Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

A culture of death

By Rhys Jones - posted Tuesday, 22 June 2010


Of course having a right not to be killed does not necessarily mean that someone else has the obligation to keep us alive. However, when you weigh up the respective interests to the two parties involved, the mother and the fetus, it becomes very hard to justify the killing when the fetus stands to lose everything, and the mother stands only to be inconvenienced by carrying the baby to term. If the mother’s life was at risk that would be another thing, but the vast majority of abortions are performed, not to save the mother’s life but simply to save the mother from the inconvenience of bearing the child. When weighing up the respective interests of the mother and child it is worth noting that the mother is not some disinterested party in the proceedings. She must have indulged in the very activity that results in pregnancy, presumably knowing that such activity can result in pregnancy.

It is not even as if the mother has to raise the child. If the father did not want it either, then there are many thousands of childless Australians who would love the opportunity to raise a child. There was a time when the consequences for a woman having a child out of wedlock were devastating. She would be ostracised from her family and community and her reputation would be forever destroyed. She would be consigned to a life of poverty on the margins of society if she carried the baby to term. She would therefore be willing to seek a back street abortion to avoid the inevitable suffering placing her very life at risk.

This is no longer the case. There is no shame in becoming pregnant in Australia regardless of marital status. We have a welfare state that will provide for mother and baby and a health care system that will support them. And if we lack support for pregnant woman or unmarried mothers, then that is the area we should be addressing. If any section of society still thinks having a baby is shameful, then we need to educate them that there is nothing shameful about bringing a new life into the world. A new baby is something to be celebrated, not to be ashamed of, regardless of the marital status of the mother.

Advertisement

In our society murder is the worst crime that can be committed and rightly so because it deprives a person of the opportunity to live out the rest of their lives. It is truly a double standard to then provide for the killing of humans who are unborn, depriving them of the rest of their lives.

Why are we so fixated on legalising killing of the elderly and infirm while being so apathetic when it comes to preventing the killing of the most vulnerable among us? It seems that we really have a culture of death here in Australia.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

157 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Rhys Jones is a psychiatric nurse and is studying law at Murdoch University in Perth.

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Rhys Jones

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 157 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy