How Not to Win Hearts and Minds on Abortion

60% of Americans are ambivalent about abortion. They don’t like it, but they don’t want to tell desperate women what they can and cannot do. They are open to persuasion many times, but they are nervous about it. Calm, reasoned argument is your best bet with such folk.

It is therefore generally not a good idea for opponents of abortion to threaten to set themselves on fire over the issue. It is also not helpful to improving the growing image of the GOP as the Party of Crazy when the person threatening to immolate himself is a Republican legislator. And it is, further, not helpful to note that the only reason you won’t do your crazy stunt is because you are a Christian.