This was an interesting dust up. Mrs. Walsh is not always one of my favorites, but the woman has stones and can be a forceful advocate. The "interview" is illuminating (with commentary here, here and here)
It is the reason I loathe discussing anything with people like that. The logical dissonance that he goes through is just stupefying.
My only quibble with Mrs. Walsh's performance would be, I would have stuck more to the 1% line of attack. The idea that this sort of abortion (late term) is common, or even routine is a dangerous assumption. Also I would have gone into greater detail of why this sort operation is performed, the sort of deformities that can only be detected at this state of development and the very real risk to the mother. Also the very limited access that women even have to this procedure if necessary. Many doctors will simply not perform this procedure (hence the referrals to Dr. Tiller and those like him) even if it is medically necessary. For fear of this sort of backlash.
Andrew Sullivan has a very moving collection of readers stories on the subject. While I will absolutely concede that there will always be someone who will abuse this system. I do in my heart of hearts believe it needs to be a legal option. These people who chose to share their stories moved from the hypothetical world into the physical one. Real people having to confront the real consequences proceeding with a difficult birth or a catastrophic diagnosis. No one should make light of that. It is torturous what these people have gone through.
This is one of the most intensely private issues there is. I personally do not like the idea of forcing anyone to carry a still born child to term merely to salve someone else's conscious.
-Cheers
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