Saturday, December 18

ABORTION UP OR DOWN UNDER BUSH?


Happened to hear Michael Medved today insist that abortions have decreased under King George II. Wonder where he gets his information?

posted by Motherlode at 4:39 AM

2 Comments:

Blogger Steve Bogner said...

One time I did a bit of research, looking at the abortion rates over time. I couldn't really see a correlation between the ups & downs and various presidencies. I didn't get into advanced statistics or anything (wish I HAD that much time), but there wasn't an obvious causal relationship.

I'm pro-life (both anti-abortion and anti-death penalty), and on the board of directors at a local pregnancy counseling center. Business has been so good the past four years that we've been able to expand into a larger facility. Either we're reaching more clients in the existing population of pregnant women, or the number of abortion-minded women is increasing. I don't know.

I've always been amused, and a bit saddened, to read about how electing conservative Republicans will reduce the abortion rate. That obviously hasn't worked. Gee, maybe we need another approach? Most pro-lifers don't like to hear that...

Have a great Christmas!

7:32 AM  
Blogger Motherlode said...

Merry Christmas to you also, Steve, and thanks for the important insight. I've been conflicted about anti-abortion issues since my charismatic 12-year-old daughter became briefly famous for being the "youngest anti-abortion activist" on TV news (I'm sure as a result of our teaching) and I was asked by a prominent Christian public relations firm (spurred by "Operation Rescue," to whom she was a hero) to accompany her on a nationwide speaking tour. I went back to the Word for guidance and couldn't find any clear direction other than, as you said, an obvious "pro-life" orientation. Frankly, it caused a great upheaval in my family and personal belief system.

I am still opposed in principle to abortion as a method of birth control, but I will never again support fanatical anti-abortion legislation when it favors the rights of the unborn over the health, both mental and physical, of living human beings.

Having said that, I should declare my strong belief that the best way to protect human life of all forms is to provide assistance to the desperate. I wish I could reference it, but I remember reading that under the eight years of Clinton's administration abortion rates actually declined and under Bush II have again risen dramatically. That leads me to the correlation that when the poor or disenfranchised have no other options, facing the situation of another unprovided-for mouth to feed or a 1950's-like shame-for-life situation, women wil abort. An opportunistic economy and a loving and accepting social environment must surely lead to a healthier choices for women, don't you think?

7:46 AM  

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