Slavery and abortion

Great article comparing abortion to slavery by Lynn D. Wardle,

"...The normative significance of abortion-on-demand is comparable in many ways to the normative significance of slavery. 

Slavery rejects the humanity of slaves, while abortion rejections the humanity of children in the womb.  

Slavery denies the personhood of slaves; abortion denies the personhood of children in utero.  

Slavery was based upon the lie that slavery was best for the slaves; likewise, abortion is based upon the lie that abortion is best for unwanted children.  

Defenders of slavery argued that the government had no right to tell slave-owners what to do with their bodies (the bodies of slaves they owned), and defenders of elective abortion argue that government has no right to tell women carrying unborn children what to do with their bodies (and the bodies of those children). 

Southerners argued that they had the right to choose whether or not to own slaves; pro-choice abortionists argue that women have the right to choose whether or not to have abortions. 

The South argued that slavery was protected by the Constitution; pro-abortionists likewise argue that elective abortion is protected by the Constitution. 

Defenders of slavery argued that abolition would lead to chaos in the country, and opponents of abortion restrictions argue that abortion restrictions will lead to chaos. 

Opponents of slavery argued that it was unfair to impose the burden of abolition upon one class (white slave-owners), while opponents of abortion restrictions argue that it is unfair to impose the burden of abortion restriction upon one class (women who want abortions). 

Opponents of abolition argued that slaves were not real “persons,” and advocates of elective abortion (like Justice Blackmun in his 1973 opinion for the Court in Roe v. Wade) argue that unborn children are not “persons” in the whole sense, either.  

Opponents of abolition argued that if lawmakers would leave slavery alone, it would gradually disappear; and opponents of abortion restrictions argue now that if lawmakers will leave abortion alone, it will recede and fade away.  

Slavery was based upon a hierarchical view of race; abortion is based upon a hierarchical view of human life. 

Defenders of slavery engaged in the vigorous suppression of abolitionist speech.  Likewise, defenders of elective abortion impose draconian limits upon pro-life free speech. 

Southerners considered abolitionists to be religious fanatics.  Today, supporters of elective abortion consider advocates of reasonable abortions restrictions to be religious fanatics. 

Lincoln asked “Is a man not a man because he is Black?”  Pro-lifers today ask: “Is a child not a child because she is living in the womb?”..."