Anti-Abortion Hypothetical Question

[KukriKhan]

The difficult question to ask anti-abortion people is: if the moment of conception marks the birth of a human being, then shouldn't an embryo be granted full rights as human beings? This then, will have some serious consequences, and even dilemmas and inconsistensies.

Various laws in various North American Jurisdictions have been passed that confer, if not full citizenship or human rights, at least the "protection of the law", on the unborn. A quick Google reveals:

Canada

Pennsylvania

Missouri

Arkansas

So, although it may not yet be the Federal law of the land, various jurisdictions with the right to rule what constitutes murder, have therefore also implicitly ruled when in life the protection of government is mandatory.

I agree that the issue will appear on the SCOTUS schedule someday - probably within 10 years. Some guy on death row for killing an unborn child, but not the mother, will appeal.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Various laws in various North American Jurisdictions have been passed that confer, if not full citizenship or human rights, at least the "protection of the law", on the unborn.

In countries such as Germany, even birth in the country does not necessarily constitute citizenship (if neither parent is German). The exception is if at least one parent has lived in Germany for at least eight years, and had a permanent residence certificate for at least the last three, and the child was born on or after January 1st, 2000.

[Big_John]

just fyi, you can't "murder" through "neglect", at least not in the US (and anywhere with a descendant of english common law, i imagine). murder requires some form of specific intent and usually some form of premeditation. homicide via neglect is manslaughter.

if you want to reword the behavior as "reckless" instead of neglectful, then you could try to make a case for constructive intent.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

just fyi, you can't "murder" through "neglect", at least not in the US (and anywhere with a descendant of english common law, i imagine). murder requires some form of specific intent and usually some form of premeditation. homicide via neglect is manslaughter.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11092139/page/3/