Monday, October 09, 2006

Reversed rhetoric in an abortion debate

Any communications pro will tell you that co-opting your oppenent's languages and ideas can be a very effective strategy - and we're seeing that in use right now in South Dakota, where the state's toughest-in-the-nation abortion ban will be put to a voter referendum next month. The Los Angeles Times
reports on the campaign:

In the fight to preserve the toughest abortion ban in the nation, the talk is not of a fetus' right to life. It's of a woman's right to motherhood.

Antiabortion activists here deliberately avoid the familiar slogans of their movement. They don't talk about the "murder of innocent babies" or quote the Bible on the sanctity of life. Instead, campaign manager Leslee Unruh has taken what she calls a feminist approach, arguing that legalized abortion exploits women and -- for their sake -- must be stopped.

The bumper stickers and T-shirts that fill campaign headquarters spell out her message, in pink and blue: "Abortion Hurts Women."
the rest

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