Our Cardinal Way project seeks to find ways for people to have constructive dialogue on difficult topics.
Over the past months, we’ve run a series of pro/con essays and invited readers to comment on such controversial topics as local growth issues in Roanoke, the proposed sports arena in Alexandria and electronic “skill” games” across the state.
We may have finally found one where there’s simply no compromise possible — at least not from the readers who have chosen to respond. That topic is abortion. We recently ran competing essays from retired doctor Molly O’Dell and Olivia Gans Turner of the Virginia Society for Human Life, and then posed a series of questions for readers to consider.
One of those was “Do you think there is a point of view that someone could offer that would influence your view?”
From both sides, the answer came back: No.
“It is difficult to discuss when one [side] represents human rights and the opposition represents religious beliefs and the fear of not going to heaven because of choosing abortion,” wrote Valinda Gayle Dyer of Meadows of Dan.
While these responses in no way constitute a scientific survey, they do help illustrate yet again the difficulty of having any kind of public conversation on the topic.
“I think there is room for common ground,” wrote Julianne Miles of Abingdon. “The Roe standard of viability is a solid one. As technology improves, that may be a moving target, but that is ok.”
Of course, the Roe decision was controversial for decades and wasn’t viewed as common ground by opponents. Many others would simply brook no compromise.
“The rule of the state should end at the boundary of my skin. And you can quote me on that. What is inside me is nobody’s business,” wrote Bepe Kafka of Grayson County.
It’s hard to reconcile that with what Bruce Hudson of Danville wrote: “A woman does have the right to do what she wants to her body, but not the body of an unborn person. Unborn people are people too, and should be protected.”
One of the questions we asked was what readers thought was the best way to make the case for their point of view to someone on the other side.
“I got nothing,” wrote Charles Ellis of Vinton.
“There is none,” agreed James McCarthy of Herndon.
This point of view was common on both sides.
“There is no argument that could convince me that a bunch of old white men should be making decisions about my insides, about things that they are not qualified to have a judgment on, and that they will never experience or understand,” Kafka wrote.
On the other side, Nancy Artis of Blacksburg wrote: “You can’t have both at the same time — one is a precious baby desperate to live and the other considered a bunch of cells that mean nothing and can be killed.”
We also asked if readers saw the potential for any common ground on abortion. Most said no, often emphatically so.
“I don’t believe common ground should be the issue,” wrote Ginny Laidler, who weighed in from Durango, Colorado. “The decision is a medical decision, not a political debate. Medical decisions don’t require any common ground, they have no place in the public discourse.”
“No,” wrote Robert David Vernon of Cana in Carroll County. “Abortion is murder.”
A few readers, though, did offer some suggestions.
“I do not think there is common ground on making abortions illegal,” wrote Susan Brock of Bedford. “Common ground might be able to be found in increasing maternal medical, financial, and social support in terms of sex and sexual behavior education in public schools for both men and women, making free contraceptives available to women with lesser incomes, free or highly subsidized child care and transportation, and child support from the father. That would help reduce the need for abortions.”
“Provide free birth control to women who want it,” wrote Karla McDuffie of Roanoke. “Educate youth (all genders starting at age 12 or 13 in through high school) on human reproduction and explore with them the consequences of pregnancy for both parties and their families.”
Next time, we’ll have competing essays on whether the minimum wage should be raised.
