Worth reading

[lumineaux]

A very thought-provoking entry from Slate on-line magazine regarding the ways the pro-choice movement needs to re-assess its approach:

http://www.slate.com/id/2135209/entry/0/

Comments

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

He's right.

Pro-choice does not mean pro-abortions. I think that pro-contraception and pro-choice are both responsible positions.

I think being anti-contraception is unfortunately being pro-abortion. And being pro-life means being pro-telling-others-how-to-conduct-themselves.

(One of the sick parts of the Bush Administration is how they are both anti-contraception and anti-abortion. Really, kids, pick one position.)

One of the saddest things I ever heard was that my former mother-in-law, who went to get an abortion when she was pregnant with her fifth and the family was financially struggling, was required by her doctor to get her tubes tied before he would terminate the pregnancy. That's ANTI-CHOICE, to me.

[oaken-glen.livejournal.com]

One of the saddest things I ever heard was that my former mother-in-law, who went to get an abortion when she was pregnant with her fifth and the family was financially struggling, was required by her doctor to get her tubes tied before he would terminate the pregnancy. That's ANTI-CHOICE, to me.

Wow! Seriously? That's most certainly anti-choice and I'm amazed that he made that stipulation. I'm sure this was a good while ago but still...

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

Yup. Would have been circa 1969. She also had to be evaluated by two shrinks, I'm told.

Whenever folks bash the Feminist movement, I remind myself about stuff like this.

[oaken-glen.livejournal.com]

Damn. I mean, I couldn't imagine being told by my doctor that inorder to get an abortion, I needed to get my tubes tied. I think I'd have just stood there with my jaw on the floor.

Thankfully, times and practices have changed. I don't think or know of any doctor that would force that sort of requirement now. Unless he/she was really hankering for a lawsuit.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

I have long said that if half of the money that goes into the pro-choice/pro-life "debate" (i.e., barely controlled hysteria from both sides) were put into improving contraception and adoption choices, both sides would benefit. Unfortunately, we've all allowed this issue to be coopted by the extremists, effectively killing off any chance of meaningful progress or compromise.

[math5.livejournal.com]

Think the problem like in any "debate" is that the extremist are so loud (or look so good on TV) that there's no way to hear reasonable people

[oaken-glen.livejournal.com]

You are correct.

It's a lot easier to grandstand and pound on your chest about certain issues than it is to actually sit down and try to work on them.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

When I was in law school, I had recurring arguments with several of my fellow students who believed that only extremists are really serious about their beliefs. They contended that, unless you are an extremist, you are really committed to any particular position. The notion of compromise in order to advance the greater good was wholly foreign to these people. Since I think willingness to compromise is necessary in order to live in a civilized society, we clashed a lot.

Then again, to put some perspective on this, the people I was arguing with were also the same people who argued that (a) eating a hamberger is the moral equivalent of rape because meat-eating is inextricably intertwined with the subjugation of women; and (b) "Goldielocks and the Three Bears" is a parable about racism against African Americans.

Law school was surreal in so many ways.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

that sentence was supposed to say "you are *NOT* really committed to any particular position"

Stupid tired fingers . . .

[math5.livejournal.com]

Well, when I was in one of these earlier years of College (Science) I had some clashes with some students who couldn't accept that things aren't only black or white, it's not only law school :)
Wow. Your (a) and (b) are quite... fascinating.

[lumineaux.livejournal.com]

I got the story of (b) from a friend who was attending his first (and last) meeting of the African-American Law Students Association at the time. Quoth he: "But they're bears . . .. they're not even human! I mean, would it be all right if they were polar bears?!"

This is why we were friends. :-)

[oaken-glen.livejournal.com]

They contended that, unless you are an extremist, you are not really committed to any particular position.

'Cause that's the only way to have a view on anything.

Since I think willingness to compromise is necessary in order to live in a civilized society, we clashed a lot.

I can understand that. You're right though. The only way to try and resolve issues or problems is to be able to sit and come to some sort of middle ground.

I used to exasperate the doctors at the hospital in the very beginning. I used to get screamed at for problems that would come up with my patients. I'd let them do their thing (no stopping them really) and then say "Are you finished? Good, now we can figure out how to fix the problem."

I suppose those folks were also ones that argued The Lion King was also a parable about racism against African Americans.

I mean, it takes all kinds but some people who are zealots about their beliefs and views are not only tiresome but worrisome as well.

[oaken-glen.livejournal.com]

And yeah...that was really, really disjointed.

Yay for sinus medication!