It’s easy to understand why the pro-choice community—perhaps I should say the freedom for women community—was appalled by Trump’s remark. It suddenly became clear that Trump not only wanted to restrict women’s freedom; he wanted to punish them as well. If Trump loves women, as he frequently claims, thank God he doesn’t dislike women. Perhaps he would put them all in jail. Who knows?
It is less obvious why abortion opponents were equally appalled by the Republican front-runner. It turns out that that community has consciously avoided suggesting that women having abortions should face punishment. The anti-abortion crowd has demonized abortion providers but has not wanted to tarnish their “pro-life, pro-women” image they have so carefully (and cynically) cultivated.
Well, Trump has given the freedom for women movement a gift. If abortion is murder, as the “pro-lifers” contend, then why would we not punish women if abortion is again outlawed? If a woman hires a hit man to, say, kill her husband, do we not punish the woman as well as the actual murderer? Well, abortion doctors do not go around looking for pregnant women on which to ply their trade. No, desperate, pregnant women seek them out. If abortion is murder, is this not solicitation to murder?
It turns out that the “pro-life” activists are even nastier and more radical than we thought they are. Good to know.
Thank you again, Donald.
P.S. Trump, having been criticized by virtually everyone, of course, quickly retracted his anti-woman remark.
I totally agree, and I have been frustrated for years that the press in general never asks anti-choicers the simple question - If you make abortion a crime, what is the penalty? Chris Matthews has been one of the few journalists to be persistent on this question. Too often the abortion debate degenerates into how one personally feels about abortion. There are all kinds of things I would never do but that is not a reason to criminalize them. So why do anti-choicers say they would never, ever punish a woman even though they say abortion is murder of the vilest kind? Several answers: 1) They have never thought about it (I literally have heard this given as an "answer" 2) They think women are too flighty, emotional, and\or immature to know they are committing murder. 3) It is politically expedient 4) They don't in their heart of hearts really think it is murder.
ReplyDeleteThis is the only relevant question - if abortion is murder and you criminalize it, why aren't you for the same penalty we currently have for murder or at least murder for hire?
Bob Button