Of science and free inquiry
Gary Bauer, president of American Values and chairman of Campaign for Working Families, wrote an important op ed in yesterday’s National Review Online that articulates the pro-life movement’s “fresh strategy.” The whole piece should be read for encouragement and to understand and latch on.
Excerpts…
[T]his July, Georgia and Mississippi became the latest states (9th and 10th overall) to require abortion providers to offer women considering abortion the chance to view an ultrasound image of their unborn child….
The new ultrasound laws underscore a dramatic development that’s taken place in the pro-life movement, one unparalleled in the over 30 years I’ve been involved in working to build a culture of life. It’s a strategic shift in emphasis away from battles over abortion restrictions and toward those concerning women’s access to information.
But the promotion of ultrasound legislation… is only part of a broadened pro-life agenda whose purpose, in part, is to offer women a more complete picture of what abortion is, and to use the power of conscience to change hearts and minds.
Twenty-three states have introduced, and thus far four states have passed, legislation requiring that abortion providers disclose to women seeking abortions after 20 weeks gestation that their child may feel intense pain during the procedure.
In addition, 32 states have informed-consent laws, which in their most basic form require women be offered pamphlets that describe fetal development, explain alternatives to abortion, and in some cases warn that some women experience profound psychological effects post-abortion.
And several states are considering legislation requiring abortion providers to tell women that the abortion they want will kill a “whole, separate, unique and living human being.”
According to the Center for Reproductive Rights, state and federal legislators introduced 92 bills to expand informed-consent laws in 2006 alone.
Abortion opponents’ emphasis on informed-consent laws underscores a fresh strategy that’s emerged after decades of thwarted attempts to place even the slightest restrictions on abortion (and though it was helpful in other ways, even the federal partial-birth-abortion ban, twelve years in the making, won’t prohibit a single abortion). It’s a strategy that recognizes that laws restricting abortion are a necessary but not sufficient condition to ending abortion in America.
Most of all, it’s a strategy that allows pro-lifers to talk about abortion in a more complete way: not only in terms of the unborn child’s right to life, but also in terms of a woman’s right to full information. So while abortion supporters speak of protecting and expanding women’s right to choose, pro-lifers – seizing the liberal mantle of science and free inquiry – now focus on informing women exactly what it is they are choosing.
Predictably, abortion advocates are less than happy with the notion that women should receive more information about their reproductive decisions….
But the abortion lobby’s real objection may stem from the simple fact that informed-consent laws humanize the “fetus,” prick the conscience, and have helped to produce this encouraging trend: a steady decline (20% among states consistently reporting data, and 40% among minors in those states) in the number of abortions since 1990, and a significant drop (11% according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute) in the number of abortion providers since 2000.
What’s more, a recent Gallup analysis of abortion trends reveals that the share of Americans who consider themselves “pro-life” has risen 12% (from 33% to 45%) in the last 12 years, while the proportion of “pro-choice” Americans has fallen to 49%….
In the end, there’s a simple explanation for the success of informed consent laws, one founded on a fundamental insight into human nature: If women with unplanned pregnancies recognize their unborn children as living, breathing, feeling (not to mention kicking and yawning) human beings, and if they understand the profound risks – both physical and psychological – involved with abortion, they will choose life.
In his column, Bauer referred to an April 29 op ed by pro-abort William Saletan in the Washington Post. Here are a couple important excerpts from that:
Abortion opponents are often caricatured as stupid creationists who just want to put women back in their place. Science and free inquiry are supposed to help them get over their “love affair with the fetus.” But science hasn’t cooperated. Ultrasound has exposed the life in the womb to those of us who didn’t want to see what abortion kills. The fetus is squirming, and so are we….
Critics complain that these bills seek to “bias,” “coerce” and “guilt-trip” women. Come on. Women aren’t too weak to face the truth. If you don’t want to look at the video, you don’t have to. But you should look at it, and so should the guy who got you pregnant, because the decision you’re about to make is as grave as it gets….
[U]ltrasound is a test of pro-choice sincerity…. [T]he clash between ultrasound and the partial-birth ban is ultimately a choice between information and prohibition. To trust the ultrasound, you have to trust the woman.
[Hat tip: Dr. Frank]
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.
That’s another sad thing about CHOICE. The guy involved has no choice at all. I know a lot of men who wanted their children. They had no choice.
Their choice is to not sleep with women who would kill their children.
Rosie, true. I know a married couple who aborted. She wanted the abortion, and he did not. They went on to have 2 other children. In every argument, he calls her a “baby killer.” She will never live it down.
This is what peaked my curiosity when it came to Hal and his wife. How does a marriage survive not 1 but 2 abortions? Can couples ever resolve this issue?
That’s a great post Jill… why would anybody be against this bill. I think this will have an impact on the number of abortions performed in this country, hopefully all states pass it. I’d like to see what pro-aborts have to say about it…..
Heather, you have to understand that not everyone feels the same way about abortion as you do. That’s how marriages survive abortions. Because it was a mutual decision between two mature adults (who would probably never bring it up in future arguments–something I consider extremely childish).
Now, I have nothing against a woman being offered an ultrasound image–but they aren’t required, are they? That would be horribly wrong, in my opinion.
You know, a lot of people–myself included–find that as they become more informed about abortion they support it more. I know people will jump all over me for that but remember that I DO NOT CONSIDER ABORTION MURDER so it does not sound horrid for me to say that.
May I add, that it is very sad for me to feel like I have to add a disclaimer to my statement. *sings* Why can’t we be friends?
“Now, I have nothing against a woman being offered an ultrasound image–but they aren’t required, are they? That would be horribly wrong, in my opinion.”
why Leah, you said abortion wasn’t murder, so whats the big deal if the ultrasound was mandatory?
Heather:
Just a quick comment before I go in for a minor surgery. Your firends, that had the abortion. It is not healthy for him to keep throwing “baby killer” in his wife’s face. Issues like that need to be resolved and never spoken of again. What he is doing is immature and something my 17 year old sister wouldnt even do.
Now I must run! Tootles! I;ll be back after surgery
midnite, good luck with your surgery. I had minor surgery a few weeks ago. I can’t change people, and I don’t get in the middle of couples fighting. I just allow her to vent. I feel that her husband has a right to be angry, and she just loves him to death.
Jasper: I’d like to see what pro-aborts have to say about it..
Jasper, if you see anybody that is actually “for abortion,” per se, then you’d have yourself a rare find.
As a pro-choicer I have no problem with offering to show an ultrasound. It’s up to the woman.
Doug
Leah, you’re right as usual. My wife and I haven’t discussed the abortions in years. Other then coming to this site I never give it a thought, I never have difficult feelings about it, she doesn’t either as far as I know. Maybe I’ll ask her. I do know she’s pro-choice, supports pro-choice politicians, etc, so I doubt she’s struggling with the issue.
Hal, you guys never talk about it? Wow. My girlfriend’s husband brings it up every time they fight. I’ve asked her what she says when he calls her that name. Her reply “Ah, I just suck it up and keep my mouth shut.” Let me tell you something about every last woman I know who has had an abortion[s]. NONE of them have ever cared to advocate CHOICE. They could care less if abortions were abolished tomorrow. They already had their abortions. They could care less about the pro choice movement.
Abortion is murder. It always has been. I refuse to deceive myself. Blood clots don’t have heartbeats, hands, feet. Humans do.
Your friend’s husband is a jerk to act that way. My wife and I never talk about it. Why would we? We have no hard feelings whatsoever about it. When we fight, we fight about stupid things in the present. Neither of us would bring up the abortions in a fight, as we both supported those decisions. It wouldn’t help the fight at all.
I know several women who had abortion years ago, they are all still pro-choice. I’ll never get anyone pregnant again, and I’m still pro-choice.
Well, the kid was half his. She puts up with it. She never calls him a jerk. Could it be her conscience? I guess my friend doesn’t care to label herself one way or the other. However, she would laugh at the thought of attending a PC rally or donating $ to the PC cause. I applaud her for that.
Jasper: If a woman doesn’t want to see an ultrasound, no one should force her to. Simple as that.
Hal: As usual I’m right? Aww… ego boost!
Heather: I am sorry for your girlfriend and I completely agree with midnite. It is SO wrong to bring up past issues in a present argument. Yes, I used to do that… I remember doing that very clearly when I was about, oh… eight years old. That sort of behavior in a relationship that is supposed to be adult makes me sick.
Heather:
Just a quick comment before I go in for a minor surgery. Your firends, that had the abortion. It is not healthy for him to keep throwing “baby killer” in his wife’s face. Issues like that need to be resolved and never spoken of again. What he is doing is immature and something my 17 year old sister wouldnt even do.
Now I must run! Tootles! I;ll be back after surgery
Well, she could leave if she wanted to. I don’t see her packing. She’s old enough to make her own decisions. She picked him!
Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so judgmental. I just seriously question your friend’s husband’s maturity and ability to properly handle an adult relationship. I don’t doubt they love each other.
Midnite, whaddya on the operating table already? LOL! Anyway, as far as my friend and her relationship problems go, it’s not my problem. I’ve known a few women who were physically abused by their boyfriends or husbands. I’ve tried helping a few of them. I had 1 success story. Sadly, a lot of women chose to return to their abusive s/o’s. You can’t control what others do or say. *shrugs*
One more thing. My friend had an abusive boyfriend. I told this woman one time that I thought her boyfriend was bad news and that she ought to “dump him.” She almost punched my lights out.
Hal, what brought you to this site to begin with?
Lauren, good question. Hal, you had once remarked that you were going to leave this site. I didn’t WANT to see you go, and it seemed as though you meant it. You returned the next day. What keeps you coming back?
I have no problem with it. I requested to see my ultrasound before my abortion. It didn’t bother me in the least- merely satisfied my curiosity. Lol…the first time I had an ultrasound, when I was 15 and we were checking to see if I had cysts because my cycle was all messed up, the technician gave me an ultrasound of an 8-month fetus to take and show my mom, just to give her a scare. It was great. She’d apparently given one to a 70-some year old woman once to go show her husband. Coolest nurse EVER.
Erin, when you saw the ultrasound, can you describe to me what you saw? Did the baby move around on the screen, or did you see a still shot?
I think Hal has already explained he comes to our site out of curiosity – to see how the other half thinks and lives. I welcome Hal and appreciate his honest posts.
After they’re shown the ultrasound, they should also be shown a short film of a screaming two-year-old in full tantrum mode.
That is, of course, if you truly believe in “a woman’s right to full information” and “informing women exactly what it is they are choosing.”
Unfettered access to contraception is the answer, not guilting women into having unwanted children.
After they’re shown the ultrasound, they should also be shown a short film of a screaming two-year-old in full tantrum mode.
That is, of course, if you truly believe in “a woman’s right to full information” and “informing women exactly what it is they are choosing.”
Unfettered access to contraception is the answer, not guilting women into having unwanted children.
So you’d rather talk women into abortions, based on the obvious fact that humans are imperfect?
Do you think that is all there is to two year olds? And do you think a child who will throw tantrums deserve the death penalty in advance because they will throw tantrums? You threw tantrums…did your mother love you any less as a result?
How is it relevant? Unless you think that babies have to be perfect to be wanted?
Sure, show them that video, but then we’d also have to show them a video of that same two year old, who had calmed down and fallen asleep in his mothers arms, being sung a lullaby.
What happened to “safe legal and rare”?
Unfettered access to contraception is the answer, not guilting women into having unwanted children.
If this is true (and I keep asking this and still haven’t received an answer), then why are there MORE unintended pregnancies and STD’s than there ever were before we had such easy access to birth control? Why aren’t the numbers of STD’s, unplanned pregnancies, and teen pregnancies going down as birth control accessibility keeps going up?
And why are 50 percent of unplanned pregnancies due to birth control failure?
Yes, contraception really seems to be working so well!
Molly, don’t MAKE the UNWANTED child, and then we won’t have to worry about you.
Still no mention of adoption from the pro-“choicers”, why is that? I thought they liked options!
Thank Jill, I appreciate you too. You know, I also like posting now and then so the young people hear the other side of things, i.e., you might not regret an abortion for the rest of your lives, you might be glad you did it, you might have a happy family later in life, you might continue to have a strong relationship with your partner afterwards. Of course, you might also have a child and be happy, or you might have a child and be miserable. Life is funny that way.
Hal, thanks for your reply. I’m glad you’re here. You are always polite. Rosie, I know. I rarly hear PC people promote adoption, athough we do have a few here that do.
My wife and I haven’t discussed the abortions in years. Other then coming to this site I never give it a thought, I never have difficult feelings about it, she doesn’t either as far as I know. Maybe I’ll ask her.
Hal, please do ask her. If you do… when you ask her, please do not give her any indication of what you would like her response to be. If you have a tone in your voice that implies that you would like her to just say, “Oh no problem, I don’t even think about it, ever.”, then she probably will say so, to please you. From what I have heard, she is good to you, and if so, she probably wouldn’t want to burden you with it, if she were to have feelings about it. Don’t give her any indication of what she should say, just ask her if she ever thinks about the abortions, and if so, how does she feel about them. Then let her do the rest of the talking, and you listen to her.
Ask her when you two actually have plenty of time to discuss it. Not when you’re in a rush.
Honestly, I have to admit, I am surprised that you never discuss it. With my husband, I discuss everything…even the time that I went to the dentist to get cavities filled, or the time I ate an undercooked burger, got Giardia, and was sick for a week. I talk about the times I used to take the kids for their shots, etc.
The only thing I would not want to ever bring up would be something that made me feel bad.
We talk about pretty much everything. I cannot imagine it never coming up, in 10 years. It seems strange.
Rosie: Of course we like options. It’s just that usually the conflict is over abortion, so that’s what’s more often brought up. I know that I would never be able to give a child up for adoption–it would be way too hard for me. Imagine going through the pain of childbirth, having a baby, becoming emotionally connected to it (which happens, I believe, in the first three minutes after birth–it’s instinct), and then giving it away. It would kill me.
Bethany, it’s hard for me to judge, seeing as I only know you through the internet–but I really admire the relationship you seem to have with your husband.
Thank you so much, Leah … ((hugs)) That means a lot to me!
((hugs back))
Bethany, I saw both. I saw watching the screen while the technician tried to locate the pregnancy, and saw the shots afterward. What I saw? A little bitsy blob. I honestly don’t know how anyone cares anything about being able to see ultrasounds. They’re so fuzzy I can never make stuff out. The technician had to point out the fetus to me. I’d have never found it on my own. It was roughly the size of a blueberry.
“I saw watching the screen while the technician tried to locate the baby, and saw the shots afterward.”
what do you mean by the “shots” Erin?
..oh forget it, you mean the shots of the Ultra-sound pictures…
Bethany, I saw both. I saw watching the screen while the technician tried to locate the pregnancy, and saw the shots afterward. What I saw? A little bitsy blob. I honestly don’t know how anyone cares anything about being able to see ultrasounds. They’re so fuzzy I can never make stuff out. The technician had to point out the fetus to me. I’d have never found it on my own. It was roughly the size of a blueberry.
I know, the ultrasounds are many times difficult to see. If you had been 8 weeks along though, as I thought you were, you would have seen a bouncy baby, and because it moves so much, you would have been able to make out the arms and legs. I remember when I saw Caleb on the screen ,and I commented on how cute he was, that I couldnt believe how much he moved, in that small space. I mean, I didn’t even look pregnant at the time, and I didn’t feel the movement, yet there was a baby jumping up and down in what seemed to be a VERY roomy environment in my womb. I wish you could have seen yours moving like that. You would have understood why it is so special.
Just to give you an example of the difference of the reality of life, and the reality of an ultrasound, here is what my baby that I lost looked like on the ultrasound machine:
https://www.jillstanek.com/archives/bethanye.jpg
and here is what the baby looked like in real life, when I miscarried:
https://www.jillstanek.com/archives/bethanyc.jpg
I admit, the baby doesn’t look like much on the screen. In fact, I wasn’t sure what I would see when the baby finally did come out. What I saw though was enough to completely leave me speechless. I couldn’t say a word as I stood in awe at something so completely beautiful and complex that had been formed inside my body.
Babies are a miracle.
One of mine (I forget which one) would push off the bottom of my uterus and shoot up, up, up then slowly descend and do it again…and again…and again.
My little astronaut! Of course he wasn’t a person and had no consciousness so I doubt he realized how much fun he was having…oh, that’s not right. That’s how the other side thinks…myself? I think the little bugger was having a blast!
Here is what air looks like:
Guess it doesn’t exist. Can’t see it.
Guess it doesn’t exist. Can’t see it.
Is it like the Tooth Fairy?
Doug, air exists. We are beathing it.
The tooth fairy did exist. It was mom and dad.
Heather: Doug, air exists. We are beathing it.
Heh heh – I know; my point is that merely not being able to see a thing is not proof of its non-existence (and of course it’s not proof of existence either). Air is a fluid, and easily detectable, unlike many other “invisible” things which cannot be proven to be anything more than imaginary.
The tooth fairy did exist. It was mom and dad.
Aw Geez you got me on that one.
Doug
Doug, I like you.
Thanks, Heather, and I like you too. Looking at the big picture, I don’t see any “settling” of the abortion argument, but it’s a very interesting arena, and there is lots that can be learned from other people all around.