But it is her body supporting it until it is viable.

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I am an American. That's the way most of us put it, just matter of factly. They are plain words, those four: you could write them on your thumbnail, or sweep them clear across this bright autumn sky. But remember too, that they are more than just words. They are a way of life. So whenever you speak them; speak them firmly, speak them proudly, speak them gratefully. I am an American. ...a tradition

I just wanted to step in and say thanks to those participating so far; I was surprised to find so many responses so soon on a Sunday afternoon.

Also, as a personal request, given the sensitive nature of the topic and its inflammatory tendency, I'd like to ask everyone to be especially careful about not provoking someone who has a different view on this issue than you do.
I think there's much to be gained by asking someone, respectfully and without judgmental language, to clarify their position, but if at all possible I'd like to use this thread more to sound out people's views of the proposed ban than as a place to debate abortion as a whole or where life begins. I.E. I'd hope this would be a place dedicated to hearing opinions, not trying to change them.

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To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt

Off season right now, no NFL to watch.

I wouldn't support such a thing regardless, but I'm wondering if you mean at a federal or state level...

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

Well i think it would have to be at the federal level if it were to define and determine the start of life.

Like for example Congress has passed various bans like on Partial Birth Abortion and even though the SC has not allowed that to be held constitutional it would be a nationwide ban.

The Federal government should have no part of it.
They have their hands in enough things the way it is.

I was imaging the federal level, but I suppose the question is open to either option.

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To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society. -Theodore Roosevelt

But it would be a total mess if states had different laws as to when life started, surely that has to have one definition due to all the other legal issues, rights and responsibilities that later com about?

Nope.

It's not separate. If you could remove the umbilical support, the fetus could not survive.

It most certainly is part of a woman's body. In fact, that's all it is until it's viable on its' own.

I think you either impose a 100% ban, with zero exceptions, or you allow it to remain a matter of choice. There should be no middle ground...

Yeah, that's kind of my take on it. This is an issue that ought to be left up to the states. Though, I don't think staunch advocates of either position would be happy about that.

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"Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have... The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases."

-Thomas Jefferson

The idea of the government defining when live starts bothers me really. I can see science having it's definition for scientific purposes and for individuals having either philosophical or religious reasons for theirs but the government really shouldn't be in the business of defining life. I think it should define what is or isn't murder but not what life itself is.

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Well it has to be defined in some way, no?

(Btw even if the goverment does deine it on philosophical grounds its still them defining it).

At the moment the SC has defined it as when a baby takes its first independant breath outside the womb, but that's still goverment defined.

No, it just has to make laws. I have no problem with them defining what is legal or not but to define life itself seems like either a scientific question or one of philosophy/religion. Why should the government define anything exactly?

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"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

The courts usually make binding legal definitions on most things.

I'm not saying they should define what life is, just that the start of life should be determined no?