The Dialogue Was Aborted Long Ago

When it comes to the issue of abortion, folks, yeah, I suppose you'd probably have to call me a "pro-choice" guy. I mean, seriously, I just don't think it's feasible/appropriate (fill in whatever term you want here) for a society to mandate that a woman retain a pregnancy she doesn't want. We CERTAINLY don't want to go back to a time when women were forced to seek back-alley abortions, etc.. And then who do you frigging arrest here? The woman? the doctor? You see what I'm saying?.....................................................Of course, having said all this, I also want it understood that I fully respect those on the other side of the issue (abortion clinic bombers, etc., obviously excluded). This, I'm saying, in that, yes, whenever something that has it's own distinct beating heart is in fact "terminated", you're definitely edging into some difficult territory. To those who've said/implied that there ISN'T a moral argument on the pro-life side of this issue, you really have to wonder about them.........................................................And, yes, folks, it's because of this proclivity of mine to see the other side that I seek to find some compromises here, too. I mean, we all know about the restrictions (parental notification, mandated counseling, waiting periods, bans on partial birth abortion, etc. - some of which appear to be quite reasonable) and all. But what about contraception, too? Don't you think we need to be stressing prevention significantly more so? Not that this isn't a controversial subject in and of itself, mind you, but, come on, isn't it a hell of a lot more preferable than piles and piles of fetal carcases?....................................................And, no, NO, I wouldn't stop there, either. This, I'm saying, in that I would go as far as making RU486 (aka, the morning-after pill) an over the counter medication. I mean, I know that this is an even more controversial subject than birth-control to some - this, in that many on the religious far-right consider RU486 itself a form of abortion. But, clearly, folks, those folks aren't the types that are ever going to be in the mood to compromise anyway. My goal is to compromise with those who are at least in the mood to consider it. And, yes, believe it or not, I actually think that there might be a spate or two of folks out in the community who ARE willing to cooperate. Wishful thinking, perhaps?