...and I don't see the connection between this hoax and the murder of a doctor who performs late-term abortions. If it's there, Tracy needs to explain what she sees more clearly.

I feel a lot of sympathy for pro-lifers who were victimized by the hoaxter; and anger for the pro-lifer who murdered the doctor. Sorry, I just don't get it.

Thanks for the additional information. I understand the connection now.

Crowepps, I know you are right about a certain slice of the pro-life community which is crazily overzealous--a notorious example of which is Dr. Tiller's murderer. But the arguments on both sides are so much more complicated.

As a mom, although I am adamantly pro-choice, I would never "choose" to terminate a pregnancy--that's my "choice." There are many pro-life supporters who would consider abortion if the life of the mother were at risk. All of us might feel terrible for the mother propagating the hoax; almost none of us would support the murder of Dr. Tiller. To connect these two situations because they both involve pro-life supporters seems very simplistic and polarizing to me.

The "slice" I am talking about is part of that 20%.

But I am really curious about your last statistic. HALF of the pro-lifers do not believe pregnant women should get necessary medical care? How upsetting--and sinister. Is that possibly a typo or misstatement?

Okay, Crowepp, I am going to beat a dead horse here. First of all, now I understand "abortion" to be synonymous with "necessary" medical care in your post. And I don't disagree that it would be in some cases.

Still, I am having a hard time coming up with more than 20% who would risk the life of the mother according to your statistics. I did go to the website you cited and I still come up with 20%.

The important point for me, though, is that I could have fallen for that hoaxter. "Pro-choice" means "pro-choice", not "pro-abortion." Please do not put me and others like me in the same category as someone who would murder Dr. Tiller. There are a lot of people out there like me.

I was liberal by every definition until I had a baby. Something about feeling her grow inside me and the way her (feisty) temperament was apparent even when she was a fetus, compared to my son's later calm, serene fetal existence, made me understand how complicated this issue is. I still consider myself a liberal on issues, but, like a lot of liberal mothers, I don't think I could ever have an abortion after what I have experienced.

never never date a newly divorced guy. Or a newly divorced woman, if you are a guy. Unless you are absolutely sure you do not want to get serious. The newly divorced, or newly widowed person has a lot of healing ahead and really should not be jumping into a relationship either. But you--the person who is not grieving--are the sane one. And, I think, more responsible for your actions.

You have signaled your interest. Let the other woman (poor thing) deal with his issues right now. You just got a taste of them. He will be back, trust me.

Those of us from a certain generation went thru this with Karen Carpenter's death many years ago. At that time anorexia was completely new to most of us. I'm sure bringing the problem to light helped some people, but at this point the best way to stop eating disorders is to pressure the media to stop promulgating the idea that "thin" is the only acceptable body shape.