Thursday, November 10, 2011

Stupid people should not be allowed to use the internet

So here is a poll written by some ignorant conservative on Facebook.

'In Australia, if a pregnant woman is involved in a car accident because of a drunk driver and her unborn baby dies, the drunk driver will not be charged with the baby's death, just because it is not "breathing". If a pregnant woman is assaulted and the baby dies, the person that assaulted her will be charged with her assault, but not with the baby's death. Do you think there should be a law protecting unborn babies in Australia??

Answers:
- Definitely!!
- No it's not necessary.
- They should at least be considered.
- I'm not sure.'

And here is why stupid people should not be allowed to use the internet:

1. This is a ridiculously biased question in its syntax and unjustified appeal to pathos by creating a situation likely to induce emotion over logic. A thinly veiled attempt to lobby anti-choice ideology.

2. Problems with accuracy: it isn't because the unborn baby isn't 'breathing', but because it is not actually what is defined as a living being - you must take into account the stage of pregnancy the woman is in. The status of 'unborn baby' also refers to its existence as a clump of basic cells - hardly what anybody could call human. So when would the validation of this proposed law begin in the mother's womb?

3. This question shows a worrying ignorance of the criminal legal system. Those who cry in outrage about the heartlessness of those pro-choice and talk widely about the adverse mental effects such an experience has on expectant mothers seem to believe that the death of the unborn is simply discarded in court. Just because the crime does not qualify as manslaughter in itself does not mean the law treats the case as if the unborn baby never existed. It would surely become an aggravating factor leading to an increased penalty during sentencing - possibly fueled by a Victim Impact Statement from the mother - but it is not manslaughter.

4. (this is a point argued by one of my friends) If the woman is instructed not to smoke, drink, take drugs while pregnant and the baby dies, should she be charged with murder?

I implore people to start thinking before writing stupid things other people have to read and contend with.

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