Are you a hypocrite? Taking different positions on abortion and the death penalty.
Note: Secular Pro-Life does not take a position on the death penalty because we are a single issue group. We invite people both for and against the death penalty to work with us to oppose abortion.
We should be able to accurately describe our opposition’s perspective.
It’s usually not hypocritical to oppose abortion while supporting the death penalty, or vice versa, because those positions can follow logically from different premises. People who call these positions hypocritical typically assume premises their opponents don’t hold.
[Quick video – Could you pass an ideological turing test?]
Few people oppose literally all forms of killing. For example, it’s very common to think killing in self-defense is justified. When it comes to abortion and the death penalty, what premises might make opposing one while supporting the other a consistent position?
Position 1: Opposing abortion and supporting the death penalty.
People who oppose abortion usually hold the premise that abortion takes the life of an innocent person, specifically a child or baby.
People who support the death penalty usually hold the premise that the death penalty ends the life of a person guilty of a heinous crime, typically an adult.
If someone thinks killing innocent people is wrong but killing people guilty of heinous crimes may be justified, or if they think killing children or babies is wrong but killing adults may be justified, these views of abortion and the death penalty aren’t incompatible.
[Read more – “Oh, so are you against the death penalty?”]
Position 2: Supporting abortion and opposing the death penalty.
People who support abortion usually hold one or both of the following premises:
- Abortion is preventing a person from coming into existence, not ending the life of a person who already exists. (See the Personhood section of our Abortion Debate Index)
- No one has the right to use another’s body against their will, and stopping someone from doing so is a matter of self-defense. (See the Bodily Rights section of our Abortion Debate Index)
If someone thinks killing people is wrong but doesn’t view embryos and fetuses as “people,” or if someone thinks killing people is wrong except in matters of bodily defense, these views of abortion and the death penalty aren’t incompatible.
Instead of accusing people of hypocrisy, look for common ground.
If we want to persuade people to reconsider their position, finding common ground and encouraging open dialogue are both more effective than accusing them of hypocrisy. Assigning people bad motivations or character defects usually makes them feel defensive. They’ll want to dig in their heels and argue why their position is sensible or moral. Naming points of agreement makes people feel connected and understood, which tends to make them more open to understanding us.
Sometimes it’s not even a matter of changing our overall points, only our framing. For example both the following argue that people who oppose the death penalty should oppose abortion:
- Frame 1: If you support abortion, you already support the death penalty, just for babies instead of criminals.
- Frame 2: Yeah, I think opposing killing people is a good baseline position. That’s the same reason I’m against elective abortion.
Frame 1 is accusatory, and it’s telling someone else what they think or feel or what motivates them (an incredibly unpersuasive tactic). Frame 2 is finding common ground, and then describing what we think or feel or what motivates us.
Accusing are opposition of hypocrisy is usually faster and frankly more cathartic than taking the time and energy to try to understand them accurately. But if we want to add more light than heat – and specifically if we want to change people’s minds – the extra effort is worth it.
Learn how to have useful conversations with pro-choice friends and family. Read more about our trainings and speakers here.
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