Hi nemesis,
I appreciate that you find that heinous. The question is, how can you reduce the incidence of abortion, in line with your pro-life views, in a way that does not result in bitter acrimony between you and people from the other end of the political spectrum who think that a woman's dignity and right to choose is the most important political principle? The all or nothing approach of making abortion completely illegal just isn't going to work in the US because there are too many people like crashfrog for you to succeed! What you need to do is promote your interests in a more politic manner. What you need to do is reach a consensus with people like crashfrog on political steps that can advance
both of your interests. Here are some examples:
a) campaign for free creches, childcare and nursery schools for all parents who want to make use of them so that couples do not feel obliged to have an abortion because they do not have time to care for a child.
b) campaign for decent living wages for all men and women so that couples and single people do not feel that an abortion is economically necessary.
c) campaign for the most open possible adoption system available, including gay and lesbian couples, single people, and young/inexperienced couples, so that the potential pool of adopting parents is as large as possible.
d) campaign for free universal healthcare for all men, women and children
e) campaign for women's rights in the workplace, so that women can work flexible hours or take time off if they need to care for their kids, without fearing the loss of their job.
f) campaign for paternal rights in the workplace, so that men can work flexible hours or take time off if they need to care for their kids, without fearing for the loss of their job.
g) campaign for better sex education for girls and boys so that they are more aware of the contraception possibilites that are available
h) campaign for free universal access to contraception for anybody who wants it
i) campaign for better women's rights in a cultural sense, so that girls grow up feeling that they are empowered and able to make decisions about their own health and lives, rather than seeing themselves as merely daughters, wives, sex objects or other property of men
j) campaign for improved social mobility, so that the cyclical link between poverty and abortion can be broken
The good thing about these suggestions is that the pro life movement would get full support from the pro choice movement - you would each have a better chance of success than if you worked alone and indeed in conflict with each other. The pro life movement's aim of reducing abortion as far as possible would be achieved; the pro choice movement's aim of promoting women's rights and dignity would be achieved; and also as a man I could get some time to spend with my kids.
Mick
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