Governor Palin Answers Katie Couric about Privacy
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Perhaps it is unsettling sitting across from Katie Couric and answering her questions. Ms Couric seems pleasant enough. Nevertheless, Ms Couric presents an interview with Governor Sarah Palin that is completely baffling. In response to Ms Couric’s question on whether she agreed or disagreed with Roe v. Wade, Governor Palin replied:
“…”Hmmm.” - “Well, let’s see. There’s, of course in the great history of America there have been rulings, that’s never going to be absolute consensus by every American. And there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but…”
Governor Palin opposes Roe v. Wade. However, she also states that she believes in the right of privacy, as an inherent right granted in the Constitution. Those two positions are fundamentally opposite. The 1973 Supreme Court decision established there was a Constitutional right to abortion. The basis of that decision is the right to privacy.
It is confusing, then, how Governor Palin can be opposed to the Roe v. Wade decision and, at the same time, support the right of privacy. It would have been informative if Ms Couric had asked how it is possible for Governor Palin to hold two opposing views - and advocate for both. Governor Palin may have bewildered Ms Couric.
Catherine Forsythe
One Comment
Geoff
October 3rd, 2008
at 10:43am
It isn’t contradictory at all. The mere existence of a constitutional right does not mean that right is absolute. The common example is that the right of free speech does not give one the right to yell “Fire!” in a crowded movie theater.
A right to privacy isn’t absolute either. Having a right to privacy doesn’t mean a person can use that right as a protection for illegal behavior (e.g. running a meth lab, molesting children, etc.).
If one believes that the unborn fetus is a human being with all the rights flowing therefrom (as Gov. Palin does), then abortion in any instance would be murder. And a right to privacy does not give protection for murder. Therefore, there is nothing inconsistent in Gov. Palin’s belief that we do have a constitutional right to privacy, but that Roe v. Wade should be overturned.