Dawson (why, dammit, why do I always think of ‘Jay and Silent Bob’ when I hear that name?? Actually, why do I think of ‘Jay and Silent Bob’ when I hear most things?) throws a little chin music my way over my Ann Coulter comment.
His points, as I read them early this morning:
1. She probably said what she said, and there’s nothing new here. I’m pretty new to this whole Ann Coulter thing – remember that we don’t have TV – so the comments are new to me, anyway.
2. He dings me for printing my email to her website. I intended to do two things in doing so, and I probably should have said something about them when I put them up: a) having hammered her for saying something, at least do her the courtesy of asking if she really said it in the only way I know how; and b) try in my own tiny 200-unique-visitor-a-day manner to put some pressure on someone to either have her back or repudiate the clear meaning of the quote.
3. He justifiably dings me for sending it to the webmaster, and expecting some kind of response. OK, where else should I have sent it? I mean, again, at least I’m trying to confirm it!
4. He dings me for not knowing her oevre. He’s right. At some point I’ll try and read her book…it’s just that what with moving, unpacking, looking for work, getting a kid off to college, etc. etc. time is a little thin. I promise that by the end of the year, I’ll have read the book and commented.
5. He appears to support her in what she appears to have said. Here we go pretty far off the rails, and I’ll enlarge below.
My personal position on abortion is pretty complex. Up to my late 20’s, I was firmly on the ‘women’s right to choose/get the oppressive state out of my uterus’ side of things. I’d paid for one or two abortions, and had a mild twinge about it, but it wasn’t a big deal to me. The moral stance was clear.
Then we (ex and I) decided to have a kid, and soon were pregnant. I clearly remember walking into the doctor’s office and seeing the first sonogram (we have the video somewhere) of Biggest Guy in utero. It was a transcendent moment, second only to the moment he crowned and I saw him for the first time.
As we walked out of the office, we were both contemplative. I turned to her and said, “You know, this whole abortion thing is far more complex than I ever thought.” And to this day I agree that it is.
I’m still on the side of some limited right to choose on the part of women. I agree that it should be secure, safe, and most of all, rare. I’m less dogmatic about it.
I am dogmatic, however, about threatening and shooting people.
It’s real simple: the right to personally take up arms and act violently toward another person has to be reserved for a case where you are personally under threat of harm, or when any reasonable person would agree it is appropriate.
If I were armed, and a 7-11 was being violently held up as I drove into the lot, I’d retreat to a position of safety, get on the phone, and be a good witness. If the robber(s) saw and attacked me, we’d have a different kind of discussion.
No one is personally threatening the clinic killers. There exists a spectrum of opinion on whether abortion is murder; this suggests that they need to work the process, not rifle bolts.
John Brown was a psychotic nutjob. His impact on history was questionable, regardless of his place in song. Clinic murderers are nutjobs as well, and the right-to-life movement tarnishes itself by harboring, aiding, and tolerating people like that.
Is my position on that clear?
On a more conciliatory note, I also enjoy Dawson’s site, and I’m flattered as hell that he said this about me: Armed Liberal, who I honestly enjoy reading and find to be, not only a good writer, as in a damn fine wordsmith but also a rational, articulate person….
Let’s find some stuff we can agree on and go do it. Meanwhile, let’s go eat some BBQ…