RE: "The End of Roe"

Before I respond to Mark Noonan's recent post let me begin by restating my own views on abortion. I am generally pro-life. I oppose abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or in instances to save the life of the mother. Every human life is valuable, no matter what circumstances the child may be born into. The practice of abortion robs each of it's victims of their right to life and the world of their unique talents and gifts. I believe a woman should be allowed to receive an abortion in the circumstances I listed above because I cannot, in good conscience, compel a woman to carry to term a pregnancy she had no choice in creating; nor can I compel a woman to give up her life in order to carry a pregnancy to term.

In regards to Mr. Noonan's post, I believe he makes some valid observations on the American public's fallacious understanding of the Supreme Court's landmark Roe decision and it's meaning and application. In his analysis of the data he discussed however, he makes some comments I find incendiary and excessive:

[Y]ou have to be a real, genuine, God-forsaken barbarian to think that abortion on demand is the correct course of action (heck, that is an insult to barbarians, actually); most Americans probably wouldn't imagine that the Supreme Court of the United States would rule that abortion is something that can happen any time for any reason whatsoever...I mean, think about it: what kind of inhuman SOB would do such a thing?

Abortion is a mostly objectionable, always tragic practice; but to classify anyone who supports abortion on demand, as extreme as they may be, as a "God-forsaken barbarian" is over the top. This form of rhetoric does a disservice to the pro-life movement and diminishes those who purvey it into a position equivalent to the most extreme abortion on demand proponent. It poisons the tone and substance of political discourse. Say what you will about abortion on demand proponents, they believe and support what they do not because they are barbarian or uncivilized, but because they, in good conscience, believe it is the most ethically tenable position to hold.

Moreover, this type of rhetoric is a repellant to moderate, mainstream Americans who are uncomfortable with abortion but acknowledge there are certain circumstances in which it's exercise is justifiable. Not many people will seriously listen to an individual who derides those he strongly disagrees with in such terms, and it may ultimately turn those still undecided away from the pro-life position.

If we are to have a mature and civil national discussion on abortion this type of over the top bombast needs to be restrained. Mr. Noonan is well within his right to freely express views such as these, I do not seek to deny him that. If given the opportunity though, I would advise him to more carefully and artfully select his words when discussing abortion and those with whom he disagrees, for all of those reasons I highlighted above.