November 5, 2004

Name-Calling vs. Disagreement

Mickey Kaus, a Democrat who endorsed but dislikes Kerry, takes on Paul Krugman for a stance many liberals take -- equating disagreement with extremism or intolerance:

"Paul Krugman thinks 'opposition to abortion' is 'intolerance'--at least if he means what he writes in today's NYT. Why isn't opposition to abortion a form of principled idealism with which Krugman disagrees? Who's intolerant here? "

Not to say there aren't intolerant people on the anti-abortion side of things, but a view that abortion is morally questionable is certainly defensible by reasoned argument.

As one who, like the majority of the American people, doesn't take an "either-or" position on all the abortion-related issues, I suppose I am an intolerant extremist to the Krugmans and an aider and abettor of baby-killing to the other side. My (dare I say it) nuanced position apparently puts me at risk of being an object of both sides' invective.

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