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- Ase ‘Sunday, February 3, 1985 - North Shore News

strictly personal

Raw politicization of the
issue has led to snallow
“either-or’’ promises on both
sides when, in fact, the basic
question — when dees life
begin? — is a wall that philo-
sophers have. been banging
- their heads against’ since the
dawn of time.
This much is clear, from an

historical perspective: abor-:-
’ -tion has never been. an ex-.
clusively Christian issue. The ..
of Western

_ Medical ethics,. the pagan.”

foundation

Hippocratic Oath, specifically
denies abortion as a means of

relief to pregnant. women. |

. Judaism's traditional: rulings
likewise oppose: it.: “And, as
you might expect, so does
Islam, except for strict medical
reasons.

The Declaration of Geneva
from: the’
Association states: ‘{1 will

maintain the’ utmost respect _

conception until. death.” The
Declaration on Rights of the _

1959. by the

saNat - General

. Assemibly, s States catagorically
that children “need special
safeguards and care, including
appropriate legal protection,
- before as well.as after birth.

-Anti-abortionists agree. For -

the all very simple. Life.

"begins ‘at: conception. The ..-
pro-abortionists really . only:

.. Imake the case that life begins
‘later, and: therefore it’s okay

. stoterminate “it. because it’

hasn’t happened yet.”
n a: boo titled A Abortiori

World “Medical:

, ‘ception a

by Bob Hunter

HE FIRST THING to be aborted in the abor-
tion debate is objectivity.

and Moral Theory, L.W.
Sumner tries bravely to
establish a ‘‘criterion of moral
standing.’’ He concludes that
in order to be worthy of our
protection, ‘life must be
capable of experiencing pain

- and pleasure. (Of course this

would include all the verte-
brate animals with central ner-
vous systems, 2 point he does

“mot dwell on, but animal

‘lovers do.)
- Sumner notes that the fetus
develops from an insentient

» fertilized egg into what is in ef-

fect a sentient human being
‘sometime in the’ second tri-
mester: of pregnancy, accor-
ding to which logic abortion
should be morally permissible

- up to about 14 weeks.

Such a definition obviously
wouldn’t bother most Cana-
‘dians who take advantage of
existing abortion legislation,
since something like. 87 per
cent of abortions were per-
formed within the first 12
-weeks of gestation.

‘But here is'the nitty-gritty of

‘the issue:: cat the.two. ends of

the abortion debate lie contra:
‘infanticide. (ar
“seems to meinctimbent on the . ~

anti-abortionists to show why
‘abortion. is more repugnant
than contraception, especially

- when. we have‘available. such

techniques‘as the intrauterine
device, *which ‘scrapes ‘ihe

womb lining ‘to. bring onthe
menstrual.’ period. Even. the’.
“Pill change the: ‘womb lining -

fertilized

These are what you might
cali soft, subtle scalpels, but
scalpels nonetheless.

The challenge for pro-
abortionists is to distinguish
between an eight-month-old
fetus and a one-second-old
child before the umbilical cord
is cut. If you stick strictly to
logic, the destruction of the
one-second-old infant is no
different essentially than an
abortion, and therefore
infanticide is morally defensi-
ble. Well?

In practice, there are any
number of cases where the
doctor, seeing that the newly-
born infant is grossly deform-
ed, simply withholds vital
assistance. By the way, as
somebody who has visited a
ward where. victims of
Trisomy 18, a congenital
deformity, are housed, I
would personally not hesitate
for a minute to put one of
these pathetic creatures out of
its misery.

The other serious question
that pro-abortion people must
answer is this: what is it, ex-
actly, that happens at - birth
that suddenly gives human life

-moral and legal standing: it

didn‘t have ‘a: moment ago?

‘The answer, bilogically, is: vir-

tually nothing.’
“Another luckless attempt to

define the quality of human .
_ life that. makes it- worthy. of -

‘protection is. the-notion of

: self-consciousness, that is, the
“ability to appreciate that one”

isa living being. Hm. By such

‘criterion, babies even upto six
-months could clearly be offed; :
“since. they are scarcely more. ’
_ than vegetables that way.

Next: the real issue.

‘Ang us Ree MLA.

: ‘NORTH: Be omc

‘CONSTITUENCY

“Invites you to join with him
as a:deluxe buffet finner |

“and moo at the

"Saturday February’ 16th 7 pm-12.am

‘Limited No..
“available

Tickets $25.00 EACH

Portion

tax deductible 4

Sold. only at Constituency Office
42 Lonsdale Ave. :North Vancouver.

‘Call Marilyn >

reser your tickets NOW 986-6010 -

- or THE ‘CONSTITUENCY

“PRESIDENT .

“PAUL R. R.’ STANMORE

9253141
. NO HOST BAR
A gréat opportunity to
find out what we are {
A doing for you.

We support
you and need
your support

#3 ])3 a

Monday's council agendas

NORTH VAN DISTRICT:
Monday, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m.:
Marine Drive official com-
munity plan / Central inter-
tiver official community
plan / North Shore Winter
Club re: property classifica-
tion / licence to occupy 2708
Panorama Drive / Sale of
freehold Icts / Edgemont
Blvd. sidewalk. use /
Strathcona local improve-
ment/ Bulk food sales regs.

NORTH VAN CITY: Mon-
day, Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m:
North Shore Winter Club /
Rezoning for pub, 1423
Lonsdale / North Shore
Neighborhood House grant
request / Use of Kinsmen
Stadium by professional
soccer team / Use of shopp-
ing carts / Family suite, 813
East 6th St., 1204 Heywood
St. / Pinecorp Research ex-
emption from noise bylaw /
Social escori service.

WEST VANCOUVER:

‘Monday, Feb. 4, 8 p.m.:
Rezoning 2100 Marine Drive.

/ Rezoning Sentinel Hill /
Inglewood signs /

Ambleside-by-the-Sea phase.

Have you
found
Capilano Mali's
Diamond?

~ TYROLIA 3

two planning report — Tim-
ing / Parks and recreation
program fees / Development
permit process review /
development permit for 1009
20th St. / Early budget ap-

provals.

JOINT WV SCHOOL
BOARD-COUNCIL: Tucs.,
Feb. 5, 6 p.m.: Matters of
mutual concern.

R DUNDARAVE TERRACE: PHARMACY

Surgical ¢ Orthopedic: e Ostomy
and Home Convalescent Supplig

Wheelchair, walkers
& crutches. rental

2". Selecte
~ LADIES" Skt’
“€g. Mobius Ladies’ J
ther Stores $160":
EST COAST ONLY. :

“Whi 7 They y Last”

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| neatly Ltated at; ———
1764 LONSDALE-9 984. 9323

$615 EAST HASTINGS, IN
.

VANCOUVER