Ehhh... first, a note on tone. I typically like Matt's writing for his ability to write with lightness even when discussing dark topics. But the column above is... a bit too flip? Maybe? And I speak as a writer who gravitated toward flippers myself. Not important. That's a complaint of personal taste, but I think that opinion might influ…
Ehhh... first, a note on tone. I typically like Matt's writing for his ability to write with lightness even when discussing dark topics. But the column above is... a bit too flip? Maybe? And I speak as a writer who gravitated toward flippers myself. Not important. That's a complaint of personal taste, but I think that opinion might influence my further words.
My position on abortion is driven by two things: my centrism, and being Canadian. We're hardly living in a snowy progressive utopia up here (Trucker Convoy, anyone?) but I tend to think we've got things right up here. "Safe, legal and rare" seems to sum it up.
It's not a fun process. I have friends who've gone through it and it is both physically and emotionally devastating. But the one thing I think we've gotten the most right is the element of democratic compromise. Nobody gets everything they want; everybody gets something.
The problem (as usual) in the American discussion is polarization. It goes hand in hand with your political system. Pro-life or Pro-choice! Team Red or Team Blue! Hockey or Football! Cake or pie! Not everything needs to be that kind of fight. You can actually meet in the middle, where nobody is happy.
Really though, I'm not trying to Both Sides this. While I can understand pro-lifers being upset at pro-choice callousness (yes, it's a baby and yes, you're taking a life; please take it seriously), there's mountains and mountains of hypocrisy to dig through from pro-lifers.
Here's what I'd need to see from the Pro-Life Movement before taking their arguments seriously:
1) Gun control advocacy. This problem isn't one of scale, but is perhaps the most visible of backward, barbaric public policies. Every other modern nation has solved this problem. Saving babies so you can arm them is ridiculous.
2) Take COVID seriously. A million dead Americans in two years. If you care about life, stop with the anti-vaxx, anti-mask, anti-Mexican (I wish I was joking) intemperate rhetoric. If you care about life, take the virus seriously.
3) Extend this stance to being anti-war. I know, I know, the only way to separate an American from their war machine is to drop it on some foreigner. But don't those lives have a right to exist?
4) Love thy Gays. Okay, so this one is obviously flip, but I'm also being serious. No unwanted pregnancies from that community! They tend to be into adoption! Pro-lifers should be *zealously* pro-gay! "The Book says No" is an insufficient excuse!
5) Anti-abortion should mean pro-contraception. And for those of you who feel like quoting this list to your friends and relatives (please don't), really crank this one up. Pro-condom! Pro-IUD! Pro-sodomy! Pro-handjob! Pro-vasectomy! Pro-porn! Pro-BJ! All of these lead to fewer pregnancies and thus fewer abortions. This seems like the easiest bit of advocacy - you're advocating stuff most people will probably want to do *anyway* (something something Market Forces) - but the vast majority of Pro-lifers won't do it. (Hypocrisy is sticky, ain't it?)
6) Be pro-Single Mom. Stop stigmatizing single mothers! Start stigmatizing men who are irresponsible impregnators or seek to exert toxic or dangerous control over women by dint of impregnating them! This does not seem like difficult moral calculus!
Well, now that I've alienated another gaggle of potential readers, have a nice Saturday. I'm going to continue worriedly watching your country from my Socialist Petrostate Ivory Tower.
Hey Canada, I think you were being a little too flip about handjobs. Serious business. But I salute your centrism, and your gentlemanly disagreement. And I'm pro-contraception, for whatever that's worth. Though I should remind you, as you condemn American polarization, that you kids did give us the truckers' "Freedom Convoy," the worst use of freedom-as-a-modifier since "Freedom Fries." It was BJ and The Bear meets Alex Jones. I realize that Canada's favorite export is self-congratulation, but as the Good Book says, "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye!"
I appreciate your honesty. Maybe we could join forces and start a bi-national advocacy group promoting contraception during handjobs. Who wants to clean up that mess?
Ehhh... first, a note on tone. I typically like Matt's writing for his ability to write with lightness even when discussing dark topics. But the column above is... a bit too flip? Maybe? And I speak as a writer who gravitated toward flippers myself. Not important. That's a complaint of personal taste, but I think that opinion might influence my further words.
My position on abortion is driven by two things: my centrism, and being Canadian. We're hardly living in a snowy progressive utopia up here (Trucker Convoy, anyone?) but I tend to think we've got things right up here. "Safe, legal and rare" seems to sum it up.
It's not a fun process. I have friends who've gone through it and it is both physically and emotionally devastating. But the one thing I think we've gotten the most right is the element of democratic compromise. Nobody gets everything they want; everybody gets something.
The problem (as usual) in the American discussion is polarization. It goes hand in hand with your political system. Pro-life or Pro-choice! Team Red or Team Blue! Hockey or Football! Cake or pie! Not everything needs to be that kind of fight. You can actually meet in the middle, where nobody is happy.
Really though, I'm not trying to Both Sides this. While I can understand pro-lifers being upset at pro-choice callousness (yes, it's a baby and yes, you're taking a life; please take it seriously), there's mountains and mountains of hypocrisy to dig through from pro-lifers.
Here's what I'd need to see from the Pro-Life Movement before taking their arguments seriously:
1) Gun control advocacy. This problem isn't one of scale, but is perhaps the most visible of backward, barbaric public policies. Every other modern nation has solved this problem. Saving babies so you can arm them is ridiculous.
2) Take COVID seriously. A million dead Americans in two years. If you care about life, stop with the anti-vaxx, anti-mask, anti-Mexican (I wish I was joking) intemperate rhetoric. If you care about life, take the virus seriously.
3) Extend this stance to being anti-war. I know, I know, the only way to separate an American from their war machine is to drop it on some foreigner. But don't those lives have a right to exist?
4) Love thy Gays. Okay, so this one is obviously flip, but I'm also being serious. No unwanted pregnancies from that community! They tend to be into adoption! Pro-lifers should be *zealously* pro-gay! "The Book says No" is an insufficient excuse!
5) Anti-abortion should mean pro-contraception. And for those of you who feel like quoting this list to your friends and relatives (please don't), really crank this one up. Pro-condom! Pro-IUD! Pro-sodomy! Pro-handjob! Pro-vasectomy! Pro-porn! Pro-BJ! All of these lead to fewer pregnancies and thus fewer abortions. This seems like the easiest bit of advocacy - you're advocating stuff most people will probably want to do *anyway* (something something Market Forces) - but the vast majority of Pro-lifers won't do it. (Hypocrisy is sticky, ain't it?)
6) Be pro-Single Mom. Stop stigmatizing single mothers! Start stigmatizing men who are irresponsible impregnators or seek to exert toxic or dangerous control over women by dint of impregnating them! This does not seem like difficult moral calculus!
Well, now that I've alienated another gaggle of potential readers, have a nice Saturday. I'm going to continue worriedly watching your country from my Socialist Petrostate Ivory Tower.
Hey Canada, I think you were being a little too flip about handjobs. Serious business. But I salute your centrism, and your gentlemanly disagreement. And I'm pro-contraception, for whatever that's worth. Though I should remind you, as you condemn American polarization, that you kids did give us the truckers' "Freedom Convoy," the worst use of freedom-as-a-modifier since "Freedom Fries." It was BJ and The Bear meets Alex Jones. I realize that Canada's favorite export is self-congratulation, but as the Good Book says, "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye!"
Hey, come on! I was the one that brought up the Convoy! And I was *absolutely * being too flip about handjobs! 🤣
I appreciate your honesty. Maybe we could join forces and start a bi-national advocacy group promoting contraception during handjobs. Who wants to clean up that mess?
Never again. NEVER AGAIN will I complain about flipness or the lack thereof! 😂