As someone who frequently debates the fetal rights issue, I often encounter this statement: "I'm pro-life, I'm against abortion, but it doesn't mean that we should criminalize it".
Note that when you debate as heated a topic as abortion, you can get exasperated, but this is one statement that really exasperates me, because the person saying it doesn't get WHY abortion is being opposed.
Not, it's not necessarily the speaker's fault. I think part of the responsibility lies with pro-lifers' lack of success in conveying the EQUALITY of the unborn child. Sure, we've done a really good job in conveying the message that abortion is bad, but not the message of WHY it's bad, or that fetal rights is the right way to go.
I'm not saying this to put blame on the pro-life movement...I think we're all trying to do our best. But I do think the fact that people make that statement very often conveys that the general public has a lack of understanding about what being pro-life is all about. It's ultimately about fetal rights.
So when people say "I'm pro-life, but I don't want to criminalize abortion" then it should be asked "but are you in favour of fetal equality? That's the question!"
