The current recclist diary
http://www.dailykos.com/...
on abortion stories has brought wetness to my eyes, many times so far.
For two reasons.
The first, and most obvious, is the sincerity and honesty of most of the posters of abortion stories, encouraged by the sincere and honest example of the diarist.
The second reason?
The extreme Black or White Thinking, no shades of grey, un-nuanced comments of too many posters.
So I'd like to propose what was, for me, a useful exercise...
Now Dkos is a self-selective place. On abortion rights, our Overton Window goes from:
Absolutely no restrictions on abortion until date of birth, and free
to perhaps
Restrictions on Third Trimester Abortions, Mandatory Counseling, etc.
So we don't see examples of completely anti-choice comments, as we would in what, sadly, is known as "the real world."
But as we scroll through the comments, we see things like (note: recced 15 times so far):
Fuck You is an outstanding argument! (15+ / 0-)
I'm pro-abortion. Yes, no foolin', I think abortion is a good thing.
Continued:.
Continued:
A simple operation improves the quality of life of a woman IMMENSELY. One simple operation can mean the difference between a productive life of contribution to the community, or a life not completely fulfilled.
Fetuses aren't human beings and they don't have the rights of a human being. Your OPINION has been noted, and rejected.
Suggestions that abortions can be dangerous to a women's health (they can be, although statistically less so than carrying a pregnancy to term), suggesting that many people involved in an abortion can feel grief or remorse (even if they "know" that it was a necessity, for themselves), suggesting that in a better world "unwanted" fetuses could be adopted by loving parents (nice to think, hard to prove) will bring out what I think of as the "Abortion Trolls."
Disclosure: I personally am anti-abortion.
I now think of it as a serious decision to make, and not to be made lightly.
I had one once, many years ago. I didn't think much about it beforehand. But have felt, and sometimes feel, a certain amount of grief about doing it without much mindfulness. I might very well have decided to go ahead and do it anyway. But I have to say (if I want to be honest), that had some form of mandatory counseling* been required, or even a 24 hour waiting period...it would have been healthier for me (although I would not mandate such a thing for you, or for anyone else).
I wish that we lived in a culture where the decision to abort a fetus never had to be made due to reasoning based on poverty, abusive relationships, need to continue education, lack of a partner, lack of resources that would mean impoverishment of existing children, lack of money to care for a child with disabilities, etc.
and would only need to be considered in cases like rape, incest, danger to the mother, fetus unable to live outside of womb, etc.
Politico-socially, I am TOTALLY Pro-Choice.
I believe that anyone who considers getting an abortion has the right to make their own decision based on whatever factors they want or need to factor in, and MUST have access to a safe way to get one...
Yet the fact that I think it is a serious decision -- and even feel, personally, that counseling* should be available, and offered/suggested for anyone considering having an abortion -- makes me the enemy to some posters.
*unbiased and client-centered, of course, not Fundamentalist propaganda
So here is my suggestion. Go to the superlative diary listed above.
As you read comments, consider them in what researchers call a "Likert Scale" -- which in this case would mean a way to position an attitude or belief on a scale.
Decide whether each comment reflects:
Totally Black and White Thinking (as in the commenter I cited)
Some ability to see various sides
Lots of shades of Grey
Pretty Nuanced Look at things
Very Nuanced
The Bane of Dkos, IMHO, is Black and White thinking.
Obama is perfect vs. Obama is Bush with basic speaking skills.
We need our candidates to be electable vs. we need our candidates to be perfect progressives.
And don't even get started on the I/P diaries.
Or the cats vs. dogs!
I found that doing this was an interesting exercise. Give it a try, if you think it worth one...
UPDATE:
As "Sensible Shoes" sensibly pointed out, "Either/Or" thinking is endemic.
I meant to include, in the body of the diary, something to the effect that:
Forget Either/Or. Forget Black or White. Try "Both/And..."