.png)
Baby pandas are cute. But when the news shows combined find more time for baby animals than the demise of baby humans, something has gone terribly wrong.
The three broadcast networks, ABC, NBC and CBS swooned over the National Zoo’s panda twins born Saturday, Aug. 22 – and grieved when one died four days later. From the pregnancy until after birth, the news shows combined dedicated more time to the “baby” panda story in three weeks than the horrific Planned Parenthood videos (all nine of them!) in seven weeks.
CBS was the only network to spend more time — six seconds more — on the videos than the panda story.
Follow Larry Elder on Twitter
"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook
I too find it disconcerting that so many prominent people in the media, in entertainment, and on the political left seem to feel so much concern for the welfare of pandas and lions and polar bears... and think it's totally legitimate to argue that animals should have have rights and protections - yet they're offended when people want unborn humans to be protected. It's a real chasm, that values divide. There's a huge gulf between those who don't think animals can be treated merely as property and want them to have rights more like humans, and those who think prenatal humans can't be regarded merely as disposable property and want them to have basic human rights.
ReplyDeleteThe most common response I get from pro-choice animal activists is that they don't tolerate theology intruding on the law, but neither do I. That's a totally dishonest red herring, like accusing animal rights activists of being motivated by Hinduism or Jainism. I'm a secular humanist, but my philosophical beliefs about morality and the nature of rights leads me to believe that even in the womb, you and I already had the right not to be killed. Animal rights activists tend to have a consequentialist view of morality focusing on minimizing suffering and maximizing enjoyment of life- for both humans and for nonhuman animals. The fundamental difference isn't religion vs. secular reasoning. It's basing ethics on duty vs on happiness. Not sure that divide can ever be bridged.
BTW, is Larry Elder pro-life? His show isn't broadcast where I live. I'd been given to understand that he's closer to being a libertarian than a movement conservative, which made me think he might be pro-choice. There are multiple secondary sources on the internet that say he supports prenatal personhood, but I haven't seen any quotes or essays. Can you provide a link to one?