Recently, I’ve become more and more aware that folks on both sides of the left-right divide have this terrible habit of assuming the worst of their political opponents (I do it too). While I mostly see this from conservatives (not necessarily because they engage in it more often, but simply because it’s easier to see when it’s directed at yourself and others like you), Kevin Drum fell into that trap today on the subject of abortion:
I’m aware that other groups use these arguments for less savory purposes, and I’m also aware that I’m skipping a bunch of details - including my firm belief that most anti-abortion rhetoric is a demagogic reaction against sexual (and economic) freedom for women, not something based on a genuine desire to save human life. Some other time, perhaps.
This is the flipside of the argument that I frequently hear from radical pro-lifeistas who claim that liberals only really want abortion around because of their gleeful desire to kill babies, their inherent racism in wanting primarily babies of color killed, or any number of other ridiculous assertions that they trot out in their arguments.
Drum is generally quite moderate in his liberalism, but in this case he has bought into the radical pro-choiceista line: that pro-lifers aren’t really interested in stopping abortions, but rather in keeping the woman down.
Which, if you think about it for about five seconds, it patently absurd on its face.
I’m sure it has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that the Catholic church and large numbers of protestant churches believe that life begins, if not at conception, a long time before birth. And the fact that there are a LOT of people in this country which belong in one of those two groups.
As a pro-life liberal, I’m in the unique position of being able to see both sides of this issue. And I am also in the unique position of being able to understand the motivations of both the pro-life and pro-choice camp (especially since I used to be pro-choice).
So a quick note to those on both sides of this divide:
Pro-lifers really DO believe that embryos and fetuses are human beings, and therefore should be protected from an early end to their lives.
Pro-choicers really DO want to protect the welfare of both mothers and children, and really DO want to ensure that neither has to grow up impoverished.
Pro-lifers are NOT trying to take people’s rights away. Rather, they simply don’t believe that we should choose the rights of one person (the mother) over the rights of another (the child).
Pro-choicers are also NOT trying to take the baby’s rights away. They simply feel that the border between life and non-life is further forward than their pro-life counterparts, and that the government has no business telling people when they may receive a medical procedure when there isn’t another life involved.
Haven’t we had enough of the hate spewing from both sides? Haven’t we had enough of this “think the worst” mentality? We’re long overdue for some real solutions to the crisis of abortion thoughout the world. Solutions which help prevent overpopulation. Solutions which support mothers who are too young to take care of their children. Solutions which ensure that all unwanted children find loving homes. And solutions which dramatically reduce the number of abortions.
You don’t have to be pro-life or pro-choice to want these things. And you certainly don’t have to think the worst of people who don’t agree with your position.
