Taking their cues from President Obama*, pro-choice advocates are starting to talk the common ground talk. Pro-life advocates have no choice: learn to clarify the problems with pro-choice appeals to “common ground,” or lose the cultural debate.
For help with this, see the introduction of Common Ground Without Compromise and this post.
* Examples of Obama on abortion:
2009 statement:
Statement of President Obama on the 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade
On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.
While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.
On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.
“…the broader issue is, do women have the right to make these profoundly difficult decisions? And I trust them to do it.
Now, there’s a broader issue, though, and that is, can we move past some of the debates around which we disagree and can we start talking about the things we do agree on? Reducing teen pregnancy, making it less likely for women to find themselves in the circumstances where they’ve got to anguish over these decisions — those are areas where I think we can all start mobilizing and move forward, rather than look backward.”
(Barack Obama, Democratic Candidate Debate, April 26, 2007)
Human Beings Matter More 