abortion rights

Now that Stupak-Pitts has exposed the machinations of the "pro-life" movement in the most obvious and unflattering manner, I've been thinking a lot about the different ways in which their movement lies, not just to pro-choicers, but to their own faithful believers. Here are some things I've come up with: as always, feel free to add your own in comments. Here we go!

Lie #1: We are pro-life.

Yup, that's a big fucking lie right there. Are they anti-war? No. Are they anti-death penalty? Hey-ell no. Thus, they are not pro-life in any meaningful sense of the word. What they are is anti-choice. But remember they're not anti-THEIR choice; they're anti-YOUR choice, wimminz. They think you are evil because of some ridiculous story about a snake and an apple tree.  For an illustration of this insanity, see the fact that until very recently, the RNC's Cigna health plan covered elective abortions...until their rabid anti-choice base found out and put a stop to it. Sort of.

Abortion rights: the term is everywhere these days. 

Pro-choice organizations use it; anti-choice organizations use it. The phrase seems to have slipped into today’s lexicon without making a splash. But really, what does it mean?

Let me ask you, feminist females who are in the pro-choice camp. Do you want abortion rights? Are you going to go around carrying a sign saying, “My body, my abortion?”

I don’t think so.

I believe that this meme is classic rightwing ratf*cking from the Gingrich school, and to use it is giving the He-Man Woman-Haters’ Club yet another victory in the framing wars.