Friday, July 14, 2006

Texas law on the death penalty and abortion

This article makes mention that Texas laws as they are currently structured could possibly allow for the execution of doctors who perform abortions that are illegal under Texas law. As someone who is opposed to both legalized abortion and the death penalty, it provides me the opportunity to talk about both at the same time.

The article makes mention that it is not believed to be the intent of the lawmakers to allow for such a possibility to execute doctors who perform abortions. But even with this new awareness of such a possibility, I seriously doubt that it would be followed through- or even brought up in court in a case involving an abortion doctor. From what I understand, it takes a lot just to get charges brought up against these doctors, much less making the charges stick.

Even if these doctors are convicted, the protest among the political left would be so loud and so animated that it would make it a virtual impossibility for such an execution to take place. The reason for this is because such a case would be combining two "sacred cows" of the left; namely, support of legalized abortion and opposition to the death penalty. What lefist could resist going on a melodramatic tear if so plum a circumstance ever fell into their lap?

Thing is, many left-wingers claim inconsistency when those in opposition to legalized abortion also happen to favor the death penalty. In turn, many right-wingers also claim inconsistency whenever a supporter of legalized abortion also opposes the death penalty. I say that they are both right: they are both being inconsistent.

So thus, this suggests that, in order to have some credibility and consistency in one's views, a person should either be both for or against these two issues --just as I am in my opposition to both. Being in favor of one and opposing the other suggests that this person has not thought out their views enough, or that they don't care that they are inconsistent in their views. In either case, it's just as bad.

I would say that I will be keeping an eye on this, just to see what develops, but I don't think anything will develop, because again, an abortion doctor given a death sentence would attract left wingers like little else could, and why would any right-winger simply give a left winger such a prime opportunity to make a spectacular production out of this? Nope, this issue is actually a non-issue, and it ain't going anywhere. However, I WILL see if this story crops up again.

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