Too many abortions?

The man who helped legalize abortion here in Britain in 1967, Lord David Steel, said today that abortion is being used as a form of contraception and he never anticipated anything like the current number of terminations. He says an ‘irresponsible’ mood has emerged where women feel they can turn to abortion ‘if things go wrong.’ And he’s calling for greater sexual responsibility.

Whatever your view on the legality of abortion, do you think we’ve lost our moral compass when it comes to sexuality and pregnancy?  Is abortion a legitimate option if a woman didn’t intend to become pregnant?

Here’s the story: http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2197924,00.html

CALIFORNIA NIGHTMARE

Half a million people evacuated. More than a thousand homes already burnt – tens of thousands more under threat. 

The fires in California are still raging and with President Bush having declared a state of emergency there, many of you are asking if the faster response in California– compared to the dismal failures during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans two years ago– are because California is richer and whiter?

 moose67 on the DailyKos blog argues wealth is a factor:

“Southern California is dotted with million dollar homes, insured to the max and owned for the most part by influential, wealthy people. This was not necessarily the case along the Gulf Coast. I have a feeling most of these homes will be rebuilt within the next two years, while in hardest hit New Orleans, most homes still sit in a sad state of disrepair.“

Is the White House better at managing disaster? Or do governments respond faster when wealthier, more influential people are threatened?

Read personal experiences here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7056970.stm

Speak to you soon, Anu

Too many abortions and Californian wildfires

Hello– it’s now properly cold in London and I’ve been shivering the last few days even inside the house (I don’t want to turn up the heating til I get the roof insulated… but it’s TOO COLD to bother!)

I don’t know about you, but I’ve gone from being terrified of having children too early in my 20s… to wondering if I’ll ever have them now. I’m not the authority on this, but I’d venture that most women today, of any age, anywhere, are facing unprecedented choices about having children… and unprecedented dilemmas about when and whom to have them with.  

TOO MANY ABORTIONS?

The man who helped legalize abortion here in Britain in 1967, Lord David Steel, said today that abortion is being used as a form of contraception and he never anticipated anything like the current number of terminations. He says an ‘irresponsible’ mood has emerged where women feel they can turn to abortion ‘if things go wrong.’ And he’s calling for greater sexual responsibility. Whatever your view on the legality of abortion, do you think we’ve lost our moral compass when it comes to sexuality and pregnancy?  Is abortion a legitimate option if a woman didn’t intend to become pregnant?

Here’s the story: http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2197924,00.html

Post your comments here: http://www.worldhaveyoursay.wordpress.com

CALIFORNIA NIGHTMARE

Half a million people evacuated. More than a thousand homes already burnt – tens of thousands more under threat. 

The fires in California are still raging and with President Bush having declared a state of emergency there, many of you are asking if the faster response in California– compared to the dismal failures during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans two years ago– are because California is richer and whiter?

 moose67 on the DailyKos blog argues wealth is a factor:

“Southern California is dotted with million dollar homes, insured to the max and owned for the most part by influential, wealthy people. This was not necessarily the case along the Gulf Coast. I have a feeling most of these homes will be rebuilt within the next two years, while in hardest hit New Orleans, most homes still sit in a sad state of disrepair.“

Is the White House better at managing disaster? Or do governments respond faster when wealthier, more influential people are threatened?

Read personal experiences here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/talking_point/7056970.stm

Post here:  http://www.worldhaveyoursay.wordpress.com

Speak to you soon, Anu

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ABORTION, WILDFIRES AND BACK TO BURMA

Is the world losing its moral compass on abortion?

In the UK Lord Steel, the sponsor of the 1967 act that made abortion legal, has said that it is now being used as a form of contraception in the UK. He’s calling for greater sexual responsibility. With accusations of abortion as contraception, discussions about the limit of weeks that a legal abortion can take place within, and politicians stance on abortion important in many countries the world over, is it time to ask whether the world is losing its moral compass on abortion? Is there a case for re-thinking the abortion laws in your country?And 9/11 was not that terrible”“ says Doris Lessing. The IRA campaign was worse, in fact, lots of other things were worse. Do you agree with her?

DNA test for immigrants in France, has been passed. Is it racist or necessary?“ Will it affect you?

What’s the point in meetings and conferences about the Middle East when everyone expects them to fail?

Jonathan Freeland in Guardian says “there is a rare consensus: Annapolis is doomed to failure” as Amnesty International criticises hamas and fatah for human rights abuses

Wildfires spread in California and 500,000 flee…………

What world hot spots do you want to here from?

After the crackdown do you want to hear voices from Burma on the day that demonstrations are planned in 12 cities worldwide against the continuing detention of Aung San Suu Kyi?

Or voices from the Turkish border?

The Australian Anglican church are suggesting putting adulterers next to molesters on the sexual offenders register. Is an extra-marital affair between two consenting adults really that bad? Or is it important that church leaders are above reproach for any sexual misdemeanour? Are we too liberal in our attitudes about extra-marital sex?

Or what about the Mafia leading the poll of Italian businesses. Organised crime nets the bosses £63bilion a year, which amounts to 7% GDP. What was your reaction to this story this morning? Are you shocked at how much is made from drugs, extortion and prostitution? What should be done?

And following the success of the “Boks” in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup, William Gumede says it won’t help to sprinkle black faces in high places. Why is sport in South Africa still grounded in racial sterotypes 13 years after democracy, and 12 years after Mandela wore the Springbok shirt? 

As China is preparing the way to send a rocket to orbit the moon today, to join lots of other countries with a space presence .  Are we seeing the birth of a new space race?