Ashcroft (McConnell??) Nomination

[David Bernstein]

With all due respect, I don't know anyone who believes himself to be
"antichoice."  Those who oppose abortion think they are protecting human
life, and don't think of themselves as being antichoice anymore than your
average person who is against homicide in other circumstances thinks of
themselves that way.  My views on abortion are, I take it, within Professor
Allison's mainstream, but I think we should have more respect for those on
the "right" on this issue by not insisting on using rhetorical devices that
negate the sincerity of and underlying moral reasons for, their position.  I
don't object so much to the pro-choice terminology (or to the other side
using pro-life) but to attributing to the other side an "antichoice" position
as if they think of it that way (and I would object to someone saying "I know
many people who believe they are antilife"--again, no such people exist.)

David Bernstein

In a message dated 1/22/01 11:56:20 AM Eastern Standard Time,
gary-allison at UTULSA.EDU writes:

<<
 Moreover, Brad's definition of who is antichoice is very narrow.  I know
 many people who believe they are antichoice simply because they support
 parental consent laws or laws outlawing certain procedures (so-called
 partial birth abortion laws) or laws forbidding women to abort because they
 do not like the gender of the fetus but yet when asked say they generally
 support a grown woman's right to decide for herself whether to carry a
 pregnancy to term.  Many other antichoice persons do not want to ban any
 form of birth control, for they think there is a substantial difference
 physically and morally between fertilized eggs, zygotes in the early stages
 of pregnancy, and well-developed fetuses on the verge of viability.
  >>