Abortion Anecdotes and the Law

Reading Tavris’ comments on my article about why I no longer do elective abortions, it would be hard to imagine what my essay actually said. She conveniently ignores my statement that in the case of first-trimester pregnancies (over 95% of all abortions), “I am unable to impose my personal beliefs on a woman who feels her pregnancy will ruin her life. My conscience would not tolerate the terrible complications that illegal abortions would inevitably produce.” I do not advocate a ban on elective first-trimester abortions. Rather, I have chosen not to do them myself for emotional and religious reasons.

As for elective second-trimester abortions, the “vivid, emotion-evoking photograph” of a 4 1/2-month-old fetus indeed sums up my argument for making such abortions illegal.

Tavris complains that my story “is not the whole story.” This is true; no short piece could be. Perhaps this is why her phrase “millions of fetuses that are aborted” neatly sidesteps the difference between a 6-week fetus and a 16-week fetus as well as the physical reality of an exquisite, partly formed human being ripped apart limb by limb.

It is nonsense to suggest, as Tavris does, that the abortion issue should be decided on statistical grounds without considering the human emotions and moral values that anecdotes--including her own--illustrate.

GEORGE FLESH MD

Los Angeles