A leading Canadian pro-abortionist has written “a word of advice to ‘anti-choicers,'” in which she excoriates pro-life advocates for, among other things, fighting “all too often (with) the weapons of harassment, intimidation and violence.”

“I’d like to be candid for a moment, and tell ‘anti-choicers’ what we really think about you and the things you say about us (and to us),” writes Joyce Arthur of the B.C.-based Pro-Choice Action Network. “We … hear the terrible, violent rhetoric of the extremists among you, their harsh words praising the killing of doctors. We don’t think most of you in the mainstream do nearly enough to distance yourselves from the extremists – you even associate directly with them sometimes. And some of the language you use seems to condone or even encourage the violence, such as calling doctors ‘baby killers’.”

Arthur did not elaborate on who were the extremists or when “mainstream” pro-life advocates have associated with such individuals. She also did not allude to detailed studies, such as one conducted by Human Life International, that demonstrate more violence is actually perpetrated by abortion supporters than pro-life advocates.

Arthur said she was inspired to write her piece, “A Word of Advice to ‘Anti-Choicers’: Know Your Enemy,” published in the Pro-Choice Press newsletter, by the “satirical ammunition” provided in an article that appeared in the July 2002 Interim, “Abortions medically necessary?’ The Interim article – which Arthur characterized as “malicious and sanctimonious” – described the reactions of MP Jason Kenney, Report magazine editor Link Byfield and Interim editor Paul Tuns to receiving a letter from Arthur requesting they cease spreading the “myth” that abortions are not medically necessary.

Arthur charged that pro-abortionists dismiss their opponents’ arguments because the pro-life view is “impossibly narrow or because you’re missing or twisting so many basic facts, or because you’re hurling insults at us, or because you’re ignoring women completely as if they don’t exist, or because you’re expressing disrespect and contempt for women. To us, your views seem small-minded, uninformed, sexist and cruel.”

On the other hand, she suggested, “To be pro-choice means having compassion for those living disadvantaged lives … Access to safe, legal abortion is a blessing, because it benefits women, families and society.”

The pro-abortion position, said Arthur, is “true and good, because we genuinely care about women and children, and because we want to improve the lives of everyone.”

Interim editor Paul Tuns and assistant editor Tony Gosgnach fired off responses to Arthur’s missive, while Jason Kenny indicated at the time he received it that he would compose a reply at some point in the future.

Arthur’s article can read in its entirety on the internet at website: www.prochoiceactionnetwork-canada.org/anti-advice.html.