Gripes
My gripe with conservatives is that you'd think persons prepared to give
full human rights to a zygote (single-celled organism) would immediately
understand the case for animal rights.
You'd think the unborn-right-to-lifers would immediately understand the
animal-right to lifers!
(and not deride animal rights)
Conservatives don't seem to mind the "nanny state" or "big government" or
"government intervening in the bedroom" when it comes to abortion!
The same God who declares in Genesis 9:3, "I give you everything" also
declares in Exodus 21 that the fetus is not a person! Conservatives claim
their freedom to kill animals is being restricted in the name of social
progress the way liberals complain their reproductive rights and freedoms
are being restricted!
Recognizing the rights of another class of beings limits our freedoms and
our choices and requires a change in our lifestyle – the abolition of
(human) slavery is a good example of this.
My gripe with liberals on abortion, therefore, is their continually framing
the abortion issue in terms of "choice" rather than discuss the possible
rights of the unborn.
The arguments about "choice" and/or "a woman's right to choose" don't go
anywhere, as recognizing the rights of another class of beings limits our
freedoms and our choices, and requires a change in our personal lifestyle.
Pro-life feminist Juli Loesch wrote:
"Each woman has the right (to contraception)... But once a woman has
conceived, she can no longer choose whether or not to become a mother.
Biologically, she is already a mother... the woman's rights are then
limited, as every right is limited, by the existence of another human being
who also has rights."
There's the expression: "my right to swing my fist through the air ends
where the next person's face begins."
Recognizing the rights of another class of beings limits our freedoms and
our choices and requires a change in our lifestyle — the abolition of
(human) slavery is a good example of this.
Are whites free to own slaves or lynch blacks?
No! Because of the civil rights movement, we've corrected that injustice.
Is domestic violence tolerated?
No! Because of the women's movement, domestic violence is unacceptable.
Should hate crimes against LGBTs be permitted under the guise of "choice"?
No! LGBTs have rights.
This isn't rocket science, but if animals have rights, then our freedoms and
choices to commit crimes against animals are similarly limited.
"Animals are not ours to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for
entertainment," insists People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
As the animal rights movement continues to influence mainstream society,
humankind is finally ending millennia of injustices against animals.
A 1964 New Jersey court ruling required a pregnant woman to undergo blood
transfusions – even if her religion forbade it – for the sake of her unborn
child. One could argue, therefore – apart from religion – that recognizing
the rights of the unborn, alongside the rights of blacks, women, LGBTs,
children, animals, and the environment, is a sign of social progress.
Animal activists have even proven themselves to be "anti-choice.” A 2003
letter in Veg-News reads:
"I did have some concerns about (the) Veg Psych column which asserted that
we must respect a non-vegan's 'right to choose' her/his food. While I would
never advocate intolerance (quite the opposite actually), arguing that we
have a 'right to choose' when it comes to eating meat, eggs, and dairy is
akin to saying we have a 'right to choose' to beat dogs, harass wildlife,
and torture cats. Each is a clear example of animal cruelty, whether we're
the perpetrators ourselves, or the ones who pay others to commit the
violence on our behalf. Clearly, we have the ability to choose to cause
animal abuse, but that doesn't translate into a right to make that choice."
Again, recognizing the rights of another class of beings limits our freedoms
and our choices, and requires a change in our personal lifestyle.
This point was made clear by pro-life feminist Ginny Desmond Billinger, in
an article entitled “Confessions of an Anti-Choice Fanatic,” which
originally appeared in the September/October 1982 issue of Minnesota
Feminists For Life, and which later appeared in Pro-Life Feminism: Different
Voices, in 1985:
“Let’s take a look at just a few of the other issues that I, as an avowed
antichoicer, am ready to address:
“Spouse and child beating – here, my position is unhesitatingly anti-choice.
My perspective as a spouse, a parent, and a former child qualifies me to
support all measures to remove from people the freedom to choose to abuse
their family members–even in the privacy of their own homes.
“Drunk driving – Again, anti-choice. I’m afraid I must impose my morality on
those who would choose to operate life-threatening machines while influenced
by alcohol, and ask them to temporarily abstain from one or the other.
“Gun control – Despite the big-bucks, ‘constitutional rights’ lobbying by
the NRA, I remain consistently anti-choice on this issue. The memory of a
friend, forces me to reject any justification for handgun ownership without
strict regulation.
“Endangered species protection – Faced with a whale-hunter or seal-clubber,
I’ll take a hard line anti-choice stand every time.
“Hazardous waste disposal – We’re talking about the rights of corporate
America vs. the average Joe here, but my anti-choice position still applies.
The right to choose efficient business practices must always be weighed
against the public’s right to a safe environment. Ditto for occupational
safety and health issues.””
“I expect that these declarations will leave me open to censure; I will no
doubt be labeled a heretic. The American principle of personal liberty would
surely suffer with the propagation of my anti-choice philosophy…
“So call me what you will: pro-life, anti-choice, fetus-worshiper,
anti-abortion. A thousand labels will never alter the certainty that the
road to freedom cannot be paved with the sacrificed rights of others.”
Feminists For Life, PO Box 320667, Alexandria, VA 22320
Democrats For Life of America, 601 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, South Building,
Suite 900, Washington, DC 20004 202.220.3066
Go on to: Happy Holidays!
Return to: Articles
