This is a response to an article written by a friend on Facebook, "I'm Pro-Life, And I HATE Alabama's Abortion Ban For These 8 Reasons".
1. "No one WANTS an abortion"
Under normal circumstances, I don't want to have a tooth extracted, but if I'm in pain because of it I very much do.
Under normal circumstances, I don't want to have a tooth extracted, but if I'm in pain because of it I very much do.
There are roughly 600,000 abortions per year in the US and about 3,000,000 live births. For many of those abortions, someone wanted the abortion more than they wanted to give birth, not because it was medically necessary. Of course they didn't get pregnant so they could have an abortion, but those abortions were choices made by people who thought abortion was the most expedient solution to their problem. In some cases, there may have been a justifiable reason, but there is absolutely moral responsibility for many of those decisions regardless of contributing factors unlike having a bad tooth pulled.
2. "Personal hypocrisy"
The wrongs of individual politicians have no bearing on the rightness or wrongness of a particular position. Any pro-lifer would find such a politician discredited but would not imagine that it weakens the case for abortion restrictions.
Jesus told people "Go and sin no more" while also extending God's grace to sinful humanity. He also said he did not come to destroy the law. He never said there should not be earthly punishment for sins that harm others.
Jesus told people "Go and sin no more" while also extending God's grace to sinful humanity. He also said he did not come to destroy the law. He never said there should not be earthly punishment for sins that harm others.
3. "Ethical hypocrisy"
I have no clue what the numbers are for pro-lifers who support IVF. But there are definitely vocal pro-lifers who are opposed to IVF. See "The IVF Needle Baby" by John Stonestreet and Roberto Rivera, for example.
There are times when it's legal to kill another person. Such as self-defense. That is not usually considered illogical because the killer responded to a situation instead of creating one.
There are times when it's legal to kill another person. Such as self-defense. That is not usually considered illogical because the killer responded to a situation instead of creating one.
Similarly, a law that makes an exception for rape acknowledges that a woman was not responsible for the situation. Regardless, it still punishes the new life for something it was not responsible for either. That's why you'll see some pro-lifers oppose exceptions. And they are condemned for it and fired from their jobs (see Kevin Williamson and The Atlantic).
Again, in the case of the life of the mother (ectopic pregnancy, for example), an exception is acknowledging the limitations of a simplistic rule and making room for mitigating factors.
Fundamentally, many pro-lifers are approaching this pragmatically, with the goal of reducing abortion as much as possible without trying to handle every hard case and side issue. That doesn't mean they hate women because they are focusing on the most prominent issue.
Fundamentally, many pro-lifers are approaching this pragmatically, with the goal of reducing abortion as much as possible without trying to handle every hard case and side issue. That doesn't mean they hate women because they are focusing on the most prominent issue.
4. "Misogyny"
Men are already on the hook for child support. Period. They can be deadbeats and refuse to pay, but they are on the hook. Courts will garnish their wages. Walter Scott was shot in the back by police after he ran during a routine traffic stop, likely because he owed child support. To claim laws banning abortion would leave men free of responsibility for child support is just wrong.
You raised "stealthing" as a way men can surreptitiously impregnate women but completely discount the possibility of a woman secretly impregnating herself from a used condom. I'm sorry, but this destroys the credibility of your argument here.
Pro-lifers do believe in male responsibility. That many men (and women) don't behave responsibly doesn't mean pro-lifers don't want men held accountable for their decisions. This is a key reason many pro-lifers teach abstinence until marriage.
5. "Pro-lifers OPPOSE immediate abortion preventative measures"
There is a lot of variation within the pro-life community on this. Some pro-lifers (and even pro-choicers) might oppose government-funded or mandated, insurance-funded birth control much as they might oppose government-funded toilet paper because they think it's neither a proper nor efficient role of government.
And government-funded toilet paper could drastically reduce the spread of disease by promoting good hygiene! They may claim to be anti-disease, but their hypocrisy is shining through on this issue! I can't take them seriously until they start demanding free toilet paper.
Ok, that's just one group. Other pro-lifers do support many forms of birth control and use it themselves. Some object to the promotion of birth control, not to its use. They believe that promoting birth control will encourage risky, hormone-driven, irresponsible sex. Others believe sex is meant for procreation and don't want to do anything to interfere with that. Some might not like hormonal or surgical options.
But personal opposition to birth control isn't the same thing as wanting to keep others from using birth control. I don't know of any pro-lifers who want to outlaw birth control. The debate mostly centers around whether it should be publicly funded and promoted.
But personal opposition to birth control isn't the same thing as wanting to keep others from using birth control. I don't know of any pro-lifers who want to outlaw birth control. The debate mostly centers around whether it should be publicly funded and promoted.
6. "Pro-lifers oppose LONGTERM abortion preventative measures"
"If you don't buy this magazine, we'll kill this dog".
The argument here is a form of extortion. No one would say burglary shouldn't be a crime unless we are willing to support house-breakers financially.
The argument here is a form of extortion. No one would say burglary shouldn't be a crime unless we are willing to support house-breakers financially.
And yet, there are many pro-life organizations dedicated to helping mothers through unexpected pregnancies. There are families who personally tackle the issue by adopting. There are counseling services. Not supporting specific policies is not the same as not working to help women in difficult situations.
7. "When you ban abortions without addressing the underlying causes, women DIE."
Unfortunately, some women will likely die due to unsafe conditions. However, the statistics on this are not as clear cut as they are sometimes portrayed. Most of the deaths of women who had abortion procedures before it was legalized in the US occurred before antibiotics were developed.
It's illegal to drink and drive. You might kill yourself or others doing so. If you die doing so, I would mourn your passing but would not change my opinion on the benefits of DUI laws.
8. "Pro-lifers' singleminded focus on their goal is destroying their chance of reaching it."
Perhaps true. I think this concern is why many pro-lifers support exceptions for rape and health of the mother. Also why the latest bills use heart beat as the defining point rather than fertilization or implantation and put IVF to the side. But such views were attacked as as hypocritical in point 3.
Abortion is taking a life. Very few can stomach the idea of an elective 3rd trimester abortion as it blurs the line with infanticide. But what really is the threshold at which we consider a developing pregnancy a new life? Ultimately, apart from rape, a woman and a man made the choice together to potentially create a new life, whether or not they intended to or took precautions to prevent it, with full knowledge of that potential.
Abortion is taking a life. Very few can stomach the idea of an elective 3rd trimester abortion as it blurs the line with infanticide. But what really is the threshold at which we consider a developing pregnancy a new life? Ultimately, apart from rape, a woman and a man made the choice together to potentially create a new life, whether or not they intended to or took precautions to prevent it, with full knowledge of that potential.
To say that it is hypocritical or misogynistic or that we're not doing enough to support them in that situation is ignoring the main issue. No one WANTS an abortion? Yes some do, more than they want to take care of the new life they started.
