August 1, 2007

On Sending Women to Jail for Abortions

Posted by Adam Graham in : Abortion

One of the more popular pro-abortion canards is that pro-lifers want to send women to jail. This is addressed by Eric and John at Generation Life:

The answer is that the abortionists would be penalized for performing illegal abortions. This is what the situation before Roe v. Wade was. Women would not be penalized — certainly not with prison terms.

If you’ve got a problem with that, you can advocate for women to suffer the same penalty as abortionists if you want to, but we would oppose that. The original laws against abortion were advocated by feminists, who believed abortion exploited women. They did not wish to penalize the women being exploited by abortion; penalties were imposed on the abortionists.

This needs to be repeated and often. It’s a reasonable position, and perhaps the only one that pro-lifers can win with.

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Comments (9)

9 Comments

Comment by SUZANNE

I think that that’s an anti-abortion stance, not a fetal rights stance. While I agree that it’s acceptable not to anticipate women going to jail, I don’t think that it will be feasible in the distant future, as women must be accountable for their actions. They’re not all victims.
Comment by Adam Graham

Suzanne, I understand your viewpoint, however, because not all women are victims doesn’t mean quite a few are. Given the dangerous after-effects of abortion that haunt a woman her whole life (leading to miscarriages, potentially increasing risk of breast cancer), is it necessary to add anything additional?

In addition, one has to deal with reality. While there are a great many folks who aren’t keen on abortion, they would be horrified at the image of putting a 17 year old girl behind bars for six or seven years for having one, particularly if the situation were a difficult one. Hard cases make bad law and Americans are suckers for hard cases. (Canadians, too)

This type of thing would be used by proponents of legalizing abortion to legalize it. I’d rather keep that door firmly shut, than crack it open and risk more innocent lives.
Comment by sue

Adam, I agree with your position on this. Some of the best and most well-known right to life speakers are women who themselves have had abortions. And countless other women who have had abortions not deeply regret their decision and have come to the right to the life movement in order to work to spare other women the tragedy of abortion. For those who believe women should be imprisoned for an abortion, I wonder how they would feel about rounding up these women and throwing them in prison?

Sue
Comment by Adam Graham

Good point, Sue. And if we’re thinking about this from a prosecutorial standpoint, a woman who isn’t in legal jeopardy will be more likely to give out information. Women who get abortions aren’t all that favorable to the doctors who perform them. Put them under legal jeopardy and I think it becomes more likely they’ll cover up the whole thing rather than tell of who actually did it. They’re also less likely to report a serious complication.
Comment by Andrea Graham

Abortion is one of those crimes where the crime is the punishment. The reality of what even *legal* abortion does to the mothers would be sufficient reason to outlaw it even if one could prove true the dangerous idea that personhood is only in the eyes of the mother (think beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.) Dangerous because you could logically extend that to babies, children, the terminally ill, the elderly, the disabled; anyone who looks/acts “different” and hence “not as human as me.” And history shows that once that kind of label is on someone, man is capable of (re)inventing even worse things to do to them.

But on some level, the perpetrator suffers as much, if not more, than the innocent victim(s). And in today’s society, the mother is often a victim of the system herself (rushed into making a decision, manipulated and lied to, simply ill informed of what she’s actually carrying, pressured by the culture, her friends, family . . . )
Comment by Adam Graham

You’re right. Amen
Comment by Quinn Olinger

You don’t know what justice is Adam.

The only just response to murder is for the government to bring about a fair and speedy trial and upon conviction a sure, swift, painful and public execution.

If a mom and her boyfriend/husband pay an abortionist to murder their child then they are guilty of murder as is the abortionist along with the clinic workers who helped bring it about.

Anything less than a sure, swift, painful and public execution for convicted murderers is unjust.

And I’m willing to discuss or debate this over the phone or in person with anyone. Check out my site for info and contact info.

Also, if you have yet to, read this article. Best one on the death penalty ever written.

http://www.theologyonline.com/DEATH.HTML
Comment by Quinn Olinger

Adam said:

“This type of thing would be used by proponents of legalizing abortion to legalize it. I’d rather keep that door firmly shut, than crack it open and risk more innocent lives.”

That’s a Godless strategy Adam. Jesus Christ demands that we do what is right even if the rest of the world around us hates us for it.

“Do right and risk the consequences” –Bob Enyart
Comment by Adam Graham

I would not debate someone so graceless as to attack a person who has been active in the pro-life movement for years. I don’t get into senseless shouting matches. But first go and learn what this means, “I will have mercy and not sacrifice.”