The 'pro-life' movement speaks -- against life

This report from C-PAC just about sums it up:

The battle between Fox News and MSNBC found its way to the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, when conservative columnist and Fox News contributor Cal Thomas had this to say about MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow: “I think she’s the best argument in favor of her parents using contraception.”

Thomas extended his goodwill to the entire "crowd" at MSNBC -- meaning only the on-air personalities or the behind-the-cameras staff as well? Looking on the bright side, at least he appears to accept the premise of contraception.

Actually, Thomas's position is less inconsistent with his record than one might suspect. Just this morning, I was reading his latest warmongering column on Iran -- so there's another few million people for whom he wishes death if not retroactive nonexistence. Apart from the short-lived "seamless garment" movement of a generation ago which yoked opposition to abortion with opposition to the death penalty, the "pro-life" movement is little different from most radical movements. Instead of sanctifying life, it sets conditions: life on our terms, or death! And now you see that that's not just a notion of mine about them.

Of course, a Thomas apologist appeared almost immediately on the Politico comments page with the usual get-out-of-trouble card. " Mr Thomas was clearly joking and Maddcow [sick]is too sensitive to be the butt of the joke. Liberals are absolutely pathetic and hypocritical!!! I too wish her parents had used contraception!" wrote one "Luis Vasquez." Well, duh. In this case the point is indisputable; Thomas said what he said to get laughs from the C-PAC crowd. But let Mr. Vasquez imagine his response had Maddow said that Thomas, or Vasquez, should never have been born. Would that not seem like more left-wing hatred? After all, lefties have no sense of humor so she must have meant it sincerely, no? Republicans have no business criticizing anyone else's sensitivity, as they have the biggest collective persecution complex on the planet. I don't object to anyone defending any damning remark from a Republican as a joke. In fact, I'm happy to concede that most of their utterances are jokes, intentionally or not. But jokes are revealing, and for someone ostensibly dedicated to the "culture of life," what Thomas revealed wasn't pretty.