Rick McGinnis makes some vital points in The Interim.
We on the pro-life – or anti-abortion, as Richard insists – side of the battle need to examine some of the articles of faith on which our cause is built, and imagine that some of them might be part of the reason why, after all these years and so much effort, we’re making such scant progress. -
There's a reason I have an open door policy on my comments section.
It's quiet now, but I've always allowed people of divergent views to post their thoughts.
Hearing from people who do not share our views makes us better activists.
From having spoken to people in real life, and in other contexts, I get the feeling that some pro-lifers hate my comments policy.
They seem to be asking: Why do you let those people troll your blog?
There are a variety of reasons, but a big one is by being able to debate and answer our opponents, and by listening to what they have to say, we improve.
Now I understand not every comments section is going to be open to pro-lifers. There are some advantages for "safe spaces".
But to completely insulate oneself from those we disagree with, especially when they have power and we do not, that is a mistake. Big, big mistake.
I would add that the reason we make scant progress has, to some degree, have to do with the scale of the problem we are confronting, and the fact that the pro-life philosophy is right now concentrated in activism. Our ideas have very little currency in the wider society: in academia, in entertainment, in day to day life. I plan to write an article on this in the future. But suffice it to say that as long as pro-lifers are only activists or only politicians, the fetal rights philosophy will not go far.
