As I browse the internet I sometimes find articles that are so on point that all I can add is “What she said” or “What he said”.
A prime example is a recent posting by “Regular Guy” Paul on “Turncoats in the Culture War”. It is well worth reading and commenting upon.
I posted some thoughts on this article indirectly in a separate post. Let me say that it is a very good exploration of some of the problems with President-elect Obama from a pro-life perspective and that people like Kmiec who claim to be ‘pro-lifers,’ but then make pro-choice arguments are not really worthy of engagement. However, I think the denunciations of the Vox Nova crew are unfair; they are in an entirely different category than Kmiec for the most part, and contra the post, they have spoken out rather clearly about their pro-life concerns in an Obama administration. I recognize they can be extremely irritating, obtuse, etc., however I frequently dislike the way they express themselves much more than with the substance of their posts.
We shall have to agree to disagree on this point John Henry. I believe that “pro-lifers” who voted for the most radical pro-abort to ever run for President simply cannot be taken seriously as pro-lifers.
Fair enough, Donald. I could not justify voting for President-elect Obama personally, and I can certainly sympathize.
John Henry, can you please provide me any links to where the Vox Nova bloggers who endorsed Obama also expressed concerned about his abortion policies?
Paul – they have devoted a page of their web-site solely to asking Obama to reconsider some of his positions on abortion:
http://vox-nova.com/2008/11/17/an-open-letter-to-president-elect-barack-obama/
John Henry –
That post was put up by Henry Karlson, and I’m one of the original signatories on that petition.
Henry was not one of the four at Vox Nova who publicly endorsed Obama for President, that I’m aware of.
My view is that someone who is pro-life, and yet who spent so much energy persuading pro-lifers to vote Democrat, is now obligated morally to spend a like amount on energy on persuading Democrats to be pro-life.
Not a single keystroke from any of those I’ve named has been spent in such an effort.
Paul,
You are correct. Henry did not endorse Obama, and he has said he did not vote for him. I agree that it would be nice if the contributors showed as much enthusiasm for debating pro-choice Democrats as they do for attacking pro-life Republicans, but that is more because it is irritating than because I think it would make much of a difference in changing anyone’s mind.
At the same time, I know MM, Michael and Katerina signed the petition (not sure about M.Z., RCM but I assume they did as well), and they all were happy to support it. That is something.