In an October article, Robert Forman, like many evangelicals, compares abortion to slavery:
Slave owners and those who were in the slave trade were unapologetically pro-choice when it came to slaves and slavery. They felt that “if you don’t like slavery, don’t own a slave” — but leave the “right” for those who do desire to own slaves to be able to own slaves. That’s very similar to the “if you don’t like abortions, don’t have one” — but leave the “right” for those who do want an abortion to be able get an abortion.
Forman is ignoring one minor distinction: a slave is a person, while a fertilized egg is not. Notably, in his entire article, Forman makes no effort to show that that an embryo is a person. You’d think that somebody so concerned about the alleged evils of abortion would try to do that.
Perhaps in his next article Forman would care to answer the arguments made by Diana Hsieh and me demonstrating that personhood begins at birth.
There is a useful comparison to be made between slavery and abortion bans, in that both violate the rights of people. Diana and I make that case as well.