Pro-choice and anti-vaxxers have one thing in common. Maybe two. They both base their arguments on the 14th Amendment to the Constitution: the right to privacy and especially the right to control one’s own body. This is one of the defining attributes of the United States both now and probably at its founding in Revolutionary times. We are people who see our self-determination as the central value of our politics and perhaps of our morality. Historically, the only thing that truly brings us together is a threat to our freedom from outside powers. Otherwise, it is “Don’t tread on me!”

The second thing is that usually pro-choicers are also pro-vaccine and anti-vaxxers are usually pro-life. Again the common thing is a belief that some things are more important than self-determination. For the pro-lifers it is the life that they sense to be present from the moment of conception. For the pro-vaccine people it is the sense that we have a common responsibility for one another’s health and well-being.

Now just as a thought experiment, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could see what we have in common (belief in self-determination and concern for the well-being of others) and stop our black-and-white condemnation of others and desire to prevail in a zero-sum victory.

If we did that, maybe we could find some solutions that wouldn’t tear our community to pieces.

David Doreau

Waterville