Neo-Utilitarianism

We need to call post-modern logic what it is: neo-utilitarianism. Whatever works at the time is the logical thing to do, future consequences be damned. Bonnie Erbe's column below is a perfect illustration. Remember when the abortion argument was a matter of "women's health"? Remember when the "pro-choice" movement was up in arms about women's health and being pregnant by rape or spousal coercion? Oh, for those halcyon days. Now we've reached the point where having an abortion is being argued as a wise economic decision. Aborting a child, apparently, is on par with moving one's 401K funds over to cash reserve.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2009/04/01/in-a-recession-abortions-are-not-a-bad-choice.html

Bonnie asks: "But in the long run, can we not agree that an unwed couple's decision not to bring a fourth child into the world when they are having trouble feeding themselves and three children is no tragedy? It's actually a fact-based, rational decision that in the end benefits the three children they already have and society as well."

In a word, Bonnie...NO! What is tragic is the lack of self-control and planning on the part of this couple that places them in this situation. We can safely presume they were aware of the "birds and the bees," and yet chose freely to engage in what, for them, was risky behavior. What is tragic, Bonnie, is that not one mention is made in your piece of adoption. Is it too much to ask that this struggling couple contact an adoption agency who would pay for all the mother's pre-natal care and delivery expenses. They could even find some who would even pay the couple a stipend for giving away their parental rights. Meanwhile, the child would be allowed to live and some blessed couple would be able to realize the joy of parenthood.

Sorry, Bonnie. Every single time an innocent life is snuffed out, it's a tragedy. What is more tragic is the "logic" of folks like yourself that enables you to justify what is, in my mind, the single greatest atrocity ever committed by humankind.