My personal views on abortion come from my Catholic belief system; so yes, I am pro-life, but I often question the application of my beliefs, because I find challenging my beliefs to be self-rewarding, and actively inspiring, in contrast to those who are pro-life "'cos it's in the Bible".. yeah so is lots of stuff, but what do you think. Why do you think it's in the Bible/taught at Church/encouraged by the Pope/taught at school? These are questions I wish more 'fundamentalists' questioned from time to time.

I think the most important consideration anyone can make in regards to this sensitive issue is that we do not all share the same beliefs, morals, classifications of what constitutes a 'human being' who is 'worthy of human rights'.

So, while I am pro-life, and think it is morally repugnant to 'kill' what I consider to be the earliest manifestation of a human being, I also do not want my beliefs to impinge on others. I will expand on this in a moment.

Many people consider getting pregnant a 'mistake'; perhaps the condom ripped, or the pill failed for a certain person. However if a child results, how can you consider a living person to be a mistake? A zygote/foetus/child has limitless potential (unless you consider race and class structures to be limits on potential). That 'mistake' in your uterus could be the next Mahatma Gandhi... or conversely the next Pol Pot (way to avoid Godwin's Law of Usenet Discussions [Wiki it for a lol]). Chances are your child won't become a genocidal tyrant, or a world-renown peace campaigner, but they will become a person, and abortion takes away that fundamental right, and that golden opportunity. Each of us on this site was conceived at some point, and our futures had yet to be determined. At such an early stage of our lives, only one thing can actively remove that hope for the future: abortion. So my personal pro-life position is based fundamentally on Church doctrine, but also on my applicationa nd expansion of that.

Abortion has been criminalised in the past. I think in Aotearoa/New Zealand it was decriminalised in the 1970s. This is wrong. Not all people believe that abortion is wrong, and funnily enough, that is alright! If you want an abortion (or consider one necessary), by all means go and get one, I don't want to stop you exercising your right. Sure, I might ask you "are you sure?", but if we do not have similar sentiments, I have no right to prevent you from going.

Another reason that abortion should not be criminalised is that it will still occur. Drugs are illegal, but they are still used. Legal abortions mean they are safer for mothers who decide to get one. For this reason I also believe in the decriminalisation of some drugs, such as marijuana, but that's currently irrelevant.

OK I'm not 100% sure where I'm taking this, but I will summarise as follows: I am pro-life, but if you aren't, then that is your right, as it is my right to be pro-life. I am not entitled to stop people from getting abortions, but debate around the issue should be sensitive to the differing perceptions people have of life, and alternatives to abortion should be considered before an abortion is taken out (no I did not mention it, but it's relatively self-explanatory).

Peace out, sons of freedom.