New Stanek WND.com column, “Graphic abortion ad during the Super Bowl?”
For only three hours a year do Americans actually look forward to watching commercials rather than ignoring them, muting them or running to the bathroom during them, as we do the other 8,763 hours.
That is during the Super Bowl.
In fact, commercials have become part of the entertainment during football’s annual big game, a cultural phenomenon.
So imagine a 30-second Super Bowl ad showing the graphic reality of abortion.
Most Americans, including many pro-lifers, would abhor such an ad.
But pro-life activists like me would be ecstatic, if such a word can be used to describe fulfillment of a passion to see a multitude of people face the truth about abortion. Activists believe that only by understanding the reality of abortion will the culture be wholeheartedly persuaded against it.
And the publicity, oh, the publicity. Recall the controversy surrounding Focus on the Family’s pro-life pablum Super Bowl ad featuring Tim Tebow earlier this year. This would be that on gigamegalo-steroids.
And there is a chance such a commercial will air during the 2012 Super Bowl….
Continue reading my column today, “Graphic abortion ad during the Super Bowl?” at WorldNetDaily.com.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
“Terry’s penchant for showmanship” is one way to put it! Sorry, but I’m not a fan. His involvement worries me a lot.
There are, of course, going to be concerns about graphic ads– children seeing them, reactions being triggered in post-abortive women, etc. At a minimum, any graphic ad MUST include a post-abortion hotline.
But graphic advertisements aren’t the only option. There are plenty of suppressed pro-life messages that could prevent abortions if shared with a wide audience. How about an advertisement about the fact that abortions increase the risk of preterm birth, complete with the story of a family who experienced that consequence? How about resurrecting the statutory rape coverup videos? The possibilities are endless.
I have to disagree about the ads. I’m 100% Pro Life and do NOT like the ads or the posters or the trucks or the billboards. When I take my two children to the March for Life, I have to shield them from such horrific images. I think that in certain situations, the pictures can be useful, but that should be determined on a case-by-case and individual basis. Making a blanket presentation of these images is more harmful than beneficial. For post-abortive women, being blindsided by the pictures can be devastating. To air them on National TV – when children are watching, to boot – would be wrong.
It’s because of the ads that I never watch the Super Bowl. (GoDaddy, Carl’s Jr., Victoria’s Secret)
I am not a fan of showing graphic images of abortion during the Super Bowl. I used to be, but then I started to think of all the post-abortive women out there. Imagine wanting to show the horrors of rape by doing a 30-second ad simulating a rape. Yes, it might convince some people who otherwise thought rape wasn’t all that bad, but the women who have been raped are very likely to be sucked back into the trauma. I see the same being true with post-abortive women. As a Christian, I have a problem with that. I believe abortion to be a physical manifestation of a spiritual issue. Getting to people’s hearts through the love, mercy and grace of Jesus will accomplish more than what a 30-second ad would ever accomplish. Please know, I am very pro-life and I pray for the ending of abortion almost daily. I volunteer with post-abortive women and their testimonies are powerful! Imagine an ad with crowds of women saying, “I regret my abortion,” and then having a web address they can visit where there are in-depth interviews and stories. Personally, I think that would be more impactful and would garner the same level of publicity as the Tebow ad or the graphic images. Moreover, the discussions which precipitated and followed an ad with post-abortive women would not be over the appropriateness of images but on the content of these women and their powerful statement. That’s what I would like to see.
I think there should be a way to run the add and reach the goal without being very graphic. I’m not against graphic abortion ads, I think a lot of people have no clue what abortion actually is and what it looks like afterwards, and that’s a very strong message. However, I don’t think it would do a lot of good showing that during Super Bowl, it’s just too negative. How about a short add showing pre-natal development, let’s say a little picture/video for every few weeks of the pregnancy with a little info (eg. the baby’s heart starts beating, the baby has fingernails, etc) ending with a 9-10 week one with a final sentence like “the week when most lives are terminated”, something like that.
Many post-abortive women have testified that it wasn’t until they SAW that they KNEW what they had done.
Personally, I think an ad showing developing unborn children at different weeks of pregnancy would be awesome and highly educational. I’ve seen women stunned by the photos of an 8 week LIVING fetus. Education, not shock value, is key, in my opinion.
How about a short add showing pre-natal development, let’s say a little picture/video for every few weeks of the pregnancy with a little info (eg. the baby’s heart starts beating, the baby has fingernails, etc) ending with a 9-10 week one with a final sentence like “the week when most lives are terminated”, something like that.
Yes! Exactly. And you know even THAT will infuriate pro-aborts. How dare we show the biological development of a human being!
I only watched the super bowl this year for the Tebow thing. Otherwise, I don’t watch the superbowl at all (i hate the godaddy commercial. Some commercials are funny like the Budwiser frogs). I like Vita’s idea of showing the fetal development….perhaps of a 4d ultrasound?
maybe donate to http://www.virtuemedia.org/ and they can be part of the creation of the ad.
For anyone who might not know the power of the testimony for women who have had abortions, I invite you to view this video of my friend Luana.
One of the subtle things that is turning people gently pro-life are ultrasounds on facebook. I see more and more often my friends and relatives posting their babies’ developmental milestones. I think a joyful depiction of prenatal development will work best in the Superbowl commercial lineup. I don’t think the kind of graphic ads you could put in an exhibit would work. Too many people are eating and it’s counterproductive. But a celebrity or athlete showing their own or their child’s ultrasounds or animation of prenatal development, that could be done in a very classy way.
@ninek I agree…I’ve seen that too! And images of women chronically their growth. I wish this thing had a ‘like’ button like they do on Facebook!! =)
There are post abortive women who have found healing and know that these photos have been useful in bringing us there. Me included. I knew the truth when I sat online and looked at all of the photos of aborted babies. It is how I grieve my daughter and points to WHY I am fighting the good fight!
To post abortive women who have not found healing yet I think the truth is a very powerful thing and YES show a phone number of where to find help.
Post abortive women who are so hardened to the truth will be angered no matter what you do. Even saying the word abortion around them can send them off…….
What we are talking about is INTENT. The intent of these photos is to show people the truth of what abortion does to a developing human child.
Intriguing. What Terry is proposing is to take a very unpopular, controverial, gory, violent message, and shove it in America’s face during arguably her biggest party day of the year.
I love it. Here’s why:
The atrocity and horror of the genocide that is abortion, and the apathy with which it regarded by the population at large demands a bold, provocative, in-your-face rebuke.
I do agree with what others have suggested making part of the ad educational highlighting the preciousness of preborn children in their early stages of development. In fact, I like the idea of leading into the fetal development segment with a precious little 3 year old girl asking, “Mommy, where did I come from?” But without juxtaposition of the gruesome reality of abortion in graphic detail, the ad would lack “punch” and effectiveness.
America needs to wake up.
Of course the ad would have to open with a warning regarding the adult content. Terry and the network should even go so far as to warn viewers precisely when the spot will air so that no one gets caught off guard.
What our cause needs to continue to shift public opinion our way is controversy and publicity. Like the effect of the debate on the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, or BO’s Notre Dame address.
What we really need is for Americans to become enraged at the injustice – that these innocent, vulnerable children are being slaughtered every day by the thousands and so few seem to care.
At the current rate, 1.5 million babies will be killed by abortion in America between now and the 2012 Super Bowl.
And if America doesn’t stop the slaughter between now and then, she will desperately need and deserve a big punch in the nose.
Hi gang,
Perhaps, this IS ALL WRONG, WRONG, WRONG … and I’ll tell you why it is so …. i think we pick-and-choose historical atrocities because we select the Holocaust as something to compare to abortion. It’s not that we picked a poor ‘target’ for such comparison. The points of similarity are endless.
However, the truth looms so large, it almost gags. When Columbus ‘discovered’ America(s), there lived here some 50 million people. We have since then awarded the name ‘savages’, that has allowed us/our-ancestors to reduce-their-numbers 90% …. 45 million people were killed. In just 400 years we have had Indian wars, starved people, wiped them out with disease, lied, stole their land then turned around and gave it away (to immigrants) and pretended it was empty.
So what all this have to do with abortion? We believe the silly mantra: “To end abortion, all America has to do is SEE abortion.” Most Americans will IGNORE the plight of unborn HUMAN people, the very same way you ignore/and-benefit from the extermination that is your heritage.
The ‘truth’ hurts, eh? Be very careful when throwing stones in glass houses.
So what you’re saying John is that it took 400 years (if your numbers are to be accepted) for early Americans to kill 50 million, and more than 50 million have been killed in less than 40 years by the abortion industry? That’s some pretty efficient murderin’.
No one has used the word ‘savage’ in over a century. But I have met dozens of people who are descended from our continent’s native population. Not one of them has EVER refered to his or herself as a ‘native american.’ Each one has proudly used the word “Indian” as politically incorrect as that may seem to “priviledged whites.”
But, John, what the hey do you mean about throwing stones in glass houses? What? In what way is a graphic ad throwing a stone in a glass house?
Hi ninek,
One of the ‘biggest’ problems we face is the-splitting-of-identities. We seem forever to be locked-into the good-guy vs bad-guy syndrome. This may be an American thing but the world is not democrat vs republican; liberal vs conservative; PC vs PL etc., etc. Most folks just wish to survive, and labels are just like street names – for direction. These do not define … saved/not-saved?
I was very surprised by my use of ‘native American’ It’s what is used here in Canada. About that being politically correct terminology: never even crossed my mind.
I have been on this site for years now, and I try to find weaknesses in approach. This advertising gimmick is one because it says ‘I AM THE GOOD-GUY HERE … AND I’M GOING TO FORCE-FEED YOU WITH TRUTH’. So our ‘truth’ is what: dead corpses OR is it an invitation to be fully HUMAN from conception to natural-death??
Abortion is the ‘NO’ to life. Face the no-ness of the PC-mentality, rather than the adventure of possibilities, not just-one vs MANY.
Please describe what actions a person might take that would “face the no-ness of the PC mentality.” Please give a specific example, if possible.
Hi ninek,
I do not know if I can do it directly, I’ll try. Last week you heard the man (Nick) with no limbs, arms nor legs. I used to do almost the same thing … I too am severely disabled, and am blessed with an enormous faith.
Can anyone with my kind of obvious multiple disabilities be free? Since being free = being HUMAN. Am I human? [many early pregnant moms (and not-pregnant teens) feel trapped in a body they do not fully control.] So empathy with me is easy.
I chatted and befriended a girl of PC-persuasion on this site. Her genuine response to my quire allowed her to feel HUMAN for the first time in a long while. Heroes do this …. think of the firefighters running INTO the twin-towers!
Most pC’ers are totally flabbergasted if they are befriended. They fully expect to be condemned. My Dad used to say: ‘BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD … GO I.’
But for the abortion supporting MSM and our education establishment failing in their duty to reveal the truth about the horrors of abortion a Super Bowl ad would not be necessary. It is simply amazing how many people still do not have a clue about what abortion is, so for them this ad could open some eyes.
That is not to say the ad has to be full of the violence and graphic depictions of dismemberment that is the reality of abortion. There are ways to get the message across without causing half of the viewing audience to throw up. If the ad were to contain any kind of graphic depictions a warning would be in order.
The ads aired in Washington, DC. I’m all in favor of the ads airing. America needs to see abortion. This will be a great way to do that. People will not translate in their minds a picture of a healthy developing preborn baby into what a real aborted baby looks like.
You can see both of the ads that were aired in DC here: http://www.missysmith2010.com/ Donors were able to choose which ad they wanted to pay for to air. I believe that the “Women Exploited” ad was the most funded but I’m not positive on that.
Ok, I think I’ve got it: honey instead of vinegar.
I agree with a soft-sell superbowl ad because people are festive, they’re eating, etc. But I also strongly support the exhibits that show graphic photos, such as the kind we’ve talked about on Jill’s site that are put up on college campuses. Students and staff can choose to walk through it or away from it.
We do need to upset people to some extent, but not during the superbowl. In fact, it’s cheaper to get a low-budget commercial on late at night, like when you see those phone-chat commercials at 2 am. For a small sum of money, you could air a more shocking commercial dozens of times, and really get people thinking who may be sitting up alone watching tv. On superbowl sunday, the cost to air a commerical is outrageous and that same kind of money could go right to the CPC’s that need it.
I wouldn’t start a row at a superbowl party over the political aspects of the abortion debate. But we do hear people say, “Oh, she shouldn’t be having that baby.” That’s the time to speak up, especially if other people are listening. You never know what effect your words will have. Last year one of my relatives used that sentence in front of the preborn child’s siblings! Of course I spoke up. And what seeds were sown – one of the siblings found herself in an unplanned pregancy a year later, and chose life. Not only that, but I used to incident as a way to start a conversation with known pro-choicers in the family. “Can you believe what Millie said in front of the children?” Even a staunch pro-choicer cringes at the idea that one relative may advocate aborting a child in front of his siblings.
I’m among those who argue that we should do an ad about prenatal development during the high risk times. The images which I have always found most definitive of the humanity of the preborn are those which focus on simply the development of a human baby in utero.
Personally, I would start it with some dialogue along the lines of, “At 9 weeks of gestation, this baby’s heart is dividing into 4 chambers. Her teeth are beginning to form, and her face is becoming distinguishable. Her nerves, organs, and muscles are growing rapidly…” And then transition into something about how her single mother is scared to raise a child alone, how she feels hopeless. Then towards the end, I would say something to the effect of, “But there is a future, and there is hope. For both of these young women.”
I’m a strong supporter of the use of the graphic images (even in cases where children might come across them, though never intentionally directing them at children). But for the superbowl I agree w/ the others that a softer approach is better. This will be the first time pro-lifers have this kind of opportunity. The media does all it can to insure we don’t get these opportunities very often and uses the time instead to paint the pro-life movement as extreme, crazy, and negative. I think we should use the time to show the undeniable truth and beauty of unborn human life. I love the idea of the stages of development and the 4D ultrasounds. I also love what you said about focusing on earlier stages of pregnancy so people see the humanity of the early fetus. The pro-choice side came away looking ridiculous after the Tebow ad. This is a way to step it up a lot of notches (address abortion much more directly) and still be positive. The graphic images will confuse the issue too much with much of the talk being diverted to the appropriateness of the venue, the effect on children, and allow abortion supporters to steer the conversation to much. Why give them that? Keep it positive and force them to look like fools for complaining about showing images of ultrasounds that people routinely display proudly on their refrigerators and fb pages.
Also, Terry’s involvement is more than a little concerning to me. He’s a dedicated man, but his tactics are controversial among those who are already pro-life let alone the people we have the chance to reach during the superbowl.
We are all entitled to our opinion. I believe however that those who only want to air sweet ads about fetal development grossly overestimate the impact they would have. Sure, you might convince a few mothers out there contemplating abortion to not kill their children, and that would be great. Instead of killing 3700 babies a day over the next couple of months, perhaps we’ll only kill 3500 per day, maybe 3300 per day.
But Abby Johnson, former director of a Planned Parenthood Child Killing Center wasn’t convinced abortion was wrong by becoming educated about human development.
She witnessed the horror of seeing a child killed right before her eyes.
And then she was converted.
Remember, most Americans now consider themselves “Pro-Life”. They don’t like abortion. But that doesn’t mean they will actually do anything about it.
We need rage. We need righteous indignation.
Look who we voted in as President of the United States. No politician in the history of American government has shown more hatred and contempt for children than BO.
He is a wicked, evil man. His hands are covered with the blood of innocent children.
And those who voted for him need to ask for forgiveness, lest they become implicated in his crimes against children.
I’m not remotely convinced that the station that airs the 2012 superbowl will be forced into airing a graphic 100%-about-abortion ad during those few hours under the pretense that this is really a presidential campaign ad. Someone will find a reasonable argument to justify excluding it. Sure, in Washington DC they had to play her ads some time during the day, but the superbowl is a very small window of time, and it’s not reasonable to think that such an ad would be entitled to be played during that short window just because someone is technically running for president. Especially when he’s not a serious candidate, and especially if the ad doesn’t focus on getting him elected.
I was very disappointed in the watered-down Tebow ad. I’ve seen diaper commercials that are more pro-life. I agree with many people posting here that just showing a unborn baby’s development in the context of the preciousness of his/her life will be eye-opening and emotionally effective, and recent history shows that even this would be adamantly opposed by so-called “pro-choice” organizations, to their own embarrassment. It doesn’t have to be a presidential campaign trying to do it, and it’s better if it’s not.
I LOVE this idea!!!! It’s an amazing(and not to mention, very smart) way to show America the reality of abortion and that it kills. Ah, I really hope and pray that this does happen! You all have my suppoort 100% for that ad!
I’m concerned about what seems to be the “any means necessary” approach to converting pro-aborts into pro-lifers. Airing graphic ads has an upside, clearly. However, we are also responsible for the downside. Yes, showing a precious little child after abortion probably will save the lives of the most innocent among us. However, a woman who had an abortion before she saw the ad – a woman who is likely to be experiencing post traumatic stress – would very likely be further traumatized by seeing such images. I have personally witnessed women enduring physiological distress at the sight of those images. Maybe some of you think, “well, that’s what you get.” But I would guess that many posting on this thread are Christians, and as such we have an obligation to show the mercy and grace of Christ. If we decide on airing such images it is true we may be credited for saving the lives of the unborn. But if we air these images and a post-abortive woman commits suicide because she realizes what she has done and thinks it is unforgivable, well, that too would be to our credit. I don’t want her blood on my hands. There are better ways to do this. We have the Lord Jesus on our side! We don’t need fancy marketing and clever ads. We need to impact the hearts of men and women with the life-giving love of Christ. Then, minds and hearts will change on the issue of abortion.
Great points Brandolyn. Every Pro-Life ad should end with an appeal to any moms who have had an abortion and are suffering through subsequent emotional pain.
They should be directed to a help line where they can get counseling and healing.
Thanks Ed. You know, I hear all the time women say they suffered in silence about their abortion because they thought people would judge them. I have a dear friend who recently told me about her abortion. She cried because of the pain she carries in her heart about the 2 children she aborted before she was a Christian. Recently, she was at a Bible study and the subject turned to abortion. She sat in silence as the women began to disparage women for aborting their children. She told me she would never, ever tell people about her past because they would hate her. It broke my heart. Abortion is not the unforgivable sin. The Blood of Christ covers that, too. I firmly believe that while we advocate for the rights of the unborn we are mindful of the hearts of the women and men who have already chosen abortion. They matter too. =) Thanks for “listening”.
I’d take a 2 part approach to a Super Bowl ad.
For the ad – use an embryoscopy – show the humanity of a 9 week old child with a video taken in-utero and have a simple voice-over:
VO “By 9 weeks gestation an unborn child needs only nutrition and security, but every year 1.25 million of these young ones will never see their birth-day.”
Fade to black and show a web-link.
VO “See why”
Transition to close: “Life is a beautiful choice”
Have a website that can take a lot of hits. You can compare & contrast development with the abortion photos and tell the truth there.
Throwing up graphic abortion photos without being able to engage others in constructive dialog is not as effective as establishing solid common ground with those we wish to persuade to join us.
Thoughts?
“I’d take a 2 part approach to a Super Bowl ad.
For the ad – use an embryoscopy – show the humanity of a 9 week old child with a video taken in-utero and have a simple voice-over:
VO “By 9 weeks gestation an unborn child needs only nutrition and security, but every year 1.25 million of these young ones will never see their birth-day.”
Fade to black:”
I think this is a great idea! You know, add images of the people from Haiti surviving from the earthquake and the after affects of it. Then, the Voice Over can say something like, “Nutrition and security is what we all need.”
My point in that is to tap into the idea that life is life and we all need the same things to survive. What a wonderful idea, Chris! I’m all for it!! =)
Brandolyn, just to be clear, when I discuss the subject of abortion in general, I hit it hard with the intention of stirring passive Pro-Lifers into action, even if it’s just a heartfelt, passionate cry out to God in intercessory prayer for babies, their moms and our country and government.
However, my heart literally breaks for post-abortive moms and dads. I know the vast majority of them were told a pack of lies and were deceived. I’ve sinned way too much in my own life to think any less of someone who fell into satan’s trap of abortion. Just because the traps I fell into were different, doesn’t make me any better. In fact I feel worse.
We need these moms and dads restored by the One Who heals the broken-hearted, forgives us from all our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. We need as many Carla’s out there as we can get :-)
Chris, your ad sounds nice but a little too tame for me. If you consider all of the dialogue around the Tebow ad, before and after, in the media and around the TV, I’m convinced there would be plenty of passionate debate regarding the ads.
Mine would probably be over the top, but I envision a cute little 2 or 3 year old boy or girl saying, “Wook what you did to my wittle bwuvers and sisters” and then launch into a sequence of graphic abortion photos/video with an accompanying piece of strong orchestra music for dramatic effect (CBR style).
I’m sure they’ll have a great creative team kicking around ideas and if it comes to fruition, it’ll be an awesome ad.
@Ed, please know I meant no disrespect or did I intend to suggest you don’t care about post-abortive women and men. I just wanted to be sure you knew that and weren’t offended (not that I detected anything in your comment, but I just wanted you to know I didn’t intend any). I was just airing my heart for post-abortive women and men, that’s all. Thanks!! Have a blessed day! =)
No distespect taken Brandolyn, none at all. You brought up an excellent point that our message of contempt for abortion must be balanced with compassion for those who have fallen into its snare. Thank you for reminding me to affirm my support for the living victims of abortion.
You have a blessed day as well!!
I like the idea of presenting prenatal development with the VO and ending with the web link to learn more about abortion, an excellent site to link to for this is the Abortion Quotes website: http://clinicquotes.com
Chris,
I think that is a FANTASTIC idea! :) I hope to see your ad run one day, or one VERY like it!