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: Begging the Question

Choices

By "Milbarge" and "Fitz-Hume"

Via De Novo, I see that today was "Blog for Choice Day," an initiative of the group Pro-Choice America. Of course, I already mentioned that today is the thirty-fifth anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. Because it's an election year, I suppose, the folks at Pro-Choice America are asking us what it means to vote pro-choice.

I don't have a comprehensive answer to this. The decision whether to have an abortion just won't affect me as directly as it does a woman. For me, I suppose I use abortion as an election shorthand: I assume that candidates who support abortion rights share my feelings about liberty and equality, as that one aspect is a pretty major bellwether. And in converse, candidates who oppose abortion rights tend to have disparate views from my own about sexual freedom, especially women's sexual freedom. In short, opposition to abortion rights seems to be part and parcel of a broader effort to punish women for their sexuality, and I disagree with that (whether it's based on paternalism or misogyny). Plus, it bothers me that women in some places have easy access to clinics, and women in others have next to none. That's really more about federalism and poverty, I guess.

I respect the beliefs of people who think abortion is a tragedy, and I agree that sometimes, though not always, it's a bad choice. But I still think women should have that choice, and that's why I support abortion rights.

Full post as published by Begging the Question on January 22, 2008 (boomark / email).