Marilyn French is an extremist as well as a hypocrite. In one breath she condones societal intervention for one gender's harmful and possible fatal behavior toward another human being while excusing another. In theory what she is saying is that a women has the right to abuse her own body, even if this abuse risk the health/quality of life of her unborn child. However, at the same time she portrays the same behavior of abuse by a man, whereby the victim of abuse would be perhaps be that same woman, as atrocious. I agree that men do not have the right to abuse a woman in any way, but both men and women should be held accountable by society for their actions against another living being, regardless of the circumstances surrounding that action. What gives the pregnant woman the right to abuse a developing fetus? Is this any difference then a male beating or abusing a woman? Of course it is not. Life is life. Society has a right to intervene, try and control, and punish anyone, under any circumstances where an individual including those developing in the womb are in danger of being harmed. It is ludicrous to imply that women should not be held responsible for harming an innocent child before of after birth. This goes beyond a woman having total control of her own body. The abuse of alcohol and drugs by a woman during pregnancy is no less than premeditated endangerment of a child. Is this any different than the man contemplating beating his wife on his car ride home after a bad day on the job? I believe we need an unbiased mediator(s) (good luck!) to analyze our actions, afterall good moral judgment is not necessarily an individual perception, especially when the person is impaired or perhaps deficient of moral or ethical character. As a society we set standards of fair and proper, as well as, ethical and moral behavior.Marilyn French is just as sadistic and twisted as the men she describes in her book. Is it ok for a woman ...
