New abortion Law

[knightni]

PS: I have an e-mail out to my mom... who is an RN... as to the specifics on the medical age of consent.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_conse...n_North_America

[HuskyCaucasian]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ages_of_conse...n_North_America

that's the sexual age of consent. i dont know if sexual AoC and medical AoC are different or the same.

[HuskyCaucasian]

PS: I have an e-mail out to my mom... who is an RN... as to the specifics on the medical age of consent.

Per my mom: "18 years is consent age. We cannot even discuss medical info with a parent once a child has turned 18, unless they give consent for release of info."

 

Being that anyone under the age of 18 can not have a medical procedure without parental consent, then no abortion for a woman under the age of 18 should be allowed unless it is with parental consent.

Edited November 2, 2009 by Athomeboy_2000

[Rex Kickass]

Crime is different than medical procedures. Putting a 15 year old on the streets at 18 who killed someone is different than a 15 year old not getting an abortion because she was afraid to tell her parents. I think public safety becomes more important at some point. Kinda like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

 

So what you're saying is that 15 year olds should be treated as adults for what they do to other people's bodies but treated like children for what they do to their own?

[ChiSox_Sonix]

Being that anyone under the age of 18 can not have a medical procedure under the age of 18, then no abortion for a woman under the age of 18 should be allowed unless it is with parental consent.

 

Bingo.

[southsider2k5]

So what you're saying is that 15 year olds should be treated as adults for what they do to other people's bodies but treated like children for what they do to their own?

 

The safety of other people is more important to me. Like I said, it is akin to the limits on freedom of speech.

[BigSqwert]

Same reason minor's can't do many of the things they can not do without parental consent.

That didn't answer my question at all.

[Rex Kickass]

The safety of other people is more important to me. Like I said, it is akin to the limits on freedom of speech.

 

Ok then, what if the 15 year old is the daughter of Christian Scientists and she is diagnosed with cancer. The daughter wants chemo, the parents want to pray it out. Whose priority matters then?

 

I think Balta raises a perfectly good point - if we expect to treat some juveniles as adults for crimes that they have committed, it seems entirely reasonable to treat children like adults for certain medical issues.

[southsider2k5]

Ok then, what if the 15 year old is the daughter of Christian Scientists and she is diagnosed with cancer. The daughter wants chemo, the parents want to pray it out. Whose priority matters then?

 

I think Balta raises a perfectly good point - if we expect to treat some juveniles as adults for crimes that they have committed, it seems entirely reasonable to treat children like adults for certain medical issues.

 

If the daughter has a problem with that, she does have the legal system that can aid her.

[CrimsonWeltall]

If the daughter has a problem with that, she does have the legal system that can aid her.

 

Correct - have the idiot parents arrested.

[kapkomet]

Correct - have the idiot parents arrested.

Problem is, it doesn't happen because the kids are taught to believe what the parents do.

[Soxy]

Problem is, it doesn't happen because the kids are taught to believe what the parents do.

Wouldn't that also make parental consent redundant in the case of abortion?

[kapkomet]

Wouldn't that also make parental consent redundant in the case of abortion?

You'd think, but I guess where that differs somewhat is kids freak out about sexual stuff and want to hide it from their parents, as opposed to life threatening illness. I hope that makes sense on what I'm trying to get across.

[Balta1701]

You'd think, but I guess where that differs somewhat is kids freak out about sexual stuff and want to hide it from their parents, as opposed to life threatening illness. I hope that makes sense on what I'm trying to get across.

Which is of course entirely why this is an issue....because some kids will genuinely have reason to freak out.

[kapkomet]

Which is of course entirely why this is an issue....because some kids will genuinely have reason to freak out.

Yea, I have a hard time thinking about medical issues and abortion being on the same plane. I mean, I see what you all are saying - but I just have a hard time thinking of abortion as a "medical procedure". I understand for consent it's the same (correct?). It's too clinical and doesn't compare well in my mind but I'm biased in my thinking, I guess.

[iamshack]

Some good discussion in this thread.

 

I agree with Balta, it seems hypocritical to treat minors as adults if they commit certain crimes but as minors when they wish to prevent themselves from giving birth.

 

I really have a difficult time with those who think a 17 year old is not wise enough to make the decision as to whether or not they can raise a child, but is somehow capable, on the other hand, of raising said child.

Edited November 3, 2009 by iamshack

[G&T]

If the daughter has a problem with that, she does have the legal system that can aid her.

 

All parental consent abortion laws have judicial bypasses, this one included.

 

No notice is required in a medical emergency or if the girl declares in writing that she is a victim of sexual abuse. And a provision in the law allows girls to bypass parental notification by going before a judge, who would then have 48 hours to rule on the petition.

 

Abortion Law Delayed

[BigSqwert]

I really have a difficult time with those who think a 17 year old is not wise enough to make the decision as to whether or not they can raise a child, but is somehow capable, on the other hand, of raising said child.

Precisely

[Texsox]

At 16 you can have a driver's license, a Doctor still needs parental consent to treat injuries from a car accident. Parents are still responsible for their minor children, they can be fined and jailed if the student does not attend school. They can be jailed if they do not provide medical attention when necessary. If we are keeping parents responsible for their kids, we owe it to parents to inform them of what is happening to their children.

[Texsox]

If the abortion becomes complicated and requires a hospital stay, I wonder how quick Doctors will be to ask the parents to pay the bill. Let's be fair, if we want kids to make these decisions without telling their parents, then parents should not be held responsible for their children after that age (15 or whatever age we determine they can make decisions).

[iamshack]

If the abortion becomes complicated and requires a hospital stay, I wonder how quick Doctors will be to ask the parents to pay the bill. Let's be fair, if we want kids to make these decisions without telling their parents, then parents should not be held responsible for their children after that age (15 or whatever age we determine they can make decisions).

 

So you mean to tell me that having a child/giving birth should not be distinguished from any other form of medical care or surgery?

 

Many people in this thread have used the medical care/procedure example to argue against a child deserving the opportunity to make the decision to have an abortion in secret. While an abortion may indeed fall under the umbrella of a "medical procedure" because it is a task completed by doctors and it takes place in a medical facility, let's not pretend as if this is the same thing. It simply isn't.

[southsider2k5]

How many other procedures that involve a significant risk are kids able to decide for themselves?

[SouthsideDon48]

As long as the age of consent allows you to have consensual sex because you've reached a minimum age, you should be able to make choices on your own about medical treatments that result from sexual contact.

I totally agree with you, I was about to post a very similar comment.

 

If a teenager think they're mature enough to have sex, then they should be considered mature enough to have an abortion procedure to undo their "mistake".

 

Honestly, I think putting a teenager in a position to have a child at such a young age is very socially irresponsible. Abortion procedures should be available to all teenaged girls because, in my opinion, getting an abortion is the more responsible decision for a pregnant teenager to make.

 

Also, I'm against how the law requires a parent to be notified. Because 1: What's to stop the parent from preventing their teenager from getting the abortion if they're oposed to it? And 2: The fact that parents will have to be notified will probably scare off some teenagers from doing the responsible thing of getting an abortion, instead, they'll proably do a dangerous wire-hanger abortion and we'll probably find more dead fetuses in dumpsters all over Illinois.

Edited November 4, 2009 by SouthsideDon48

[southsideirish71]

Considering that abortion clinics have a problem reporting sexual abuse as required by law, how do we think they are going to do with informing parents. They probably will swear up and down that the 10 year old on her bicycle looks 18.

 

Edited November 4, 2009 by southsideirish71

[Texsox]

So what you're saying is that 15 year olds should be treated as adults for what they do to other people's bodies but treated like children for what they do to their own?

 

Smoke screen here. Are you suggesting that because some 16 year olds are capable of murder, rape, etc they should be allowed adult responsibilities and rights? Treated like adults in a criminal setting merely establishes the best venue to protect society. Our juvenile court system was not established to handle a 15 year old who murders in cold blood. Just because we call it the adult system, and enforce adult penalties for vicious kids, means we should treat every child as an adult. Just because a 16 year old participates in the gang rape of a girl and is adjudicated in an adult courtroom, and receives and adult sentence, means every 16 year old should be able to enter into a contract, vote, or have medical procedures without notifying parents.