re: #63 Decatur Deb

If you wish to approach someone who has reached voting age sitting at the feet of conservative parents and cosmically-anointed moral guardians you need something a lot stronger than schoolyard fairness. Self-interest and group interest might do it. Science might do it. in the end only the power of numbers will work, and that only as long as you hold them. it’s going to be a long slog just to defend what has been gained.

Actually, as I understand it “schoolyard fairness” (as you call it), played a large part in the British abolition movement. Adam Hochschild referred to it as the first time in history that people became outraged and stayed outraged over someone else’s rights. There were logical arguments, moral arguments, illustrations and stories of the horrors of slavery. All played a part in the abolition of the slave trade-but none of it as far as I know was based on individual self interest. It was, however, a very long slog.

I do not deny that motivating people who agree with one’s position to go vote is very important, but just as people’s opinions of slavery have changed world wide (it still exists, but no one wants to call it that, which is an indicator that it isn’t socially acceptable) people need to understand that bodily autonomy is not optional when it comes to reproduction as well. Logic, emotion, and yes our sense of fairness should all be part of the effort to change minds.