To oppose Gov. Romney because he is insufficiently pro-life because he accepts legal abortion for cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is imminently in danger is to move the goalposts.
As a Catholic who tries to follow the teachings of the Church, I don't accept direct, intentional abortion for any reason whatsoever. Not even Rep. Ryan's exception “for the life of the mother.” There is nothing in Catholic moral teaching that permits an intentional, direct abortion to save the life of a pregnant mother.
The Church does acknowledge the principal of double-effect, where the effort to treat a disease or other physical health problem may have the indirect effect of also killing the unborn child, and has taught that these may be moral choices. Thus, it is morally acceptable for the woman who accepts life-saving cancer treatment that has the secondary effect of killing her unborn child. It is generally held that the removal of an inflamed fallopian tube that results in the death of an unborn child in an ectopic pregnancy has the primary effect of removing a part of the woman that has become diseased, and has the secondary effect of causing the death of the unborn child.
But a direct, intentional abortion - where the abortion is the actual “treatment” performed for the sake of the woman - is not morally acceptable.
Thus, even Rep. Ryan's public position is a little bit of a compromise with Church teaching.
Thus, for ALL OF US CATHOLICS, even accepting an exception for the life of the mother is a compromise of our Church's teaching.
It may not be so for you, since you're not Catholic, but it is for us.
Therefore, whether the compromise stops at the life of the mother, or in the relatively-rare cases of rape and incest, for Catholics, it isn't a question of compromise/no-compromise. It's a question of to what degree we are willing to compromise.
Well over 96% of abortions are NOT about rape, incest or the life of the mother. As a Catholic, I know the Church teaches that it is acceptable to hold political positions and to vote in a way that brings about greater protection of the unborn, even if that protection is not yet complete or perfected, and as long as we publicly acknowledge the principle that all human beings, born and unborn, have a right to life that should be respected and protected in law.
Thus, for all my years as a pro-lifer, I've embraced folks as pro-life that held that abortion should be illegal except in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother.
Perhaps a fifth of folks believe as I do. Perhaps not quite that many. But more than half of folks believe that abortion should generally be illegal, except for the exceptions noted above.
I'm not interested in proving my theological or moral purity. I'm interested in trying to work through our democratic system to achieve a result that saves as many babies as we can save. And then, when we've secured something approaching a consensus on banning 96% of abortions, going back and fighting for the other 4% of unborn children.
MOST PEOPLE WHO CALL THEMSELVES PRO-LIFE accept abortion in cases of rape, incest and the life of the mother. Until we ban all the other abortions, these people are all my pro-life allies.
In fact, anyone who wants to overturn Roe, even if they accept a more liberal abortion law regime than I'd like, are pro-life allies. Until Roe is overturned or otherwise nullified. Thus, George Allen of Virginia is a pro-life ally. He's running against Tim Kaine to be the next US Senator from Virginia, and I support him, partly on pro-life grounds. His view is Roe must go!
But he also believes that the law should permit first trimester abortions.
When we get to the day that Roe is overturned, he will go from being our ally to being our adversary (and it will be incumbent upon us to try to win him over to our side).
When we get to the day that all abortions are banned except those where the mother's life is in true and immediate jeopardy, if you stand with those who wish to continue with that exception, you will become my adversary, you will become anti-life.
But until that day, we are allies. I hope even friends.
Let's not move the goalposts out of animus toward Gov. Romney. Traditionally, pro-lifers have counted among themselves all those who wish, at this time, to make illegal the 96% of abortions that are not cases of rape, incest or the life of the mother.
sitetest
This isn’t about anything except broadcasting Romney’s self-expressed views on abortion. As you recall, he refused to discuss them or to sign a pro-life pledge during the primary season. He simply tried to get by on a statement that he is pro-life. (Teddy Kennedy said the same, btw.)
His entire past had been pro-abortion in terms of his views or in terms of decisions made or implemented during his governorship. As recently as late 2007 he describe his own position as effectively pro-choice.
Finally, we have insight into his stance. He’s wrong, of course, but that is only partially the point.
See more at #68
sitetest, VERY nice post and well thought out position/approach. It’s good to know that we still have some folks with good judgement and with sound tactical and strategic thinking and planning abilities. You are now my exhibit one of folks who know how to WIN in the long run. I’m so tired of folks who are adament about pursuing “tactics” that are not only not well thought out but are actually self-defeating of the authors’ stated goals.
As time passes I’m becoming more and more convinced that Soros (and/or people of his ilk) are funding efforts to establish “sleeper” posters in the midst of THEIR enemies’ (that would be conservatives and conservative Republicans) discussion forums. Such sleepers would pose as die hard conservatives but promote actions that actually would lead to the defeat of conservative candidates and positions. Anyone who thinks this is a crazy idea is just not paying attention. And I’m not saying everyone who is acting in this manner is such a “sleeper”—some folks just plain have poor judgement and/or are true (but misguided) believers.
Anyhow, I’m glad to have you as a fellow FReeper.