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[Talking to friend Veronica, Anita Blake worries she may be pregnant.] Ronnie: I could ask, who's the father, but that's just creepy. If you are, then it's this little tiny, microscopic lump of cells. It's not a baby. It's not a person, not yet. Anita: We'll have to disagree on that one. Ronnie: You're pro-choice. Anita: Yep, I am, but I also believe that abortion is taking a life. I agree women have the right to choose, but I also think that it's still taking a life. Ronnie: That's like saying you're pro-choice and pro-life. You can't be both. Anita: I'm pro-choice because I've never been a fourteen-year-old incest victim pregnant by her father, or a woman who's going to die if the pregnancy continues, or a rape victim, or even a teenager who made a mistake. I want women to have choices, but I also believe that it's a life, especially once it's big enough to live outside the womb.

Laurell K. Hamilton#21

AbortionEthicsPolitics

About this quote

What does it mean?
Anita and Ronnie debate abortion, revealing personal conflict between pro‑choice values and belief that life begins early.
In plain terms
She supports choice but sees early life as a life.
What can you take from it?
Complex ethical issues often involve personal experience and nuanced belief.

Where it applies

  • political debate
  • personal decision making

Putting it to work

  • open dialogue
  • education

Questions to consider

  • How can personal experience shape public policy?

Another view

Strong personal anecdotes can obscure broader policy considerations.

More from Laurell K. Hamilton

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  3. There's no one so self-righteous as someone policing someone else's morality.

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