stim@fluke.UUCP (Randy Stimpson) (09/23/86)
The October issue of Sojourners featured an article on abortion by feminist Ginny Soley. In the article she shows how the rights of women and unborn children must be addressed together, rather than separately. Following are a few quotes from the article. "In order to deal with abortion, we must deal with the reality of the oppression of women as a class of people within a particular culture. From that perspective the question of abortion really becomes a question of justice. What does it mean to do justice? What does it mean to bring forth justice for women and their children?" .... "The particular and unique contribution of Christian feminism is to question two assumptions. The first assumption it questions is that the individual's self-interest is, in fact, the highest value. The second assumption it questions is the vision of justice that pits a woman's rights against a child's right to life, that forces us to see only one victim over and against another victim. "What we need is to find a way that is good for both mother and child. In the Christian worldview, the highest value extends beyond individual self-interest to what is good for the whole of the community. The responsibility for anything we do also extends beyond the individual to the whole of the community." Randy Stimpson
cheryl@batcomputer.TN.CORNELL.EDU (cheryl) (09/26/86)
In article <1604@vax1.fluke.UUCP> stim@fluke.UUCP (Randy Stimpson) writes: > > >The October issue of Sojourners featured an article on abortion by feminist >Ginny Soley. In the article she shows how the rights of women and unborn >children must be addressed together, rather than separately. Following are >a few quotes from the article. ... > >"What we need is to find a way that is good for both mother and child. In the >Christian worldview, the highest value extends beyond individual self-interest >to what is good for the whole of the community. The responsibility for >anything we do also extends beyond the individual to the whole of the >community." > Unfortunately, she apparently says nothing about the nature of her proposed solution. These statements could be an intro to a demand for widespread high-level welfare for all pregnant women such that any woman can raise a child in the manner to which they would like to become accustomed; or it could be an intro to a demand that all women be raised in a more "Christian" manner -- that books be banned, that marriages happen early, and that women subordinate themselves to those who provide for them. Could this noncommittal stance of hers be intentionally ambiguous, such that it offends neither feminists nor moral majority types, since each can read into the article what they would like? Randy, if there is more substantive material in this article, please quote that, too. Cheryl
pmd@cbdkc1.UUCP (Paul M. Dubuc) (09/26/86)
Thanks for posting the quotes, Randy. I can tell you that you'll probably get some nasty letters (from a few men, probably) for posting an article that challenges the pro-choice feminist line on abortion, even though this subject is as much about feminism as abortion. I got this reaction when I posted an article describing the book _Pro-Life Feminism: Different Voices_ (Gail Grenier Sweet, ed.). No, I haven't learned my lesson, guys. :-) I still think people ought to know that you can be against abortion *on demand* and be for women's rights. I think there are some good arguments (those who have read my stuff in net.abortion a couple of months ago have seen some of them) to the effect that legalized abortion on demand may have done more harm than good for women. The concern for a consistent appeal for justice in our society is forging a pro-life consensus on human rights issues like abortion, poverty, discrimination, and the arms race. The newly formed Political Action Committee "JustLife", which I described a while back is just one expression of this. I hope this consensus grows enough to leave out in the cold those who insist on clinging to the inconsistent extremes on these issues. (I have about 7 information packets on JustLife that I would be glad to send to the first 7 people who will mail me their postal address. To the rest I'll send JustLife's address. I don't have that handy to post right now.) -- Paul Dubuc cbdkc1!pmd