Posted on 11/11/2012 8:55:29 PM PST by SquarePants
First off, let me say this. I am completely, unabashedly and unapologetically pro-life. That being said, I was somewhat dismayed by the reports of the 2012 election featuring the largest gender gap in history. Given multiple national polls showing that people do not support abortion, it remains an issue, and it remains an issue that the GOP does not handle well.
I remember watching the VP debate between Biden and Ryan, and being hugely disappointed in how Ryan handled the abortion question. You can watch a video of it below, but, if I may paraphrase Ryan's answer in general terms, he stressed how important his faith was in coming to his pro-life position. Biden then rambled on about how much he supports a woman's "right to choose." The net result is that Biden generally came across as a rational, compassionate, caring sort - which is not what he is at all, while the impression of Ryan that the underinformed voters ultimately got was that he would be the sort of person who might just be capable of supporting any sort of position informed by his religious views.
Of course, Senate candidates Akin and Mourdock also had cringe-worthy comments on the abortion issue as well. Arguably, poor handling of "women's issues" cost the GOP two Senate seats and possibly the Presidency. So what's the problem? Why does the GOP insist upon conveying the most important message of civilized society - the message that every life is valuable - in such consistently inarticulate fashion? What kind of an approach would serve to neutralize the issue at the voting booth, and bring election results in line with national polls on the matter?
Well, as to why the GOP is so incompetent at communicating the value of life, I'm not really sure. They certainly know it's an issue that will be raised by Democrat candidates and the progressive, state-run media. They certainly have the time and resources to prepare for it. Honestly, I have no idea why the GOP can't positively deliver the pro-life message, but I do know what their message should be.
The GOP message should be, "The abortion issue has nothing to do with religion. Mine or anyone else's. The senseless and societally counterproductive promotion of abortion as an acceptable solution to the problem of unwanted pregnancy has led to a culture where the value of a life can be quantified, and that's wrong. Abortion is a human rights issue, and a civilized society has several undeniable obligations. Primary among them is the right to life. This is not an opinion informed by my religious beliefs. This is an opinion informed by common sense. Every life has value, and a civilized society protects life. It's that simple."
The GOP needs to stop hinging their abortion discussions on religion, and their public policy positions on faith. Frankly, it makes the pro-life position look fanatical, when it is anything but. The GOP needs to have confidence that their position is informed by reality, and by the conviction that a society is judged, ultimately, by how they treat the least among them. And most Americans support candidates who promote the future of our nation and stand up for using our government programs in the manner they were intended - which is to protect and provide for those who cannot protect or provide for themselves.
If they were smart, the GOP would position themselves to call out the pro-abortion Democrats for the hypocritical simultaneous support of the contradicting position on Human Rights. Real concern for human rights and promotion of abortion can't exist together. That's not fanatical. That's Realville, USA.
Yes, it is. One third of my generation has been killed. These are my friends, my family, my coworkers, my wife.
One third.
I’d say we have been decimated but that’s not accurate is it. And the worst of it, is that we’ve done it to ourselves.
So why are we supposed to capitulate to those who do not have the best interests of the nation at heart? If AIDS killed as many as abortion does - we would not put up with it!
If a Journalist ever asked my a hypothetical, I would say as a male, it’s none of my business.
So, you're "personally opposed, but..."?
You sound just like every pro-abortion Democrat politician.
And judging by most of the responses to the OP, you should be voting for the Neolithic Monolith party and not the GOP.
So, you think that pro-life principles are not important?
You and the other GOP concern trolls sound exactly like the Whig concern trolls did on slavery in the first half of the 19th century.
An innocent American murdered in an abortuary EVERY 24 SECONDS, more than 54 MILLION lives have been lost in the last 40 years. If Americans aren't willing to stand up against this slaughter, then we deserve whatever wrath God imposes upon us. There is an ongoing Holocaust that is destroying America and I'll be damned if I will raise a finger to support any group that isn't willing to put a stop to the slaughter.
There is no 'but ...' It's 'butt out' of other peoples business.
You sound just like every pro-abortion Democrat politician.
You think you're insulting me or something? I'm not a Democrat and I don't care if you think I am. Like I said, go join the neolithic Monolith party and get no where with your one issue candidates.
It's not about you.
Hello sir (apologies if you’re a madam).
The best solution is to charge the abortionist with life sentences for every abortion performed, and offer the women involved a plea deal for reporting the abortionist.
There are two victims in every abortion - the child and the woman, who often ends up permanently damaged physicall and sometimes dies as well. All the women have emotional scars from the whole process.
I bet you would have told Lincoln that he would have gotten elected if only he stopped sticking up for the black people.
I bet you flagellate yourself every night before you go to bed and on Sunday mornings when you wake up.
That's the most pathetic excuse I've ever heard.
54 MILLION INNOCENT AMERICANS HAVE BEEN MURDERED and you want us to "butt out" because it's none of our business.
You think you're insulting me or something? I'm not a Democrat and I don't care if you think I am. Like I said, go join the neolithic Monolith party and get no where with your one issue candidates.
This "one issue" as you dismissively describe it had been the catalyst for most of America's problems the past four decades.
The economic woes and immigration problems all exist because of the American Holocaust. There aren't enough Americans to work and spend money because they've been murdered.
It's not about you.
No, it's about the 3500+ innocent Americans who will be murdered today, just as they've been murdered every day since January, 1973.
That's exactly the way these Rockefeller Republicans think.
That’s what they DID tell him. History never really changes. He perservered believing that truth would eventually prevail.
Abortion is the defining issue of our day.
If their lives have no value, then your life has no value.
That is why "death panels" are written into ObamaCare. They have decreed that life beyond their parameters in a cost/benefit analysis has no value.
If the government gets to decide which lives are not valuable, then it could be Jews, those over 65 years old, those with permanent disabilities, or just about any category that, initially is a minority. As their power is consolidated, it could simply be based on their whim.
You are sorely mistaken about turning the other way on abortion. It deals with the ultimate right: LIFE.
Abortion isn’t mens’ business?
Who makes these babies? Women don’t generate them all by themselves.
Anyone who thinks that murder is “not my business” and a personal choice is morally dead and blind. You want a dog eat dog world. The viewpoint that murder is okay as long as other people are doing it means sooner or later it’ll come to you. Murdering the “unwanted” babies leads to murdering the “unwanted” elderly, the “unwanted” chronically ill, the “unwanted” mentally ill, the “unwanted” social misfits, the “unwanted” political opposition, and on and on.
Look at it this way, a REAL crime has three things; A Perpetrator, a Victim, and Damage done to the victim. Absent any of those 3 and you don't have a crime.
An unborn human is STILL a human. A woman's "choice" ends once she spread her legs. Sorry to be crude, but it's true. Once you have another human on-board, killing that human is by definition Murder. Most States have laws against Murder. If that unborn human is medically, and literally, killing the Mother... Then she has no "moral" standing to kill that unborn human.
The take-away from this is the Fedgov needs to get the hell out of the abortion business. Over turn Roe and shut down all Federal funding for Planned Parenthood. Let the States prosecute indiscriminate abortion providers under their current Murder statutes...
Couch the argument in these terms, sans Religion, and the Left will lose. It's an instant turn off to the general public to have a politician preach at them...
We defend Life on FR to the hilt! Don’t like it, leave. Push abortion on FR or “moderation” you will be butted OUT!! You cannot moderately abort babies. They’re MURDERED in the womb!! The choice is yours.
“There are two victims in every abortion - the child and the woman”
Why is the woman a victim when she’s the one that hires the abortionist?
Some women are forced into them by a boyfriend/husband whatever. Some women are not women and are underage.
Some women are not aware of fetal development, or understanding what they do, and the abortionist lies to them. ‘Just a tissue’.
Everyone that I have spoken to has regretted their abortion and it doesn’t go away for them.
Then you have the ones with the perforated uterus, who go to the hospital, and the ones who die (and aren’t reported), because it would put to lie the myth of safe abortion.
Then you have the ones who commit suicide.
So yes, there are two victims. Just because they woman chooses doesn’t mean that she’s not a victim - because there is no therapy involved in abortion. Abortion doesn’t treat anything for the woman, and has grave future consequences.
Sounds like you’re making excuses to avoid answering a hard question.
Yes there may be some women that fit your criteria - but most don’t. So what would you do with those that with full intention and no regrets hire an abortionist?
I believe to make a complete and intellectually honest case for making abortion illegal, you also have to specify the punishment for the crime. That is something that has been missing from the pro-life side.
“Yes there may be some women that fit your criteria - but most don’t.”
You don’t believe most women regret their abortions?
“you also have to specify the punishment for the crime.”
I believe we should go after the abortionists because that is a more fruitful line.
Since you disagree - what do you believe ought to be done?
I’m searching for a logically defensible answer.
If we say that a fetus is a life (separate from the mother) like you and me then, to be logically consistent, shouldn’t the punishment for the people that take that life be the same as if they took yours or my life?
If not then are you saying that the fetus is not really a life like you and me, but something else (something lesser?). If so, what is that something else? Does the definition of that “something else” change as the fetus develops?
Does the mother actually kill her child? Is it by her hands? The law treats both differently - telling someone that you want them to kill someone is not the same thing as actually killing them.
We don’t give people a get out of jail for claiming that they killed someone under the orders of someone else.
It’s also a question of scope - abortion is very much all about the pillars, and it’s all based on a few doctors performing tens of thousands of them over their career. Get rid of the doctors, and it will shut down. Guaranteed.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.