Abortion Ban Will Never Happen; Pro-Life Movement Needs New Plan

North Star Writers Group ^ | October 8, 2007 | Dan Calabrese

[Dukes Travels]

It’s time for the fight against abortion to move to a new front. An honest look at the landscape suggests that the longtime goal of the pro-life movement – the banning of abortion – is never going to be achieved.

We need to try something else.

I believe a fetus is a human being who deserves protection under the law from being killed. But if the goal is to save the lives of unborn children – and it should be – we need to look at our primary line of attack and see what it has achieved, and what it is likely to achieve in the future.

[rottndog]

An honest look at the landscape suggests that the longtime goal of the pro-life movement – the banning of abortion – is never going to be achieved.

Totally agree. Best case scenario--SCOTUS populated by judges who properly send the issue back to the states. Some states will outlaw it, some won't. That's as it should be, according to how this country was built.

This fact alone demonstrates the insanity of not voting for the Republican nominee, electing a Dumbocrat who will appoint anti-constitutional judges.

[papertyger]

I disagee.

I truly believe the democrats see an ideological shift in SCOTUS as an existential threat to themselves. We’ve got all the originalist justices we’re gonna get without actual lead flying.

[papertyger]

That point is easily countered by showing the humanity of the baby in a woman's womb.

It hasn't worked in forty years. Sure, you can trot out anecdotes, but nothing of any real significance.

[TalonDJ]

No compromise on the murder of the unborn. No ‘safe rare legal’ nonsense. If it is murder there is no compromise. If you except compromise you are excepting the premise that is is ‘bad’ but not the same as ‘murder’.

[Popocatapetl]

I disagree. The current method of gradualism by the anti-abortion movement has made tremendous inroads against the practice in most of the US. It is a simple strategy: if you are consistently winning by placing small bets, why wager on an all or nothing bet? Your odds will actually go down if you do. The last thing the anti-abortion movement should do is try for a federal solution.

The pro-abortion movement won big at the start in an all or nothing bet at the federal level. But since that time, they have been getting massacred in a “death by a thousand cuts” at a local and State level.

Ideally, the anti-abortion movement just plays defense at the federal level, and continues to win at the lower level.

The real enemies of the anti-abortion movement *within* the anti-abortion movement are those that insist on a clear and decisive emotionally charged win. Instead, those who want to end abortions don’t care how much it *feels* like a win, as long as abortions stop.

So what is the priority? To feel like you have won, or to actually win?

[Raycpa]

As long as our culture says abortion is like getting your teeth cleaned, the law will never ban it.

The pro-lifer’s need to start with the hearts and minds of their friends and relatives to see abortion for what it is.

When that is done, the law won’t matter.

[papertyger]

It is selfishness. "I don't want to have a baby right now", "I don't want to give up my baby to someone else", "I don't like the guy THAT much"...

DINGDINGDING!

That's the beauty of the paper abortion...it uses the selfish against the selfish

[Grams A]

Understand that a bill was introduced by Republican - not sure if house or senate - to mandate that doctors show ultrasound to expectant mother prior to having her sign auth for abortion. Susan K cancer fund contributes a LOT of money to Planned Parenthood. When I found out decided I would no longer contribute. Link between our current generation not valuing anyone else’s life and ease with which they agree to abortion?

[Son House]

New Plan: Reverse Psychology; Stand out in front of Abortion Clinics and Planned Parenthood with signs that read reasons why to get abortion, like;
Intern Pregnant? Political Scandal? Stop in.
Underage? Pregnant? Don’t Want Parents to Know, Plan here!

.
The shock value of learning the reasons why abortion are given could shake the honest folks who have blindly supported Abortionist Democrats over the value Human Life.

[papertyger]

The woman has control of her body?

For all practical purposes related to this subject, yes.

[weegee]

If her continued presidency is like the previous 2 terms she served as co-president, expect retroactive legislation like the taxes raised on the dead.

[Grams A]

Hutchison is deserting us. We only have Cornyn left who generally continues to stand strong.

[weegee]

False, she has control of the fetus’ body when it comes to the decision to kill it. She cannot drink, drug, or smoke in her pregnancy. If it were HER body, she could.

[avacado]

I appreciate what you are saying but with a DEM President and DEM Congress I don’t see how this nation will survive.

Hillary in a speech a few months ago said that when she is President that she will take the profits from oil companies and put them into a fund. That’s called confiscation of profits. Does she mean it? Yes! The DEM Congress just recently tried to attach to an energy bill a random $29 billion tax on oil companies. Luckily the Republicans defeated that part of the bill. So indeed, the DEMs are already attempting to confiscate profits.

I can’t deal with that type of America. They’ll be no healthy industries left. We won’t even be able to feed ourselves.

[weegee]

Get a March of Dimes can and stand out in front of Planned Parenthood rattling it. MoD supports abortions now as the way to “prevent” birth defects.

[wardaddy]

LOL....no doubt about that

[Aquinasfan]

the banning of abortion – is never going to be achieved.

Is this person omniscient or just clairvoyant?

[papertyger]

The current method of gradualism by the anti-abortion movement has made tremendous inroads against the practice in most of the US.

By what standard? I'd hardly call the statistical drop of late "temendous."

[Son House]

That would be effective in exposing both agencies, sad but true.

[Malone LaVeigh]

I've always felt that one of the fundamental weaknesses of the pro-life movement was its all or nothing approach to abortion.
The pro-choice crowd was always able to counter that by raising the health of the mother issue or by trotting out the rape and incest exclusion. While these arguments were somewhat disingenuous, they always succeeded in derailing any efforts at a total ban on abortion.
When you consider that legitimately, these exclusions would account for a very small number of abortions, it always seemed foolish to me not to call the pro-choicers out on that argument.
We should accept these exclusions with the provision that any threat to the mother's health had to be medically documented and any falsification would expose the doctor to a loss of license to practice medicine. A claim of rape or incest would have to be conditional on the filing of a police report. IOW, the mother would have to accuse the father of committing a serious crime.
I don't believe for one second that the pro-choicers would accept these conditions, but it would succeed in taking those arguments away from them.