Boxer and Analogies

Clayton Cramer wrote:

 

...the bigger issue here is Boxer's misunderstanding of how analogies work. Boxer clearly doesn't understand that the moral discomfort that most Americans have with abortion isn't about sex; it's about killing what is going to be, in a very short time, a human being. And this is analogous to Viagra in what way?

Viagra helps men (and presumably their wives) achieve sexual satisfaction. This is not truly necessary from a health standpoint, but has no other morally worrisome aspects to it. Is Boxer arguing that abortion is some sort of sexual satisfaction procedure?

I'm less than impressed with Senator Boxer's mental prowess, so I think it's quite possible that she may have said "Viagra" when she meant something else.  "Vasectomy" has a slight chance of being somewhat analogous to abortion.  At least some people consider abortion a form of birth control.  Boxer may have gotten Viagra and Vasectomy mixed up.  After all, they both begin with the letter "V".

 

And I believe the Catholic Church is opposed to vasectomies, so that might be the connection she'd use to justify the analogy.

 

I'm willing to credit her with being clueless and stupid, but only within human limits.  (I may be wrong, of course.)

 

...............Karl Lembke