aTypical Joe: a gay New Yorker living in the rural South

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Will & Katha on abortion

Last week, on the 33rd anniversary of Roe, I pointed supportively to a Will Saletan argument that pro-choicers should “wage war on the abortion rate and focus on birth control and sex education.”

Katha Pollit replied in an article in The Nation, Prochoice Puritans, “that ‘anti-abortion moralism’ would hurt women and abortion rights.”

Today Will answers Katha:

You doubt that the pro-life movement will support a campaign to reduce abortions through birth control, since so many pro-life activists oppose birth control. I agree. I’m not trying to form a coalition with the pro-life movement. I’m trying to form a coalition with the public. Any pro-lifer who wants to join us is welcome. Anyone who doesn’t will learn that preaching against birth control is a lot lonelier than preaching against abortion.

Both of us are pro-choice. Morally, it’s clear from your writing that abortion troubles me more than it troubles you. I don’t think I can change your mind about that. But politically, I’d like to persuade you and other pro-choicers that the path I’m recommending will serve women and their health better than the path you’re defending.

Anyone who cares about the abortion debate should read the whole exchange.

RELATED: I see my support of Will’s position as similar to and consistent with my support for teaching the Bible in the public schools.