stassen@spp2.UUCP (Chris Stassen) (03/31/85)
> The fact is this: ACTIVE Pro-lifers get no money for their efforts. > ACTIVE Pro-choicers make ALOT of money for their efforts. Hello, Matt. I want you to know that I'm a member of a much larger net.abortion community than either the pro-choicers or the pro-lifers: the silent, undecided listeners. Those of you who are being very vocal have a great chance to "show the light" to a lot of people. There are a lot of people out there listening carefully to everything said by both sides, and doing a lot of thinking. I am but one of them. However, I have seen quiet rational discussion from the pro-choicers. Most of what I see from your side of the fence are what I percieve to be wild claims. I'm not sure, but I bet that you couldn't produce a paper (made by a neutral group) which would substantiate the claim you made (above). In fact, I challenge you to substantiate it. If you can produce a reference which I can verify, then I will vote pro-life in the next election. If you can't, I will vote pro-choice. And, while you're at it: (1) Tell me how much Jerry Falwell (a VERY ACTIVE "anti-choicer") makes. (2) Tell me how much tax he pays. (3) Tell me the percentage of clinic workers that are volunteers. You have a good chance to sway a lot of silent listeners to your side, if you can provide sound, logical arguments. Right now, I would say that the things posted by the pro-life side have done them much more harm (reducing their credibility) than good. You can snow the ignorant masses (and organized religion makes a good deal of money doing it [1]), but you can't snow all of USEnet. People like Mikki Barry are going to calmly shoot down outrageous claims and make pro-life all the less credible. Pro-life really may be right; it really may be correct. Yet, though emotional rhetoric may be the easiest course of argument, it certainly is not to your advantage in the long run. Those who you convince using those methods will feel manipulated and used later. [1] I mean, of course, with emotion-raising rhetoric and such things as video-game and rock-music witch hunts. -- Chris PS - I am also posting a copy of this to the net.