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Wanna know if a pro-choice argument is effective at persuasion? Simply apply the Anti-Abortion Translator: replace "abortion" with "shooting babies in the head". If your pro choice argument suddenly sounds idiotic with the translator applied, then it's not gonna be persuasive.

Quote Tweet

San Francisco Chronicle

@sfchronicle

Dec 12, 2021

In an interview with The Chronicle, VP Kamala Harris warned of grave consequences if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade: “I don’t mean to sound alarmist, I mean this: Women will die." Read more: bit.ly/3EOQ0Sx

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8:59 PM · Dec 13, 2021

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That makes it sound like persuasion is impossible, which it empirically doesn't seem like it is

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I think it's possible! arguments like "abortion isn't actually shooting babies in the head" at least address the problem. arguments like "anti abortion people don't care about women's rights" just sound idiotic

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*confused screeching because the quoted tweet does not contain the word abortion*

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lol I couldn't fit more nuance into that tweet

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Indeed. Most people with positions at both extremes and even at most positions along the spectrum fail to realize the core question is whether or not the embryo/fetus is a person (which, by the way, must be based in some way on “person-like” cognition)

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how about we replace "shooting babies in the head" with "removing a tumor" or is this too morbid?

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I see your point but it’s not intended to change staunch anti abortion folks’ minds (not that many of them give a damn what Kamala Harris has to say anyway). You have to go pretty far past the median voter to find someone who’s anti-Roe so preaching to the choir is viable

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Except a zygote isn't a baby. The relevant question isn't whether abortion is okay, it's at what point the fetus is sentient & can feel pain.

Kristian Labak (K-Lab)

@klabcreative

Dec 13, 2021

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@Aella_Girl

Pro-choice unfortunately focuses the argument on 'my body/my choice', but IMO the stronger argument is that many aren't simply choosing to not have a child, but to not have a child now and potentially later instead – when they're better equipped to provide for it and themselves.

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Usually people are pro choice on the basis of Christianity. Just show them in the Bible all the times God said it was OK to kill children. Or the trial of the bitter water which induced abortion.