Tuesday, September 3, 2013

It's Really Simple

It’s really simple.  If you have an opinion, support it with evidence.  Forget the insults, name calling, indignation, fear mongering, etc., etc.  Just share what you think along with some reasons why you think it.  I’ll do the same, and then that’s when the wonders start.  You say, “I think abortion should be illegal because it involves the killing of an unborn child.”  I say, “you’re right and killing is a horrible thing.  But, most folks accept that it is necessary and acceptable to end life in certain occasions.  I think this is one of those occasions where sometimes the taking of a life should be legal.  I think this is the case because that life is inside of a woman, who should have some control over what happens in her body.  I also think people have abortions for a number of reasons, and I think the way to limit the number of abortions that woman choose to have (which should be a goal for everyone, as no one likes or supports abortion) is to identify those reasons and eliminate them.”  You say, “you are right that sometimes it has to be legal to kill someone, but this should not be one of those cases because we are talking about a blameless and defenseless life.”  I respond by agreeing to your characterization of the life at stake, but again emphasizing my views on the importance of women’s rights in this case and the importance of thinking about what the most effective way to limit abortions might be (namely that making abortion illegal will not be as effective as addressing the root causes (lack of access to birth control and sex education, poverty, victimization, etc.).  And on it goes.  And back and forth we go.  And this thing we have going … it’s called a dialogue.  It leads to things like compromises and solutions.  It depends on things like conclusions supported by evidence.  It depends on logic, reason, respect, listening skills, and humility. And we need to start depending on it.  

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