A condundrum about abortion

[Deleted]

Let me preface this by saying I am NOT religious. I understand the "right-to-life" arguments but I also understand the "pro-choice" arguments. If I HAD to choose a side, it would be pro-choice.

Given that, I have a serious problem with this scenario:

A woman tried to self-abort her baby and was unsuccessful. Consequently, she is now being charged with murder. How the hell is that even possible? If she had paid a few hundred bucks and went down to the local clinic and had her baby aborted, she would NOT be charged with murder. But she tries it herself (maybe she is poor and cannot afford the money) and she is charged with murder? W T F !!!

Here is the the story: Tennessee woman charged with attempted murder in failed abortion

[zenkai]

Let me preface this by saying I am NOT religious. I understand the "right-to-life" arguments but I also understand the "pro-choice" arguments. If I HAD to choose a side, it would be pro-choice.

Given that, I have a serious problem with this scenario:

A woman tried to self-abort her baby and was unsuccessful. Consequently, she is now being charged with murder. How the hell is that even possible? If she had paid a few hundred bucks and went down to the local clinic and had her baby aborted, she would NOT be charged with murder. But she tries it herself (maybe she is poor and cannot afford the money) and she is charged with murder? W T F !!!

Here is the the story: Tennessee woman charged with attempted murder in failed abortion

Maybe its because it's illegal to terminate a 6 month old baby?

[TZucchini]

Maybe its because it's illegal to terminate a 6 month old baby?

She didn't attempt to terminate a 6 month old baby.

[zenkai]

She didn't attempt to terminate a 6 month old baby.

24 weeks is 14 days shy of 6 months

[Deleted]

Maybe its because it's illegal to terminate a 6 month old baby?

In America, you can abort up to 24 weeks, which is where she was in her pregnancy. Same for the UK.

[negawonka]

Maybe its because it's illegal to terminate a 6 month old baby?

It isn't illegal at 24 weeks in that state, but I think that there probably are restrictions on how a fetus may be aborted (especially at such a late stage) and I am guessing the woman didn't follow those procedures. This may be just a situation where there wasn't an exact law to charge her with that was suitable for such a crime. According to the article the child survived (although will need constant medical attention) so that should tell you something about its development.

Moral of the story, don't put off tomorrow what can be done today.

[TZucchini]

24 weeks is 14 days shy of 6 months

I'm taking exception to the term "baby". She attempted to abort a fetus. Not a baby.

[zenkai]

In America, you can abort up to 24 weeks, which is where she was in her pregnancy. Same for the UK.

Thats disgusting, this is legal to abort?

[TheFuse]

It's a shame she's getting charged with attempted murder, but when living in a backward bible humping state like Tennessee she probably didn't have access to a legal abortion.

[zenkai]

I'm taking exception to the term "baby". She attempted to abort a fetus. Not a baby.

Call it what ever makes you feel better, pretty sure there are laws against it for doing it yourself at home

[Deleted]

It's a shame she's getting charged with attempted murder, but when living in a backward bible humping state like Tennessee she probably didn't have access to a legal abortion.

Excuse me - I live in Tennessee. Your description of the state is fucking idiotic and ludicrous.

[Deleted]

I never see people bitching about abortions in UK

[TZucchini]

Call it what ever makes you feel better, pretty sure there are laws against it for doing it yourself at home

I'm not calling it a fetus to make myself feel better, I'm doing it for accuracy. Your post made it sound like a baby was born, then 6 months later, the mother attempted to terminate it - - a 6 month old baby.

[negawonka]

It's a shame she's getting charged with attempted murder, but when living in a backward bible humping state like Tennessee she probably didn't have access to a legal abortion.

1) She is 31, not a teenager. Regardless of you opinion on abortion, I think we can all agree she is old enough to not be naive and that she almost certainly realized she was pregnant weeks if not months before this.
2) Tennessee actually has a longer window than just about half (if not more than half) of the other states.
3) The wounded party is still alive and outside of the womb (last article I read was 22 hours ago and said so), despite attempts to otherwise. If you think about it attempted murder isn't that far off.

[Deleted]

I'm not calling it a fetus to make myself feel better, I'm doing it for accuracy. Your post made it sound like a baby was born, then 6 months later, the mother attempted to terminate it - - a 6 month old baby.

Apparently our age starts at conception now rather than birth

[Puupi]

I never see people bitching about abortions in UK

Neither here in Finland, even though abortion isn't legal just by on request here. I don't think I have ever heard anyone debating abortion here in Finland. That stuff was debated half a century ago.

[Underverse]

Call it what ever makes you feel better, pretty sure there are laws against it for doing it yourself at home

Yes, and as we all know, laws trump morality.

[Deleted]

Thats disgusting, this is legal to abort?

What's the problem here?

[Puupi]

What's the problem here?

That's a baby, not a fetus.

[Deleted]

That's a baby, not a fetus.

Aha? I still don't see what the problem is.