The following article is taken from the blog owner's answer for one of his mid-year exam papers. Due to inadequate demand of the language and time constraint, the article should not be deemed the final stance of the author, but a sampling of the author's thoughts on this "issue". [Lines in square brackets are added after the test.]
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Abortion is the artificial termination of a pregnancy through surgical removal of the foetus from a woman's body. [Note: the same woman has to be pregnant.]
The quiet whispers and a sudden cry of anger when the question paper was distributed explains how controversial the issue of abortion is. However controversial or even enraging it is, the arguments for abortion never seem to enter the mainstream discourse. This may be indicative that our society at large views abortion as a moral wrong.
The fact that our society does not approve of abortion does not render a serious discussion on the issue academic. The arguments for and against abortion need to be scrutinized, as abortion concerns the welfare of women and society.
The argument against abortion is usually based on the sanctity of life. The sanctity of life of the foetus that is. It is argued that if the murder of a 30-year-old man is a crime, then so should be the "murder" of a 3-months-old foetus. The proponents against abortion argue that to remove a foetus from the mother's body, thereby depriving it of life, is an act of brutal murder. [扣帽子] Strong as it sounds, this argument is not uncontended. [uncontended valid]
[Bomb:] Our current law permits abortion to be carried out by an O&G (obstetrics and gynaecology) specialist, provided that the health of the mother would be compromised if the term were continued. Therefore, it appears that abortion is acceptable if a woman's health is at risk due to her pregnancy. However, this acceptance contradicts the argument of [of based on the] sanctity of life. If it is unacceptable to kill a 30-year-old man for our own good health, then why is the alleged "murder" of a foetus be acceptable if his life is equal to that of a fully-grown adult? The apparent inconsistency shows that the society do not actually perceive lives to be equal.
[Bomb2:] An important legal concept in the English Common Law, upon which many judicial precedents in our country are based, is the 'duty of care'. This legal concept can be illustrated by the following example. An Olympic games swimmer walks to a pool side, and sees a toddler drowning. What does our law compel him to do? Nothing. Legally speaking, he is not obliged to rescue the victim, because he has no 'duty of care' for the victim. He may actually sit on the other end of the pool, and watch the toddler drown to death. Now, the important question to ask regarding abortion is - why does our law mandate a pregnant woman to continue carrying the foetus for 9 months [alright, some say it's 10, whatever, fail my biology lah.]? How is this 'duty of care' established in the 'woman-foetus' relationship?
I do not intend to imply that every mother wants their babies to die. In fact, mothers are generally kind and loving towards their "children", whether they have been born or are still in the wimb. [I wrote this line in because I realized that my English teacher is likely also a mother.] Nonetheless, in the case of rape which results in unwanted pregnancy, what could be the remedy to the sad situation? Abortion is currently not [an option] under our law. True, if the rape victim does not want the baby, she could give it for adoption, but what if she also does not want the pregnancy? It is the most unfortunate event that the state does not permit women to decide on what they want for their bodies. The use of state power to regulate a woman's [body] is arguable the most repugnant form of institutionalized oppression. In my opinion, no woman should be burdened for their entire lives because of a biological consequence, if they choose not to.
[Shit, no time already.] Our legal notion of a natural 'person' is one with body and mind. The foetus fails to satisfy both. [bomb] It's body is dependent upon the mother for every life processes, and the brain has not fully developed. If an ordinary person can decide whether they want to save a drowning baby, why can't a woman be given the right to decide on the fate of the foetus, which would probably affect her entire life?
However controversial abortion is, I believe it should be an option for women. This issue strongly affects women and our attitudes towards it reflect the society's view of women, whether they are humans of equal worth, or instruments whose body is subject to the interference of law and power. [interference of law and power.]
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1. Most arguments for abortion is derived from the content, as I can recall, of a book called "Feminism, issues and arguements" by Jennifer Saul.
2. A few days later, I came across a Buddhist pamphlet that persuades against abortion, and I was persuaded into thinking that abortion is "unethical" because of the cruelty. Currently, I maintain that abortion is some sort of moral dilemma, and that in principle the state should not decide on moral issues. Nonetheless I think it is "necessary" (as it appeals to me) that abortion of foetus older than a certain critical month should be banned. Like that la.
3. Would like to know how other people think.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
MUET -- Abortion
Sunday, June 27, 2010
On the Claim that Love Has No Boundaries
Been wanting to write a post on this title. But I guess I will never have the time to do so. Speaking of sociology, I have only read 50 pages of my 800-page Australian-based textbook (which is bought at only RM30! -- very dai2)
Two days ago(*1) I came across this topic on marriage from a sociology reference book, when I should have been studying for Physics.
"we assume that peole choose a partner or mate based on love. But we find that people's choices are guided by other considerations as well: a potential partner's age, height, weight, income, education, race, sex, social class, and religion, among other things. When the conditions are right, we "allow" ourselves to fall in love."
extracted from
Sociology, A Global Perspective
by Joan Ferrante
pp 341
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A Concise Chinese English Dictionary for Lovers
My body is in Berlin, but my heart is left in London, left for you. I don't feel myself together. All I want do is find some internet cafe write emails. I cannot stop thinking of you.
You wrote me from London this morning, or maybe you wrote from last night:
"Although our bodies are separated, I still feel as if I am with you."
I write to you back immediately. I say it is too lonely on the road on my own. I don't see the pint.
But you write me back:
"In the West we are used to loneliness. I think it's good for you to experience loneliness, to explore what it feels like to be on your own. After a while, you will start to enjoy solitude. You won't be so scared of it anymore."
I read this email again and again in internet cafe not knowing your exactly meaning.
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Is a modern cafe, the red and black colour chairs and tables are all in geometry shape. So much designing here, it almost feels uncomfortable. I want you suddenly turn up in front of me, and take off my clothes and squeeze my body and hold tightly. Oh, I want to make love with you, make love with you right now, right here. Only making love can wipe out this loneliness. Only making love can touch the soul. I want you hold my body painfully tight. I feel hurting when you squeeze my body like that, but at the same time I feel contented. It's strange. Pleasure could be so painful.
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I was in my room, skipping the pages of the book. It's my second read. Just got the book back from a friend. And I started to sob, to hold my breath, and tears rolled in the eyes.
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I was in the car today. And I thought of a line in the book. And it started again, I started to sob.
Home is everything. Home is not sex but also about it. Home is not a delicious meal but is also about it. Home is not a lighted bedroom but is also about it. Home is not a hot bath in the winter but it is also about it.
家包含了一切。家不只是性爱，不只是美味的三餐，不只是明亮的卧室，不只是寒冬的热水澡，家包含这些，以及更多。
Oh c'mon, that's not the translation. The 'about' means something else. But what is it? What is it?
Home is not.....but also about......Home is not .....but also about......What is the equivalent of the chinese word for the "about"?
And I started to feel like crying. But it stopped. It felt like something untouched inside my heart had just been tickled. I wasn't sad, I wasn't angry. I just felt.....like that. And tears came. The emptiness has moved to somewhere else.
Monday, June 21, 2010
听神经病auntie的话有感
有个女人在客厅。我没带眼镜，不过大概知道是谁，奈何我hiao.
DeluSion : (走近近去看她，好像近视几千度这样。）
Auntie : (笑）
DeluSion : 哦！Auntie!
Auntie : 哦，没有戴眼镜。我还在想什么事。
DeluSion : (社交性微笑）
Auntie : 怎样最后一年liao hor?
DeluSion : mmm 是咯。过后要读也没有得读了，haha.
Auntie : 我看你也是离不开父母的啦！毕业过后不用去哪里啦。在那个公司（某家族生意）上班就好了。
DeluSion : (W!T!F!)好心。
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骂她神经病，通过否定他人的人格以达到自我肯定+恢复自信的效果的同时，我也意思意思自我反省一番。我是不是很多方面都让人认为我不够独立呢？我自己也认为很多事情都太依赖父母了。再这样一来下去，会阻碍自己的成长哦。
性格方面的东西我懒得理, boh capsiao. 有什么东西要改，就从tangible的东西着手。我给我自己开的作业清单---上大学前要会的：
1. 学会换车轮。这个theory我会了，不过practical过一次罢了。而且我也忘记了。（讲到这样多就是连theory也忘了.)
2. 这半年里面---practical 开椰子或榴梿。
3. 至少学会炒一样菜。（我一直讲要炒豆芽，讲了3年！）
4. 弄清楚车祸后的procedure. (打电话给谁？联络保险公司？找谁修理？报警？如何避免被砍菜头？万一车祸另一方拿刀下车怎样？可以撞死他吗？etc）
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这样啦。她孩子得jpa的话我不要投Barisan Nasional.