What I wonder, every time this issue comes up, is why people can't learn to use birth control. I guess you could say that's beside the point, and granted, it doesn't answer the issue of rape or incest, but I think sooner or later we have to start addressing the real issue: not whether a fetus has rights, but why so many perfectly stupid people keep creating them when means of prevention are out there for everyone. Tell me, outside of the instances mentioned above, does there remain a good reason for having an unwanted pregnancy? I used to have a friend who worked for Department of Social Services -- she said they try giving away birth control pills and devices; unfortunately, a lot of the would-be recipients claim they "give me a headache."

Wow, I'm glad I'm not old. Or mute. Or handicapped in any way. I'd hate to be told I don't have any rights whatsoever since I'm not capable of marching and demanding them on my own. Fortunately I'm none of those, so sure, I agree. Let's establish a test for the right-to-life: Any person that can survive 72 hours with no help of any kind from anybody else has rights, and any that can't, well, don't. :)

P.S. Obviously this is a complicated issue, and one full of strong emotions for lots of people. I don't mean to be incendiary, just to point out that oversimplifications like Peter's serve no purpose except to inflame.

Rodney:Many of the protesters at PP Houston are also opposed to birth control and do not want women to have access to it.

The flat-out scare tactic of requiring providers to tell clients that there is a link between abortion and breast cancer (there isn't one) is a gross distortion of the facts. There is a regular protester in Houston who stands on the streetcorner outside the clinic and shouts to hispanic-looking women (in Spanish) that Planned Parenthood is going to rape anyone who goes in. He is just as disingenuous, but women are not required by law to listen to his lies.

It's hard to believe anyone takes the breast cancer claim seriously because it's the primary reason given by Houston's most-whacked abortion protester and author.

So we have the right to murder babies up till they learn to talk? A typical year old baby ain't doing much political organizing or speechifying. Plus she's annoying us with all that crying and pooping in diapers. You know what has to be done...

No, if fetuses want equal rights, they should have to get them the same way women and blacks did.

Organize and march, baby.

Or maybe that should be "potential baby."

What the hell's wrong with you anyway? I'm not real thrilled with giving the government authority in such deeply personal matters, but aren't you bothered at all by the killing of millions of little babies every year?

Perhaps THIS is what the poor, hated fetus might would say by way of apology.