General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: What is the real reason that rethugs are anti-abortion? I don't accept that they care about the [View all]ljm2002
(10,751 posts)...that's the long and the short of it.
We trace our lineage (from a societal point of view) through the male side. Now as we all know, before DNA testing, it was somewhat difficult to prove a baby's actual parentage on the male side; therefore, it was necessary for men to control their women to ensure it was their own seed that was propagated.
Thus the social structures of marriage, etc. were set up in such a way that women were essentially chattel, owned by their menfolk. And social structures change slowly. The roots run deep and the associated habits, thoughts and behaviors are very ingrained.
We actually made some great progress for awhile there, including legalizing abortion. Then along came the politicians who saw another way to capitalize using this as a social wedge issue, and they went after it with a vengeance. This fanned the flames among the religious right who proceeded to make it their own issue, allowing them to see themselves as pious moral crusaders who have decent values and care about innocent life.
For these sorts, a fetus is a bouncing baby and an already-living person is not innocent and a pregnant woman is nothing more than a vessel / vassal.