Wednesday 22 February 2012

Abortion, politics and moral equivalence in the modern West

We have to wonder at what kind of twisted moral universe folk who think that killing innocent babies is OK, but that performing an ultrasound test first would be equivalent to rape have manoeuvred themselves in to.
 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Food For Thought... I personally believe that abortion is wrong, but this statement really makes me contemplate about this issue. I sort of disagree with you, though, on the second point, if I am reading it correctly. I think it's just weird/interesting that someone would have the curiosity and desire to have an ultrasound and then decide to throw away their desire to have the baby by having an abortion. It is, in a sense, rape.

David Anderson said...

Hi,

P.S. Normally I don't post anonymous comments, but since you're not abusive and this is the first time...

I think the reason why states are passing such laws is as an incrementalist approach. Governments deter actions that they make difficult - they pass extra rules, taxes, etc. The anti-abortionists here are playing the abortionists at their own game. The abortionists say "it's about choice, and having the right information to make the right choices". So the anti-abortionists pass a rule to make sure the woman gets more information about what abortion really is, via an ultra-sound. This shows up the abortionists, that they were engaging in double-speak; their response shows it wasn't about choice and information at all. It's simply about the "right" to kill inconvenient children.

If we start using "rape" to mean "any action involving a woman's body that she does not fully agree with" then what word will we use to mean a violent sexual assault?