Suebob's Red Stapler: By a nose

06 September 2008

By a nose

I hate abortion. Not as a medical procedure, as an issue.

I hate that it has become such a powerful tool in the political bag of tricks that millions can be led by the mere mention.

Abortion is like that ring in the bull's nose. The bull is a massive, dangerous, deadly animal - just like us voters - but you jam a piece of metal in the most sensitive part of his face, and you can lead him around with one finger.

You think politicians really care if women have access to safe means of terminating a pregnancy, or for preserving the life of every tiny fetus? Then I have a bridge to nowhere to sell you.

Abortion is the shiny object, the "Look Over Here" that the magician does while he is hiding the Ace of Spades. While millions of pro-life and pro-choice (really, does anyone believe those terms?) voters toil and organize for their cause, the dirty work of politics goes on unimpeded.

I wish there were some way to take it off the table, once and for all, but I don't think there is. The politians don't want it to be gone. I am sure we will be fighting this same lame battle my whole life as war profiteers laugh and the middle class shrinks and millions go without health care.

Abortion hurts all of us.

22 comments:

Mandajuice said...: See, for me this is the only issue that is literally a non-issue. I'm pro-choice, but I almost always vote for Republicans regardless of their stance on abortion. I guess I thought there were more people like me...; 9:22 AM
meno said...: I was thinking about this the other day, and i am terrified to think my daughter might grow up in a country with no access to abortion, even in the case of the mother's life being at risk.

But, yeah, it's not the only issue i can see, not by a long shot.; 9:28 AM
Anonymous said...: I know my mom isn't the only one who will vote for anyone---LITERALLY ANYONE---who is anti-abortion. She doesn't care what else they believe, or what their plans are, as long as they promise to take away a right that as far as I can tell is really not going to be taken away at this point. I mean, seriously, I can't picture it.; 10:19 AM
Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah said...: Here is the thing... the president and vice-president have very little control over Roe v Wade. (Yes, the president appoints justices to the Supreme Court and they have a say in it) but it somehow matters anyway.

I am an independent but I generally vote Democrat because of civil liberty issues.; 12:40 PM
claire said...: I still have a hard time wrapping my head around how it is anyone's business what i do with something that i am growing myself in my own body, let alone letting the President of the United States decide for me what to do with it. Blows my mind. Unfortunately, it's definitely an important issue to me. And just another reason why i will probably never vote republican.; 2:03 PM
Amie Adams said...: An interesting perspective. I wish the issue would go away too because politicians finally stopped feeling like they could make a choice for someone else.

But I know what you mean about it blinding folks to so many other issues as well. I have to say that a politicians stance on that issue typically says a lot to me about their perspective on a host of other issues like the economy and war too. Not always...but often.; 2:24 PM
the mystic said...: I know what you mean. So some people will vote for McCain because he and Sarah are allegedly "pro-life" and if he wins, he isn't going to do damn thing to try to end abortion. Conversely, others are going to vote for Obama because he allegedly supports abortion rights (which no one with any authority has the ability to take away anyway). Oh it's all very annoying.; 3:19 PM
Anonymous said...: I find it intriguing that the same person who shields her knocked-up 17 year old daughter, claiming that "it's a private, family matter," wants to bring an equally private matter, abortion, into the legal limelight.

I too, wish that the abortion decision would someday solely rest between a woman and her doctor; not between opposing political candidates.; 3:32 PM
sam {temptingmama} said...: I really think that abortion is a non-issue in the political ring. There are FAR more important (?) issues like homelessness, welfare, health care which must be addressed.

(Though I am Canadian - the issues are still the same.); 6:51 PM
Mr Lady said...: WORD.; 7:23 PM
SUEB0B said...: Sam "I really think that abortion is a non-issue in the political ring..." I have heard people say they can't get past the fact that Obama is a baby-killer. Those exact words. It IS an issue.; 7:27 PM
Overflowing Brain said...: I agree to a certain extent. It's a big issue and as much as we want it to fade into the background, I think it's probably not gonna.

What I really wish is that people would stop using the term "pro-abortion." No one in their right mind is pro-abortion. It's just a smear tactic to make pro-choicers look bad and it's irritating.

It'll be interesting to see what happens this year, that's for sure.; 7:43 PM
Insane Mama said...: This is SO well said, Abortion does hurt, why does it HAVE to become the political banner?; 8:07 PM
Glennis said...: I have a good friend (liberal like me) who says that the Republicans will never actually turn over Roe v. Wade because opposition to it is their biggest moneymaker. If they turned it over, they'd no longer have something to rally the faithful to.

I think those who are anti-choice are part of a larger position of being afraid that somewhere somebody is doing something that they don't like with their body. In addition to being anti-choice (which is really "anti-make your own decisions" ) These folks are anti-contraception and anti-raise your kid the way you want to and anti-sleep with whoever you want to.; 8:08 AM
LittlePea said...: Abortion is a deal breaker for me but mainly because it's brings me to two other issues. Firstly, religion. I think religion should be COMPLETELY separate from government. We are supposedly fighting a war to prevent a theocratic terrorist movement from attacking us. So we shouldn't be trying to create a theocracy here then. I understand and respect the belief that abortion is a sin. But maybe it's not a considered a sin to everyone else. So I don't think I should have to adhere to the rules of someone else's religion since I don't try to enforce mine on others. My thing is, if you don't like abortion then great, don't have one. But don't interfere with my choice. I had religion forced down my throat growing up by my parents. Now that I'm a tax paying adult, I don't want it forced on me by my government. Second is empathy. I can't vote for someone if I don't think they have the ability to put themselves in someone else's position for a moment and sees everything in black and white.
Also a pro-life candidate would be easier for me to vote for, if they had a record of supporting social programs that help mothers-married,working, single-whatever. And I've found most prolife candidates do not. I don't know anyone whoever had an abortion say that they really WANTED to have one. It's always because of economic reasons or not having a family to help out. I imagine the number of abortions would go down if women had that.
I agree with you, I don't like having that held over my head every 4 years...; 8:33 AM
Anonymous said...: First of all, let me just say that I am pro-choice (yet would never have an abortion myself) and am a Christian. I know, I'm a bit of a wackadoodle.

I used to get really up in arms about candidates that are anti-abortion because it is very important to me that everyone has a choice regarding their own bodies. I'm a huge nutter for civil liberties.

The thing about the abortion issue is this...no one is going to overturn Roe vs. Wade. Abortion is not going to be made illegal no matter which candidate uses it in his or her platform. Because of that, it's become more of a non-issue with me. Although, if a candidate is heavily anti-abortion, chances are I have trouble with the rest of his or her platform anyway. ;); 8:44 AM
Ruth Dynamite said...: I know I can't get past the "abortion issue," because I view it as integral to all "women's issues."

Oy.

(WHY has it taken me this long to get here. WHY???) Now I will just stalk you always.; 12:32 PM
Suzanne said...: I'm with Ms. Little Pea, but I disagree with those who think their right to access an abortion if they need one is not in danger. I agree that Roe v. Wade will not be overturned for the exact reason g gave. However, it will be safe, legal, and never accessible. Currently, 87% of counties in the US have no abortion provider - not even to save the life of the mother. Some 25% of women who need an abortion must travel over 50 miles to get it. So many women already face this issue, and I don't see the so called "pro-life" activists advocating for health care, education, and affordable housing for the babies they bear.

Anyway, I also agree that the "pro-life" and "pro-choice" terms are ridiculous. And last time I checked, anyone who has an abortion is terminating an embryo or fetus, not a baby. This is how the scientific and medical community defines the development during pregnancy. It's like calling an 8 year old an adult. Not the same thing. "Embryo killer" or "fetus killer" sounds less shocking, doesn't it? Language makes such a big difference. So I say that abortion doesn't hurt, but the politicization of a personal matter that should be dictated by an individual's beliefs and values sure does.; 2:25 PM
Glennis said...: suzanne - your point is well taken and I should have given more credit to the inaccessiblity issue. I have always lived in relatively large cities, and have never felt that it would be hard to get an abortion in my own home town, if I ever needed it.

But it's a real issue for women who live in smaller communities.; 7:04 PM
Mrs. Swizzle said...: AMEN!

I can't even say anything else. I completely agree with everything you said.

I just want to shake that bull and say, "WTF? Pay attention to what's important!"

(ok, maybe I could say something else); 2:28 PM
Miss Britt said...: Stumbled. Because:

Hell. Yes.; 6:44 AM
Suzanne said...: Thanks, G. I think a lot of people don't know that, so it's why I brought it up.; 9:02 AM