Abortion and Feminism

Libertas is commenting on a flap over a "balanced" documentary about both sides of the abortion debate. (You can judge for yourself how balanced it is likely to be, but that is beside the point.) As a Christian, I am personally opposed to, and horrified by, abortion; but I have difficulty reconciling my devotion to freedom with the idea that abortion must be outlawed. As with the fruitless War on Drugs, it is an issue the political/religious right will eventually have to concede. What conservatives have failed to understand with issues like abortion and the War on Drugs is that you cannot defeat something by attacking it directly, i.e. banning and criminalization are ineffective. In fact, they are counterproductive. The problem is not availability, which, oddly enough, conservatives understand when it comes to gun control. Naive gun-banners look at crime in America and decry the number of guns in private hands. But conservatives intrinsically understand that the real problem is not availability, but why so many people are willing to pull the trigger on their fellow human beings. It is a little mystifying as to why these same people fail to understand that the same principle applies to other societal ills. The problem with abortion is not that it is available on demand, but why we have vast numbers of women -- the traditional caregivers and nurturers of our species -- willing to kill their own children.

I believe the role of feminism in Western society is squarely to blame. It also serves as an example of this great irony of existence: when you try to achieve something directly, you almost always end up with the opposite (cf. the French Revolution, modern psychiatry, the War on Drugs, and gun control). I think feminism started off with noble intentions. It was supposed to promote appreciation of feminine qualities, for the betterment of everyone. I am a paleo-feminist in the sense that I believe in the virtues and necessity of positive feminine qualities. But could modern feminism ever be described this way? Now we have a movement that inspires hatred of positive feminine and masculine qualities, and brings out the worst in both sexes. In Dr. Laura's new book, The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage, a listener to Dr. Laura's radio program comments:

Feminists abandoned all the virtues of womanhood (modesty, tact, subtlety, civility) and adopted all the vices of men (promiscuity, vulgarity, aggressiveness). Perhaps this would be less appalling if the feminists adopted at least some of the male virtues (logical thought, adherence to principles, stoicism, reticence), but they have not. Paradoxically, feminism today is about hating men, but at the same time encouraging detestable behavior in men: how exactly has abortion on demand improved male/female relationships?

It hasn't. Women have turned themselves into little more than life-support systems for vaginas, and in the process have completely demeaned a once-honored role in society as civilizers of men. Now, by unleashing the worst qualities in ourselves, we have unleashed the worst in men. It is probably the worst tragedy of the modern age. If you disagree, read the comments of 'Howard432' in the Libertas post. Through all this, women have demeaned the sanctity of life. Ironically, it is the traditionally less-nurturing members of our society who often find themselves reconsidering modern sexual relations when faced with the ultimate consequences of their lifestyles. Again, read Howard432's comments, and, if you can find it, watch the original version of the film Alfie.

If conservative/religious Americans want an end to widespread abortion, forget banning, and instead aggressively oppose modern feminism. Expose it for the ugly, hateful lie it is, and push for a return to more traditional gender roles in this country. (Which, ironically, will solve many other societal problems in the process.)