Gallup Poll says majority of Americans identify as pro-life

[DrPhil]

I don't know what the results for GC would be.

I'm pro-choice.

[SWTXBelle]

Pssst . . .vote in the poll!

[VandalSquirrel]

I'm Pro:
teaching people about their bodies
giving equal access to affordable and effective birth control for men and women
stopping sexual violence against women

[BabyPiNK_FL]

I'm totally "Pro-life" I respect the life of the mother and what she chooses to do with her body.

[Jill1228]

Originally Posted by BabyPiNK_FL

I'm totally "Pro-life" I respect the life of the mother and what she chooses to do with her body.

Yeah, that...especially the last part! So I guess you can call me pro choice

[SWTXBelle]

Personally, I think the "pro-life" and "pro-choice" tags aren't the most accurate way to tag either side. I prefer "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion" because they get rid of a great deal of the posturing and get right to the heart of the discussion. (And spare me the "I want abortion to be legal but I'm not pro-abortion " statements- when the discussion is whether or not abortion should be legal, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you support the legality of abortion, you are pro. If you don't, you are anti.)

I would expect GC to scew heavier towards the "pro-choice" side of the Gallup poll question just based on past discussions.

[SydneyK]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I prefer "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion" because they get rid of a great deal of the posturing and get right to the heart of the discussion. (And spare me the "I want abortion to be legal but I'm not pro-abortion " statements- when the discussion is whether or not abortion should be legal, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you support the legality of abortion, you are pro. If you don't, you are anti.)

I think this is oversimplifying things. If Ann thinks a woman should have a right to choose abortion, that doesn't mean that Ann is pro-abortion. It could just mean that Ann thinks the government shouldn't get to decide what she does or doesn't do with her body. If you're looking for different terms for the debate, perhaps anti-abortion vs. anti-government would be more appropriate (solely in regards to the abortion debate).

I just think there are two very different arguments in play. There's the moral debate and there's the political debate. I think it's fair to say that some people who are pro-choice have that opinion because of the political/governmental concerns involved. Some of those same people might be pro-life from a moral perspective (meaning that if they were ever the one making the choice, they would always choose life).

/end soapbox

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Personally, I think the "pro-life" and "pro-choice" tags aren't the most accurate way to tag either side.

I agree.

(Which is why I didn't vote in the poll. )

I prefer "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion" because they get rid of a great deal of the posturing and get right to the heart of the discussion. (And spare me the "I want abortion to be legal but I'm not pro-abortion " statements- when the discussion is whether or not abortion should be legal, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you support the legality of abortion, you are pro. If you don't, you are anti.)

No, no, no, no, no, NO! Sorry, but I won't spare you.

It's pretty simple: pro-anything means that in favor of that thing -- that you think that thing is good in and of itself.

Are you pro-cigarettes or anti-cigarettes? If you think that cigarettes are disgusting and dangerous -- deadly even -- but you still think they should be legal and that people can choose for themselves, then are you going to describe yourself as "pro-cigarettes"? Probably not, since it is not cigarettes themselves that you are in favor of.

As Sydney says, it possible for someone to be anti-abortion (morally, ethically or religiously) and pro-choice (politically -- believing that the government should have a limited voice in the question). I know plenty of people who fit that description.

[BigRedBeta]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

I prefer "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion"

That reminds me of Boys' State when one guy referred to himself as pro-abortion, then made campaign speeches proclaiming 'abortions for EVERYONE including dudes'.

I'm pro-choice, but I don't think abortion is something that should be a frequent occurrence. In my ideal world, we'd give all the education we could, as well as tools like a multitude of birth control options, to prevent unwanted pregnancies. As a physician, the legality of abortion is important to me because women who want to terminate the pregnancy will, it's just a matter of whether they'll do it safely or not. Talk to any really old school OB/GYN (which of course their numbers are dwindling) who practiced or was trained in the pre - Roe v. Wade, and you'll hear horror stories of entire OB/GYN floors of inner city hospitals dedicated just to women with attempted abortions and the complications that arose from those attempts. Perforated uteri, punctured internal organs, sepsis, necrosis, death...bad bad stuff.

If anything, the pro-lifers, especially the ones that don't want sex ed in schools, are the ones who want their cake and to eat it too (and if they're anti-welfare, whoo, watch out). They want to make it so no one knows anything pregnancy, can't end it, and then is burdened with a child but can't receive help from the state. Talk about setting women up for failure with no way out...

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Personally, I think the "pro-life" and "pro-choice" tags aren't the most accurate way to tag either side. I prefer "anti-abortion" or "pro-abortion" because they get rid of a great deal of the posturing and get right to the heart of the discussion. (And spare me the "I want abortion to be legal but I'm not pro-abortion " statements- when the discussion is whether or not abortion should be legal, you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you support the legality of abortion, you are pro. If you don't, you are anti.)

I agree with that!