Abortion Litmus Test

[Max Sawicky]

> Thomas Kruse wrote:> . . .
>
> > The longer I live in Latin America, the more pissed off I get about this.  I
> > have a number of friends and/or acquaintances who are priests, some of whom
> > have played heroic roles in ousting dictators, supporting popular movements,
> > etc.  Many of them are also patriarchal homphobic reactionary shitheads on
> > these issues.
>
> It's one thing to resent--properly--the shortcomings we see in others withwhome
> we are otherwise obliged to cooperate politically.  It's another to
> elevate abstention or isolation to the level of doctrine, which for many,
> present company excepted, is just another excuse to be politically
> disengaged (except in rhetoric).
>
> I would not advocate any political course of action which seriously
> threatened to deny absolutely legal abortion.  But there's a lot of
> gray territory between the polar opposites.  The other side has done
> better juggling these issues.
>
> > I don't accept Max's posing of the problem as either/or -- the choice isn't
> > between "100 middle-class pro-choicers for 100 Catholic pro-lifers who
> > supported aid to the poor in preference to what we have now or what we had
> > three years ago."  I understand the anguish implicit in the comment --
> > bringing class and human econ. welfare back into politics -- but why pose it
> > as either/or?  Hope I'm not sounding to touchy-feely-Goreish-synergistic
> > when I say: Why not shoot for "both/and"?
>
> Shoot for both, but remain open to imperfect political devices.
> The either/or is unfortunately an important part of the political
> landscape.  I'd rathe relate to that segment more and less to
> single-issue pro-choicers.
>
> > So where are we then politically?  It seems to me anything short of free
> > (state supported) and legal abortion on demand for anyone who wants one is
> > not aceptable; and a pro-choice stance is an appropriate political litmus
> > test.  To me, this is just basic common sense and necessary social and
> > public health policy.  AND at the same time the left should proceed with
> > keen attentivness to and seek to provide concrete support for women making
> > difficult economic/personal/life choices -- not, as Yoshie points out,
> > abstract moral choices.
>
> This is the absolutist position.  I don't have big problems with it
> personally,but it maintains the political constraints under which we operate and
> working
> people suffer, in all respects other than reproductive rights.
>
> Regards,
>
> Max

  Opinions here do not necessarily represent those of anyone else
associated with the E.P.I.

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