Posted on 11/21/2012 3:53:39 PM PST by Coleus
This past weekend, I was down in Washington and had a chance to talk to some Republican lawmakers and strategists on Capitol Hill about the trouncing we took in the presidential election.
Over and over again, the fear that the conservative pro-life position may have contributed to our loss came up. Their solution? We have to stop talking about it.
But this cannot be an option. The respect for life is a moral imperative that defines conservatism as much as fiscal responsibility. Conservatism cannot abandon it and remain uncompromised.
Over time, liberalism has normalized abortion, first insisting it should be “safe, legal and rare,” then painting pro-life advocates as fanatics who should be ostracized for foisting their puritanism on the public.
Conservatives need to reclaim the conversation — which they can’t do without talking about it.
Rabbi Shmuley Boteach writes in the Jewish Press that “religious extremists who are obsessed with abortion, rape and sex” should speak about it “from an asylum.”
His advice has become common sense in the wake of Mitt Romney’s defeat: “Get this conversation out of the GOP.”
The problem with that is that it allows liberals to own this issue. The debate over contraception that occupied so much campaign conversation wasn’t started by Rick Santorum and Catholic bishops. Theirs was a response to President Obama’s mandate essentially requiring Catholic organizations to ignore their convictions and provide insurance coverage for birth control for their employees.
Senate candidates Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock didn’t introduce the subjects of abortion and rape, either — they were asked about them during debates. Yes, they responded atrociously, but Republicans don’t campaign wearing sandwich boards that say, “Ask me about rape.” The media cynically ask these questions to elicit crazy responses. In those two cases, mission accomplished.
So even when we don’t talk about it, liberals will find a way to get us to discuss abortion. We may as well direct the conversation instead of being dragged into it unprepared.
Another thought is that men don’t belong in this debate. Even the President rang that bell, saying, “This is exactly why you don’t want a bunch of politicians, mostly male, making decisions about women’s health care decisions.”
Putting aside the fact that he is perfectly comfortable making decisions about our health care, discussing abortion is the job of politicians, and we do want a bunch of them advocating for the policies we prefer. Citizens don’t write laws themselves.
And men do belong in the debate. The strongest argument I’ve heard against abortion was my father’s. There are sane, compassionate voices on this issue, and that they don’t have uteruses shouldn’t disqualify them.
“Stick to science” is another frequent invocation. When it comes to Akin, who believed babies conceived from rape magically disappear, that credo is a good one.
But the pro-life argument is based on sound science.
In the DNA of a fertilized embryo is the complete design of a human being, mapping eye color and other hereditary traits. Within weeks, the human embryo meets all the criteria needed to count as living: metabolism, reaction to stimuli, reproduction.
That’s the science — from there, the questions enter the realm of morality. As Ann Furedi, head of the largest independent abortion provider in Britain, said in a 2008 debate, “the point is not when does human life begin, but when does it really begin to matter?” Well, if that’s the point, then science really isn’t the issue.
Half the electorate is pro-life. That means we have to talk about life in compelling, compassionate ways that resonate.
We have to stand up for life without standing against women. And, yes, we have to put up better candidates who make sane, rational pro-life arguments. The solution for conservatives isn’t to talk about it less, it’s to talk about it more — and better. secupp@redsecupp.com
I would guess that the number of women who expect to have an abortion or want to have an abortion is close to zero. Many of them will, but it is not a self definable group.
The vast majority in this country feel that abortion should be throttled back. Most of the ones that don’t have already been through menopause and would just like to feel good about themselves regarding the killing of their kids.
As medical science moves forward, it has become very clear to the younger generation; A fetus is a human, the fetus is an entity in it’s own, and killing it is killing an individual. A fellow human being...
Abortion will end in this country. It’s not going to end tomorrow, but it will end.
That’s my position...
There is no reason we cannot treat these matters on a case by case basis, but the life of the innocent unborn ought to be our first obligation to the extent we want to be a civil society. Granted, there are those who take no interest in having a civil society, and these will be dealt with one way or another.
It used to be that abortion was one of those things we knew happened, but was understood to be abhorrent. It was not something we felt necessary to legislate about because it was known to be inherently wrong; kept hush hush. Alas, it has become a matter of convenience. This is not good.
[ Another thought is that men don’t belong in this debate. Even the President rang that bell, saying, “This is exactly why you don’t want a bunch of politicians, mostly male, making decisions about women’s health care decisions.” ]
Not men but female ditz’s that just voted in the most corrupt President in american history.. THOSE WOMEN.?.
People guided by their emotions... judging politicians whether they have good hair.. and offering FREE STUFF.. THOSE WOMEN?...
Women that want the right to murder their babies and have sex with any baby daddy they can find.. medically cared for by people that actually work..
THOSE WOMEN?... women that refuse to know how “things” actually work, and imagine how things should work if only they had enough pixie dust..
S.E. Cupp is outing herself as a “DITZ”..
// Personally, I don’t care if two men want to get “married” to each other //
That’s not the issue. That’s a phony liberal argument.
The two guys don’t just quietly live their little lives. They force the entire society to accept and worship their wicked ways. Homosexual revolutionaries and their Bolshevik allies take away our religious freedoms, freedom of association, commerce, employment, renting rooms, you name it. They want to take all that away from you.
I do care if two guys want to get married. Because they will force me to care. Bend over now!
Before this last election, the surveys were saying that the majority of Americans were against abortion. So, what happened? I used to be a Democrat. I know that their greatest fear is that there are/will be too many people in this world. A lot of it is the fear that there will be too many black and brown and red and yellow people on this planet. The Democrats can squabble among themselves about economics and foreign affairs and environmental policy, but they go lockstep on abortion. Do they hate babies? Nope. Some of the most caring grandparents you’ll ever meet. Then why are they OK with killing babies if they don’t hate them? Because they are afraid. Have you ever been around somebody that’s terrified? You can’t debate with them.
When a serial killer halts a life in a partial birth abortion, he waits for the baby to stick a head out in search of a new and wondrous life out there. The baby sticks his or her head into a hand held vice held by a serial killer. The serial killer squashes the head until the brain sprays out like he is squashing a grape. I wonder if that hurts.
Many would-have-been moms think about what they did and drink hemlock or play in some equally permanent game. I wonder if the serial killers who gave them such cause add them to the butcher's toll.
Some would-have-been moms think about what they did and, well, go permanently nuts. My guess is they never get on the butcher's list. Nevertheless, my guess is the butchers look on them with pride and a sense of accomplishment.
They are afraid that their families will suffer or be less well off if there are more people in this world. Do you want to know what liberal white Democrats think about the fact that a disproportionate number of abortions happen in the black and Latino communities? They’re fine with that. The Democrats can tell you, quite loudly, how many blacks there are in any profession as a percentage of that profession. But do they worry about the percentage of blacks having abortions? Nope. And those abortions are taking black lives.
If you want to see all civility break down, threaten someone’s kids in front of them. Mom and Dad are scared about what will happen to their son’s and daughter’s lives and dreams if they have a baby. They love their kids but they don’t know their grand kids that are aborted. People fear that all those babies would take time, care,attention and resources away from their kids. The casual acceptance of abortion by so many in our country is the most mercenary, cold-blooded behavior I have seen.
So, what do we do? Well, we start by driving out fear. That’s why I’m so strongly against illegal drug use. Using illegal drugs to escape reality is cowardice. And fear is what drives abortion.
Stephen Covey had a great way of dealing with divisive issues. Sit down with the person and make an agreement. Neither one of you can argue for your position until you have explained the other person’s thoughts and feelings on the issue. And you have to explain it to their satisfaction. When they say “OK, that’s how I see it”, then you have the other person do the same thing. When both of you say, “Ok, that’s how I see it”, then you can start the traditional discussion. This is a powerful tool. The pro-abortion people know their fears are wrong. They know abortion is barbaric. When they hear you saying their arguments, it shows that you value them and that you have considered their arguments. It is a way to really open up a mind. They’ll be scared. Call them a chicken. Shame them. Lives are at stake.
“Not men but female ditz’s that just voted in the most corrupt President in american history.. THOSE WOMEN.?.”
Some are ditzy but many are ruthless - the philosophical descendents of Madame Defarge (e.g. Nancy Pelosi, Hillary, Sebelius, and the legions of women who staunchly support abortion with full knowledge of what it entails). Convenience and “choice” are more sacred to these people than the lives of those whose existences interfere with their plans, or whose eradication will benefit them in the form of campaign contributions or votes.
That's a red herring. Prior to Roe v. Wade, women who had abortions were never sent to prison; in fact, they were never prosecuted. It was the abortionist who was sent to prison, lost his license to practice medicine, etc. Always.
Exactly. Much of the reasoning for prosecuting the purveyor lay in the Hippocratic oath which very deliberately proscribed abortion and abortifacients. But the Hippocratic oath, the original oath, is no longer a requirement for medical license or practice. “Safe” abortion—so far as the would-be mother was concerned— Hippocrates well knew, had always been and would always be available. But as an ethicist he, as well as every sane, civilized human being, knew it was unconscionable. Any form of abortion isn’t just barbarian, it’s deliberately, perversely, definitively inhuman. And liberals think WE’RE narrow-minded. They chose the language, and that’s their advantage. It’s about time we chose the language, and it needs to be blunt and bold.
Try selling that to single women under 30. That age group is unfortunately becoming more pro-abortion by the day. 99% will probably not even experience an unwanted pregnancy. So many contraceptive items are available on market at very reasonable prices. As Rush said today, the fear of getting an unwanted pregnancy drove them to vote for the abortionist Mr Obama. He is for killing babies born alive during a botched abortion. Now he gets to appoint 2 or 3 SCOTUS justices, and we are toast for 30+ years on this issue.
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