Politics & the Abortion Trump Card

I've always been frustrated that I've never been able to jump into the "fun" part of the political playing field. I feel like there's a fence around the field called abortion that keeps me from the more interesting discussions of big government vs. small government, tax cuts, etc. I know I fall into that stereotypical right-wing group that doesn't get it...that people are dying overseas, that we aren't taking care of our sick and our poor, that we don't care about our environment...wouldn't it be better to be part of a party that (arguably) handles these issues better?

I've flirted with this thought before...for a couple minutes I even thought Donald Miller had a pretty good argument in his post which said: "The continuation of rhetoric about being pro-life but not having a realistic plan has tired me of the Republican Party". The idea that the Democratic party (supporting a Pro-Choice ideal) will lower abortions by promoting safe-sex type of concepts makes sense and is interesting, but I don't buy it. For me it is just as "rhetorical" as what some may accuse the Republican party of in their attempts to overturn Roe vs. Wade.

In regards to this, I found Justin Taylor's blog post on the Freedom Of Choice Act helpful...he references this chart from the Guttmacher Institute that shows that the number of abortions in Maryland has increased since 1991 while the national numbers have gone down.

The significance of this is that Obama has stated that "the first thing I’d do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act"...which is disturbing because I think Maryland is representative of where we'd be if Obama were able to impliment his pro-choice policy. I say this because Maryland is a very Pro-Choice state. NARAL Pro-Choice America gives them a grade "A", which means the state is extremely Pro-Choice friendly. I think the rise of abortions in Maryland is due to the fact that they are quite liberal in their abortion views...which is where our country would head federally with something like the Freedom of Choice Act in place. (You can look at the chart above and this NY Times article and possibly draw some conclusions from the bill they passed in 1991.)

The above paragraph is only a brief example...and, perhaps too wordy for the simple point I'm making...but, with all that said...I really don't think we are going to lower the number of abortions while at the some time condoning abortion and making it easier to get abortions. I don't understand how we can tell people that abortion is not a big deal (in some ways easier than buying beer or a pack of cigarettes)...and, yet, you should be careful in your sex life because you don't want to get pregnant...? ...it doesn't make sense to me.

...so, my vote comes down to the fact that I believe abortions will increase under Obama.

Maybe I could be convinced that the Democratic party could answer some of the other problems of the world that are also offensive and moral. But, I firmly believe that there is no difference in killing a week old infant and a 40 week old "fetus" in the womb. Philosophically, if you are consistent, this is the only option. If we rewind the tape from there, I know of no term in the pregnancy where you can draw a line in the sand and state it's okay to end this life now. Simply stated...human life is on the line, the burden of proof is on the person who says life (human rights...personhood...whatever) does not begin at conception. I've never heard anything to convince me otherwise.

Woman's Rights throws an emotional difficulty into the equation, especially, when something like rape is involved. But, I still feel as though the killing a living being is of greater importance than the inconvenience of a pregnancy. I don't feel as though this emotional concept should be unfamiliar to a Pro-Choice advocate, because many of them would emotionally feel the reverse...i.e. it's a horrible thing to end the potential for life, but a woman should have these rights over her body. I think it can be a difficult (I can't quite bring myself to write "horrible") thing to carry a baby that you don't want, but the baby should have the right to live.

So, for what it's worth...I'm the guy who's tempted to consider some of Barack's promises to America...but, I just can't get past the abortion trump card. Abortion is different than slavery, anti-semitism, sexism, etc...I acknowledge that, but in my mind...in my conscience...it's of a similar caliber. No matter what a leader offers in their public policies, if slavery, anti-semitism, or sexism were part of their agenda, by conscience I would refuse to vote for them. For myself, it's the same thing when it comes to abortion.

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Also See:

Witherspoon Institute 1
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.14_George_Robert_Obama

Witherspoon Institute 2 (Infanticide)
http://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.16_George_Robert_Obama%20and%20Infanticide_.xml

One More From Witherspoon
http://thepublicdiscourse.com/viewarticle.php?selectedarticle=2008.10.24_New_Michael%20J._Pro-Life%20Politicians%20Have%20Made%20a%20Difference,%20Pro-Life%20Laws%20Work_.xml

Randy Alcorn on Donald Miller
http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/2008/10/not-cool-obamas-pro-abortion-stance.html

Akira Kurosawa Interviews

I briefly read through the Akira Kurosawa Interviews tonight (edited by Bert Cardullo). Here were some of my favorite parts.

1963 - "Nothing could be more difficult for me than to define my own style. I simply make a picture as I wish it to be or as nearly as it is within my power to do so. I have never thought of defining my style. If I tried such a thing, I would be caught within my own trap." (25)

1966 - "There are so many things which portray violence and so many films show this. Somehow, I feel tired of it. It is easy to be happy. If it is necessary to show violence in a film, it is good to avoid ugliness...There are already too many films that show sex. I do not want my films to be another vehicle for it. Besides, I do not think it should be a purpose for entertainment. Children would not be able to understand it; it will only complicate their minds, and they will not be entertained." (32)

1975 - "Where films are concerned, if you set out to convey some special message or thesis you will become narrow and rigid. I think it is true for any other creative work as well." (58)

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1980 - "...there's a tradition in Western films that deal with cavalry battles, whereby one almost invariably fires to hit the rider. In terms of real battle strategy, however, this is entirely unrealistic because the horse is a much bigger target and if you wanted to disable the whole cavalry, you'd get rid of the horses first. But nobody has ever made a film that way. The convention is to shoot the rider and see him fall off and the response to the film comes from that. I felt that this tradition has already worn out and wanted to try something different, more effective, for the sophisticated film audiences of today--to show the final effect of the battle rather than those shootings themselves. Besides, when you have a stuntman on a horse who knows he's going to be shot, this is apparent in his whole physical attitude. The audience also knows it's going to happen, so why show them what they already know?" (72-73)

1986 - "Ideally, a film should be spherical. This is physically impossible; however, it is possible to approach such a shape. A film should appeal to sophisticated, profound-thinking people, while at the same time entertaining simplistic people. Even if a small circle of people enjoy a film, it will not do. A film should satisfy a wide range of people, all the people." (141)

1986 - "CINEASTE: Once you said that the most important thing for young people aspiring to become directors was to read world classics. Do you still believe so?

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KUROSAWA: Definitely. To read everything is almost impossible, so you must find writers that you like. Then, to find favorite works of these writers, and read them again and again. Therefore, your understanding of the characters in these works is deepened. One's level of understanding after reading a work once, and after reading it ten times, is naturally different." (143)

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...if I ever complain about not having any free time, feel free to slap me.