“What do you do when your movement is on the right side of an issue morally, but seems to be losing politically? That’s the question the pro-life movement needs to answer, and fast.”–Ryan Anderson, President of the Ethics and Public Policy Center and author of a recent op/ed in The Wall Street Journal entitled “Republicans Can Reset the Abortion Debate”.
As a follow up to comments on my post of April 5, which generated quite a bit of feedback from subscribers, I have been thinking and reading a lot about this question as it pertains to my own position and that of the conservative/pro-life movement since the Supreme Court’s repeal of Roe v. Wade last May, and Anderson’s essay is the best I have seen in outlining this moral/political dilemma and the solution.
His bottom line: “The goal of the pro-life movement has never been merely to make abortion ‘not a constitutional right’, but to protect unborn babies. In the Dobbs decision the pro-life movement won a battle, not a war”, and to accomplish the final objective he emphasizes the political necessity of some tolerance for less than ideal state laws and a willingness to work incrementally over time toward the goal of an America where every child is protected by law and welcomed in life. This will require both sustained moral clarity and political leadership.
The essay is at wsj.com/articles.
Jim,
I have not seen the Anderson piece, but I wonder if this is not a golden opportunity for the churches to regain some sort of relevance in the culture by leading this march for the human rights of babies in the womb.
Most followers of the Pilgrim live in worlds where Pro-Life is the only opinion. I live in a world of Independent voters where that view is feared. It is a huge turnoff. It is poison.
There is an issue that unites both worlds, Transitioning. They both hate it.
As I see the GOP shooting itself in the foot over and over on Abortion I wonder why they fail to make the Trans issue the big talking point.
Why are we so far into the legislative session and the House has not outlawed Gender Affirming Care completely in Texas. That should have been the first item on the agenda.
Republicans would be wise to affirm and consistently broadcast a “women’s rights with no murder, child endangerment and mutilation, or DEI cheating” posture with specific wording, and stop fighting in using the words of the enemy “transgender, equity, diversity and inclusion” who is shaping and controlling the debate.
Stop speaking in the code language of deceivers, be direct in speaking truth in love and the American people will respond. God, family, and country.
Having read all the comments that precede mine and knowing that most that read “The Pilgrim” are conservatives my comments will probably follow along the same line.
In regard to abortion (I am pro-life) the pro-lifers need to simply say that an abortion is allowed in rape, incest, the first 6 weeks (4, 8, 12??), for the life of the mother for medical reasons. For any physician who performs abortions I often wonder he believes in what he pledged – (the Hippocratic oath)?
The trans issue can be dealt with at the same time as pointed out above.
The actual fact of this issue is found in the scriptures.
Man-is not given the right to judge. God is the only judge in His court. We are wise to not judge or condemn–We are wise to point those to the scripture for God has told how He will judge.
Regarding reshaping the conversation with an angle that is wise and life-affirming, and that many on all sides can rally around, I propose threading in the notion of motherhood in some venerable way: celebrating it, honoring it, protecting it, and exalting it as a role of the highest order. It seems that the pro-choice side of the abortion argument has relegated the state of motherhood as a punitive sentence, something that holds a woman back, a state of subservience, a thing that a man has “done to” her, and the like. The Left likes these types of victim stories. God has given a (real) woman such a gift, such a superpower… why aren’t we talking about how miraculous that is, how it is the font of all regeneration of the human species, and exalting the importance of the mother’s role in our society. However, with great power, falls great responsibility and gravity. We should raise our daughters to understand both the gift and the burden bestowed on them. It is not for the immature or capricious, but for the strong-minded and heroic – what a superb platform for feminisim to have taken! We’d be in a much different conversation if feminism had gone that route.
In the human life cycle, at what point is it not okay for a person to end another’s life?
Incredibly enough, Danny, that is precisely what this fight is all about.
Interestingly enough, Texas criminal law recognizes an unborn child as a person when the murder of a pregnant woman kills her baby as a capital offense. David Temple murdered his 9 month pregnant wife before that law was in effect. Thus he got life.
I’ve seen autopsies of 6 month and 9 month pregnant women. The babies were perfectly formed. A friends wife gave birth when she was 6 months pregnant. That kid is an electrical engineer today.