The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

504 THE FREEMAN Augustand independent is an utterly barbaricconcept. Once life has aprice tag on it and is no longeran absolute right, then all life isendangered, all life is only worththe current price tag placed uponit by society, the state, the masterrace, or those in positions ofpower."!Having full control over herown body (having self-determination)is an absolute right of eachwoman, but having full controlover another's body, over the bodyof a new life developing withinher reproductive system is not,and never could be her prerogative.A woman must have the rightto prevent conception - to determineherself if she wishes to have,or not have, a child - to obtaincontraceptive information and materials- but she must also bearthe responsibility for sustainingthe life of a newly formed humanif she willfully engages in intercoursewhich results in pregnancy.(It should be noted that certaincontraceptives do not prevent conception,but preclude the implantationof the embryo in the wall ofthe uterus. The use of such contraceptivesshould be condemned, for1 Handbook On Abortion is a well reasonedand scientifically accurate workcovering all of the primary and secondaryissues concerning abortion. It is availablein paperback for $.95, plus postage, fromHiltz Publishing Co., 6304 Hamilton Avenue,Cincinnati, Ohio 45224.they bring about the destructionof very young lives rather thanprevent their coming into existence.)A Collectivist View: TheIndividual Is ExpendableConsider the political philosophy,and the attitude toward individualrights, of those groupswhich are the most outspoken supportersof abortion - those concernedwith environmental pollution,the population explosion andthe "liberation" of women. Eachof these groups espouses a collectivistview of life and considersthe individual human to be expendableor enslavable as themeans of achieving their ends.They are outspoken lobbyists backinglegislation granting the agencyof force, the government, theauthority to establish a myriad ofprograms which they considernecessary to achieve their aims,and they completely ignore thefact that it is other human livesthat will be sacrificed in this attemptto carry out their masterplan for society. The sacrifice ofthe unborn is just one other aspectof their social engineering whichis completely compatible with theirview of man - the view that theindividual is nothing; the collectiveis all.There is no conflict of rightsbetween the expectant mother and