The problem with believing the same thing as a large group...
Pro-lifers desire responsibility....was a letter sent into the Badger Herald, its short enough to quote in its entirety...
I have heard many people — the latest being Adam Lichtenheld (“Sex, lies, and criminalizing abortion,” March 29, 2006) — question why those who are against abortion don’t promote contraception. While, as a legal matter, I and many other pro-lifers would not be in favor of banning all contraceptives or removing all mention of them from health class, I can perhaps understand those who are. Contraception and abortion are part of the same culture, a culture where personal autonomy and sexual gratification are the highest goods, while the human life that may result from sex is regarded as a mistake and a burden rather than as an astonishing gift.
Indeed, a child is a mistake and a burden in an uncommitted relationship, and that is exactly the problem. What pro-lifers want is a society where a human life carries more weight than a good time, and the casual sex that contraception makes possible is an enemy to that attitude.
Now perhaps that society is unrealistic (or a “living hell,” depending on your point of view). But as long as our culture tells us that we can’t help it, people are just going to have sex anyway, people will. And there will be mistakes and abandonment and abortion. But maybe if we start telling ourselves that we can help it, telling ourselves that we need to view others as persons and not as potential sex partners and to value the smallest of human lives, people might do that, too.
Matthew Bayer
UW student
I bring this to your attention because this is the first time in my life I have ever seen a reasonable argument written for pro-life (ie. anti-abortion) that doesn't immediately set off violent impulses. Matthew here even makes a few good arguments and points but he only shows the sunny side of his position. The crux of the issue is in the larger group that support it. I'm all for lower taxes for everyone, small federal government. The problem is that when I take my pick up my head and look around me at who is saying those same things, I can't stand on those principals. I say less taxes, then I hear around me "the poor don't need any more programs paid for by my dollars!" I believe, "most public schools are in disarray and need improvements" and then I hear around me, "so I'll send my kids to a private school."
As much as I would like to be for tax reductions and other issues I fall on the conservative side about, I cannot stand with the majority of the people who also believe in those things. I would love to teach people to teach every person a child is a gift (maybe not directly from god) and that parents should be happy they have a kid on the way, I have no interest in telling people if accidents happen they should love and care for a child and tell them to toss out any plans they had ever made for themselves from that moment onward. A planned child has got to be the best thing a stable couple could hopeful (I assume,) however who the hell am I to say that a couple or single parent should look in the mirror and say "fuck your plans;" much less the sad childhood the kid might grow up with in a household like that.
.
"Indeed, a child is a mistake and a burden in an uncommitted relationship, and that is exactly the problem. What pro-lifers want is a society where a human life carries more weight than a good time, and the casual sex that contraception makes possible is an enemy to that attitude."
People like Matthew should remember a few things when they condemn "causal sex," and evil contraception. Sex causes pregnancies, not just casual sex. Committed adults in stable responsible relationships have unwanted children too. Contraceptives also helps prevent a laundry list of STDs along with babies. But most importantly, your preferences on life gives you no privileges to tell anyone else what to do. If you think using a condom is immoral, or sex outside of some idealized "committed relationship," then you don't have to. Its your choice. Its your right to make that choice. And its my right to make the exact opposite choices from yours if I choose to. Thats the double edged sword of freedom. You can make a large number of choices without say so from any one else. The problem for people like you Matthew, is that you dont get to tell other people what to do in a free society. Logically since you can't prevent people from having sex in manors you deem immoral, the best thing for everyone is to make those choices as safe as we can, as a society.
Yes there will be mistakes and accidents no matter what Matthew, just like you said, but in a better society those "potential sex partners" who do have accidents and who make mistakes wont be called whore, slut, sinner or baby killer by the people you stand with.
I have heard many people — the latest being Adam Lichtenheld (“Sex, lies, and criminalizing abortion,” March 29, 2006) — question why those who are against abortion don’t promote contraception. While, as a legal matter, I and many other pro-lifers would not be in favor of banning all contraceptives or removing all mention of them from health class, I can perhaps understand those who are. Contraception and abortion are part of the same culture, a culture where personal autonomy and sexual gratification are the highest goods, while the human life that may result from sex is regarded as a mistake and a burden rather than as an astonishing gift.
Indeed, a child is a mistake and a burden in an uncommitted relationship, and that is exactly the problem. What pro-lifers want is a society where a human life carries more weight than a good time, and the casual sex that contraception makes possible is an enemy to that attitude.
Now perhaps that society is unrealistic (or a “living hell,” depending on your point of view). But as long as our culture tells us that we can’t help it, people are just going to have sex anyway, people will. And there will be mistakes and abandonment and abortion. But maybe if we start telling ourselves that we can help it, telling ourselves that we need to view others as persons and not as potential sex partners and to value the smallest of human lives, people might do that, too.
Matthew Bayer
UW student
I bring this to your attention because this is the first time in my life I have ever seen a reasonable argument written for pro-life (ie. anti-abortion) that doesn't immediately set off violent impulses. Matthew here even makes a few good arguments and points but he only shows the sunny side of his position. The crux of the issue is in the larger group that support it. I'm all for lower taxes for everyone, small federal government. The problem is that when I take my pick up my head and look around me at who is saying those same things, I can't stand on those principals. I say less taxes, then I hear around me "the poor don't need any more programs paid for by my dollars!" I believe, "most public schools are in disarray and need improvements" and then I hear around me, "so I'll send my kids to a private school."
As much as I would like to be for tax reductions and other issues I fall on the conservative side about, I cannot stand with the majority of the people who also believe in those things. I would love to teach people to teach every person a child is a gift (maybe not directly from god) and that parents should be happy they have a kid on the way, I have no interest in telling people if accidents happen they should love and care for a child and tell them to toss out any plans they had ever made for themselves from that moment onward. A planned child has got to be the best thing a stable couple could hopeful (I assume,) however who the hell am I to say that a couple or single parent should look in the mirror and say "fuck your plans;" much less the sad childhood the kid might grow up with in a household like that.
.
"Indeed, a child is a mistake and a burden in an uncommitted relationship, and that is exactly the problem. What pro-lifers want is a society where a human life carries more weight than a good time, and the casual sex that contraception makes possible is an enemy to that attitude."
People like Matthew should remember a few things when they condemn "causal sex," and evil contraception. Sex causes pregnancies, not just casual sex. Committed adults in stable responsible relationships have unwanted children too. Contraceptives also helps prevent a laundry list of STDs along with babies. But most importantly, your preferences on life gives you no privileges to tell anyone else what to do. If you think using a condom is immoral, or sex outside of some idealized "committed relationship," then you don't have to. Its your choice. Its your right to make that choice. And its my right to make the exact opposite choices from yours if I choose to. Thats the double edged sword of freedom. You can make a large number of choices without say so from any one else. The problem for people like you Matthew, is that you dont get to tell other people what to do in a free society. Logically since you can't prevent people from having sex in manors you deem immoral, the best thing for everyone is to make those choices as safe as we can, as a society.
Yes there will be mistakes and accidents no matter what Matthew, just like you said, but in a better society those "potential sex partners" who do have accidents and who make mistakes wont be called whore, slut, sinner or baby killer by the people you stand with.
posted by Marc at
12:16 PM
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