Can an anarchist be prolife?

[Thread_Maker]

I would just like to know, friends.

 

[limequat]

Of course. Being pro-life doesn't mean that you support gov't laws banning abortion. Now that you mention it, I might consider myself a pro-life anarchist.

 

[fisharmor]

My pro-life views helped lead me to anarchism.

 

[wizardwatson]

I think the only "-ist" that can't be pro-life is an abortionist.

 

[Xenophage]

The obvious answer is no. Anything else is rationalization.

 

[fisharmor]

I think the only "-ist" that can't be pro-life is an abortionist.

Only because "warmonger" ends with "-er".

 

[fisharmor]

The obvious answer is no. Anything else is rationalization.

Please elaborate.
Moving to philosophy forum in 3...2...1...

 

[low preference guy]

My pro-life views helped lead me to anarchism.

please elaborate

 

[LibertyEagle]

I would just like to know, friends.

What brought this up if I may ask? This isn't exactly anarchist central. It's the forum in support of a Constitutionalist running for president.

 

[wizardwatson]

What brought this up if I may ask? This isn't exactly anarchist central. It's the forum in support of a Constitutionalist running for president.

Just another thread by a new poster trying to get things riled up, imo.

 

[CaseyJones]

moved to philosophy

 

[dannno]

A lot of it depends on what pro-life means exactly.

I could make a definition of pro-life that includes myself (I actually consider myself pro-choice). We'll call it pro-life definition A

I could also make a definition of pro-life that doesn't fit anybody on this board or Ron Paul. We'll call it pro-life definition Z

Then there is pro-life definitions B-Y which is everything in between.


Definition A is a person who thinks life is a good thing and we should propagate it in positive ways.

Definition Z is a person who not only thinks abortion should be illegal at the Federal level and fights for that legislation, but also wants to make abortion illegal in say, China or Zimbabwe, and fights for global legislation to ban abortion everywhere in the world.


All you people who claim you're pro-life out there, how do you rationalize the fact that you want to help your government make abortion illegal in some country that is a 4 hour drive away, but if you live in a border state, you don't have any desire to make abortion illegal in Canada or Mexico? You might strive for it and wish for it, but you don't push to have those views enforced on others outside of your state.

I know an argument can be made, state soveirgnty, yada yada, but the question is, especially for anarchists who consider themselves pro-life, what is the radius around your house to which you feel responsible to make sure that abortions are 'illegal' and that it is enforced? Or are you someone who personally is against abortion and advocate those views for others through persuasion rather than coercion?

 

[A Son of Liberty]

My pro-life views helped lead me to anarchism.

+1

 

[fisharmor]

please elaborate

Ok... here's some of it.

1. The state in its various forms is responsible for at least as many deaths in the 20th century as is abortion, and I believe it is actually responsible for a lot more.
2. The state always imposes values on the populace. It is more often than not its own values, not those of the populace.
3. In the absence of a state, some other entity is free to suggest its values to the populace without interference from the state.
4. Historically, this entity is the Church. (See Ireland for over 1000 years - which remains a strong Christian society even 400 years after statism was imposed on them.)
5. The Church takes a dim view on abortion. (And always has - arguments to the contrary are misinformed.)
6. The Church also takes a dim view on war. (Using big 'C' church here - THE Church, the one holy, little-c catholic Church - not 'a' church or 'your' church).

 

[ClayTrainor]

being pro-life and pro-state to me, seems like a contradiction. States/Governments have extinguished more human life in the last century than all other organizations combined.

 

[mport1]

I'm an anarchist and I lean pro-life (at least at this point).

 

[Vessol]

I'm a pro-life anarchist in the fact that I believe that it is immoral to initiate force upon others, whether they be in a womb or outside it. The issue for me though is that even though the mother could be considered initiating force upon a unborn child, does that give the right for others to use force upon the mother and the abortion provider? It's a tricky question that I don't believe can be answered with a simple answer of 'pro-life' or 'pro-choice'.

 

[low preference guy]

I'm a pro-life anarchist in the fact that I believe that it is immoral to initiate force upon others, whether they be in a womb or outside it. The issue for me though is that even though the mother could be considered initiating force upon a unborn child, does that give the right for others to use force upon the mother and the abortion provider? It's a tricky question that I don't believe can be answered with a simple answer of 'pro-life' or 'pro-choice'.

i.e., you don't know whether using force against the abortion provider should be used just like force can be used against someone who kills a grown up, if i read your post correctly.