Dr. Joan Bushwell's Chimpanzee Refuge

Michael Medved’s speech at the “Values Voter” Summit in Washington was a wonderful example of lunacy and demagoguery. I’ll bypass the entire concept of a “values voter” to begin with as it implies that there’s a voting segment that has “no values” (even Adolf Hitler had values, just not ones that most sane people share). I caught a chunk of his speech last night on CSPAN.

At one point Medved was discussing the difference between the Republican and Democratic parties. He stated that Republicans agree on the big issues. For example, while there might be some disagreement in the Republican ranks on the details of abortion, such as whether or not exclusions for rape or incest should be allowed, most importantly, all members agreed that abortion is bad and should be banned. In contrast, stated Medved, Democrats believe that “abortion should always be available, right up to the moment before birth”. This is demonstrably false. I don’t know a single Democrat who thinks it would be perfectly OK for a woman in her eighth month to just decide on a whim that she wanted an abortion, which is precisely the scenario Medved has described. Thus, I conclude that Medved is either a liar, sadly deluded, stunningly ignorant, or the victim of mind-altering chemicals.

Medved has simply a created a boogeyman. It’s a mindless caricature of “the other side”. And it works both ways. “All Democrats” are not “evul, librul commies” and “all Republicans” are not “evul, fascist bastards”.

I think a better description might be that many (not all) Republicans agree that abortion is bad and would like to see a day when it is no longer performed. They seek to do this by way of edict: they want to outlaw it. This, of course, ignores reality. In contrast, many (not all) Democrats also agree that abortion is bad and would like to see a day when it is no longer performed. They seek to do this by way of education, contraception, and similar means. This, of course, is not fool-proof, but appears to be more effective overall than a simple ban given parallel examples and human nature.

Either way, Medved remains true to form: the village idiot incarnate.

Comments

#1 Orac
September 13, 2008

I’ll bypass the entire concept of a “values voter” to begin with as it implies that there’s a voting segment that has “no values” (even Adolf Hitler had values, just not ones that most sane people share).

I claim Godwin!
#2 Paul Lamb
September 13, 2008

C’mon now. John McCain is the man who can lead us into the 20th Century!

I think with this election we have the choice between making history, and repeating it.
#3 Tony P
September 13, 2008

I’d have no problem if they elected to smother the little bastard offspring after it was born. Why are we so squicky about new life when we let our elderly flap in the wind?
#4 Crudely Wrott
September 13, 2008

It is fascinating, not to mention frightening, how casually some people assume that human nature can be immediately changed by edict.

Armed with any measure of authority and beguiled by allegiance to some beloved style of Value Imperialism (TM), they will ramrod through restrictions that fail to do what they are claimed to do. For example, does abstinence only education reduce teen pregnancy? Then they will smile for the camera and dislocate their shoulders patting themselves on the back for putting everybody back on the right track.

Shazzam!

I don’t know if I am more amused or intimidated. Why do we suffer these fools?
#5 Phil
September 13, 2008

Please don’t insult the village idiots.
#6 Mustafa Mond, FCD
September 15, 2008

C’mon now. John McCain is the man who can lead us into the 20th Century!

Why stop there? Pope Benedict is ready to lead us into the 14th century.
#7 Reginald
September 16, 2008

The fact is the pro-life movement does so well simply because they don’t take the time to think about it rationally for a moment because if they did, they’d realise that outlawing the act isn’t going to do jack.
#8 Diana
September 17, 2008

Having worked as a nurse, I find the little hairs on the back of my neck rising up every time I hear people like Medved talking about “values” and “pro-life.” All he and people like him really mean is pro-birth, the old barefoot and pregnant every other year from the age of 18 to 50 for women so they’ll stay home, too busy to bother him! And that means deaths of young women from self-induced abortions out of desperation, deaths of babies that are unhealthy from being born to unhealthy mothers who haven’t recovered from the previous child’s birth, deaths of older mothers who are worn out from repeated child-bearing, cemeteries full of mothers and children. Just like my granny, now 103 years old, saw when she was growing up and has told me about in gory detail, too. I’m getting old myself and I don’t want to see us go back to that, by God I don’t! My daughter deserves better than that and so does everyone else’s! Besides, the world is too full for every women to bear 12 babies like granny and her mother before her. When Medved is willing to take his turn in the labor room, bearing that baby himself, carrying it the full nine months in his body — then I’ll think about voting Republican. Not before.

Because just look what happens after all 12 of those babies are born, anyway. The Republicans lose all interest! They’re on their own then for the rest of their lives. Because government shouldn’t have to be bothered taking care of those impoverished, little orphans, should it?

Sorry, sorry, got carried away again.
#9 JimFiore
September 18, 2008

I liked that, Diana. PLEASE feel free to “get carried away” on topics like this whenever you want!

The last paragraph really brings it home.
#10 adina
September 21, 2008

You’re making the same mistake Medved does, except choosing the opposing political party. Polls show that the majority of Republicans are (as I am) pro-choice, and vote Republican for different reasons. Don’t take Medved at his word to reinforce your own biases about Republicans, as he is a false representative. Look at the data that is available on the “Republican Majority for Choice” website.