Of all the arguments in support of legalized abortion made by elected legislators, the one that bothers me the most is, "While I'm personally opposed to abortion, I cannot vote to impose my views on others ..."
This represents the ultimate privatization of beliefs. Thank Goodness 19th-century abolitionists did not use this logic to explain their unwillingness to vote to outlaw slavery.
Every day, liberals, in whose ranks I count myself, urge legislators to vote to impose our views and beliefs on others when it involves enacting a progressive tax system, guaranteeing gay rights, protecting the environment, or through the federal government, providing health care to millions of Americans who do not presently have it.
Some now argue that government can involve itself in social morality — such as ending racial segregation — but butt out when it comes to personal moral decisions. This leads to the kind of convoluted liberalism that, as Father Thomas J. Reese, the Jesuit author, has observed, holds that "government should no longer ban topless dancing, but should ensure that the dancer works in a smoke-free environment."
