Can we stop referring to right wingers as pro-lifers?

[blueclown]

Even on Democratic Underground, I see many people referring to Republicans as pro-life.

They are not pro-life.

The correct terminology is anti-choice.

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

1. "Anti-choice" isn't snappy enough for sound bites.

Same with "unabashed theocrat".

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Especially given their stand on capital punishment and war

Include any life issue other than abortion, and "pro-life" is revealed for the lie that it really is.

[hlthe2b]

3. You do know that there are some on the left that are "anti-choice"

I don't happen to be one of them, but there certainly are some here on DU as well...

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

6. Well boo hoo hoo, does it hurt their feelings to lumped in with RWers?

How about calling them misogynistic scum? Does that make them feel better?

[hlthe2b]

9. You might want to ask THEM....

:shrug:

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dysfunctional press]

4. i believe in letting each group decide on it's own name.

they want to be known as pro-life- that's fine by me- and that's how i'll continue to refer to them.

[blueclown]

10. So, if they call themselves 'freedom fighters'

Is that what you will call the rethugs from now on?

[dysfunctional press]

25. if that's the name of their organization, yes. (but i'd probably put "finger quotes" around it...)

that applies to all groups on all sides of all issues.

[HeresyLives]

5. Here we use the term

'forced-pregnancy'.

[Warpy]

7. I call it "reproductive slavery,"

but that's a mouthful to say and type. I usually satisfy myself with quotes, as in "pro life" because they're certainly not pro female life. In fact, the hallmark of their position on that one issue is that they deny the humanity and right to life of the woman involved completely.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. That drives me totally nuts, too, especially when it comes from people who should know better.

Who exactly is "anti-life?!" Nobody that I know... They are either anti-abortion or anti-choice. Everybody is "pro-life...":eyes:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Pro-preggers is more apt.

[supernova]

12. Forced Birthers

is what I call them.

Because they DON'T care about women nor kids after they are born.

[BlueJazz]

20. That's what I call them...even to their Face....and I Love It!

:)

[MBS]

13. yup, you're right. n/t

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. I just call them

batshit crazy fucks.

That's worked very well for me, since everyone always knows who I'm talking about.

SERIES, though, the anti-choice bunch were smart right out of the gate when they grabbed the "pro-life" handle and made it their own. Our side was dragging ass and never fought them on that very important matter of nomenclature. For a lot of years, as a volunteer lawyer with pro-choice organizations, I argued about that over and over, but my pleas fell on deaf ears. The folks, the good folks, naively thought that "names aren't important."

Well, named ARE important. I always love running into the rare ones who picket on behalf of the "pre-born," usually hauling big posters with fetus picture on them. I used to have a sign in my car, and I'd stop and get out and join them.

My sign had an arrow pointing down to me, and it simply said "Pre-Dead."

Names matter. Words matter.

[MyUserNameIsBroken]

16. I've taken to calling them

The Fetal Rights Brigade. It's honest and yet subtly demeaning.

[boomerbust]

17. Pukes

<<<

[Tommy_Carcetti]

18. I pretty much eschew any rhetorical labels in the abortion debate

Those who favor the legal right to abortion are "pro-abortion rights" or "abortion rights advocates." (Note: They are not "pro-abortion" because many people who favor abortion rights do not see it as a good thing, but nonetheless favor it as a legal right.)

Those who oppose abortion are "anti-abortion." They oppose abortion. Pretty much self-explanatory.

"Life" and "Choice" are functionally useless terms meant only to make each respective side feel better about its ownself, and in the same breath demonize the opposition, i.e. "anti-life" and "anti-choice."

[TheWraith]

19. No, we can't. Just like we couldn't the last 30-odd times this was suggested.

Because we don't decide what the terminology is. And even if we could choose it ourselves, we'd need something snappier than "anti-choice" or "pro-forced-birth" or whatever ridiculous phrase is in vogue at the moment.

Like it or not, the media prefers "pro-choice" and "pro-life" because they're non-pejorative ways of referencing the sides. And that's the way it's going to stay.

[blueclown]

22. "Because we don't decide what the terminology is."

Yes we do get to decide. And it starts by every single pro-choicer referring to those who do not support the right to choose as anti-choice.

[dysfunctional press]

26. well, i won't be, for one. i'll continue to use the terms pro-life and pro-choice.

not sorry. :hi:

[Rainbowreflect]

21. Pro-birth, then screw um!

[randr]

23. Fright wing party

[bowens43]

24. I call them assholes........