Seeking Calm Discussion on Subject of Abortion

What follows is a copy of an email I sent in response to Steve Blow's column in the Metro Section in today's DMN.

Dear Mr. Blow.

You ask if we can have a calm, courteous discussion about abortion and about the Texas bill in particular. I guess not. You begin by saying you aren't going to call anybody names and conclude by doing just that, reviling as hypocrites those who support parts of the bill you don't like.

I don't like your comparison of induced abortion with miscarriage. They are profoundly different things. It seems to me your reasoning leads to the absurd conclusion that a baby is not a baby until it is born, has bonded with its mother, and is taken home from the hospital.

Nor do I care for your appeal to the American way. Americans are not free to choose if the choice is criminal. But most of our society supports abortion on at least some level and since I can't change that I will take what I can get. I support the 20 week cutoff not because it is reasonable but because it is better than 24.

As for the other provisions of the bill, you don't start a civil discussion by impugning the motives of those who disagree with you. Just exactly what is wrong with reasonable standards for sanitation and precautions for when something goes wrong? And things do sometimes go wrong with abortions, especially late term abortions. If you think a different standard is more reasonable, set it out, but you appear to be calling for no standard at all.

A courteous discussion would be helpful. You didn't quite get there.

Best regards

Norman Roberts