult to stop feeding someone and starving her death. However, this is not a decision for the state. If I knew or felt very strongly that my wife would not want to "live" in a persistant vegetative state I would try to do as she wished. But, if I did not know and her family felt strongly about keeping her alive I would try do what they wanted, even if that meant divorcing her and giving them custody.

Let's hope that none of us ever have to make such decisions, but if we do let's hope that we have a decision (within the law) to make.