Political Memes

It’s possible to be against abortion for personal beliefs, and understand that your personal beliefs aren’t the arbiter of the personal health decisions of others

Very true, and on other points my political beliefs reflect that. But if I view abortion as killing an innocent person, then it makes sense to seek to outlaw that as it obliterates the safety and rights of another human. For other views, like say that of drugs, the situation is different. I am personally against most drugs. But, that doesn't mean I support criminalizing the use of all of them.

For most people, including in the works of science life doesn’t begin at conception.

But, the beginning of life in this sense isn't a scientific question. Science can tell be when an embryo could live separately from it's mother, or when it's heart starts beating. But, when does it become a living thing? That question isn't a scientific question at all.

I agree that there isn't a consensus on the answer to that question though. But, how do we deal with that? How do we decide what to do when we disagree? Well, that's what our voting system is for, and I would push for stopping abortion within that framework. When the majority vote against it, it won't happen, because that's how the system works. That's how we decide when we don't agree. I don't want to circumvent the system to get what I want (and this is a point on which I think republicans have f'd up. They make laws in bad faith and try to take power in illegitimate ways). I don't want my opinion to obliterate the opinions of others. But I will vote according to my opinion. This framework is true of every issue.

Sadly, the choices are so limited, I can not vote for a party that isn't horrible and wants to stop abortion. The system is very bad. And for the record, I have voted completely for Democrats the last few elections. I would rather vote for third party candidates, but there's basically no choice there.