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To: BlackElk
That's why I was kind of taken back; I remember hearing that the first feminists were strongly opposed to abortion.
18 posted on 03/29/2002 11:51:34 AM PST by geaux
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To: geaux
The full quote from Susan B. Anthony:

"Guilty? Yes, no matter what the motive, love of ease, or a desire to save from suffering the unborn innocent, the woman is awfully guilty who commits the deed. It will burden her conscience in life, it will burden her soul in death; but oh! Thrice guilty is he who, for selfish gratification, heedless of her prayers, indifferent to her fate, drove her to the desperation which impels her to the crime."

Susan B and the other early feminists were opposed to abortion because in their time (and arguably in ours too) abortion was seen as a threat to women who were coerced or forced to abort. She correctly foresaw that abortion is a symptom of an even wider social disease, oppression of women in society that would drive women to abort to "hide" a shameful reality and that women would unfairly and unjustly bear the brunt of persecution for the shared act of pro-creation by both men and women. She couldn't have been more correct, as abortion today is always, on both pro-Choice and pro-Life side portrayed soley as a woman's unilateral decision. Pro-choice because they want it to be the woman's decision alone, pro-Life because they want to wash the blood off the hands of everyone complicit in abortion, most especially men.

In truth we are all complicit in abortion by supporting the societal standards which make abortion a seemingly rational choice for so many (and not just women). Until we face and embrace true "personal responsiblity" of both men and women in reproduction we will never see our way clear of this scourge on humanity.
26 posted on 04/02/2002 7:37:35 PM PST by Lorianne
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