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Opinion -- Americans Support Abortion
Limitations
Don Nelson
Reno Gazette
Journal
January 28,
2010
Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Allison
Gaulden's op-ed "There are good reasons to celebrate Roe
v. Wade" [Voices, Jan. 21] illustrates important
differences between pro-life and abortion advocates on
abortion issues, and who is shaping the direction
America is heading on abortion.
First, Gaulden's reference to German
pastor Martin Niemoller speaks volumes. Niemoller
lamented that his failure to speak up about injustices
against other groups at the hands of the Nazis led to a
Holocaust and his own victimization.
Second, it's striking that a Planned
Parenthood spokesperson would quote Niemoller. There
have been 52 million abortions since Roe and nobody has
done more abortions, operates more abortion clinics,
advocated or profited more from abortion than Planned
Parenthood.
Third, abortion feminists' presumption
to speak for women is false. Not only do abortion
feminists not speak for women on abortion since more
women are pro-life, the founding feminists were, without
known exception, opposed to abortion. Susan B. Anthony
said that abortion was child murder. She and the early
feminists would forcefully oppose the 52 million
abortions since Roe and be revolted at celebrations of
Roe.
Abortion advocates' opposition to
parental notification, waiting periods, bans on
partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion
demonstrates abortion advocates' extremism. These
measures are supported by wide majorities of Americans,
including many who are pro-choice. So are true informed-
consent, anti-coercion screening, conscience rights,
alternatives provided by crisis pregnancy centers and
laws that treat the unborn as a victim when killed by
murderers like Scott Peterson. Abortion advocates oppose
them all.
There are good things to celebrate 37
years from Roe. Americans are making steady progress to
reduce abortion. The percentage of women having
abortions is down one-third. Yearly abortions are down
25 percent while our population increased 20 percent.
The ratio of abortions to live births is down. Teen
abortions are down a stunning 50 percent!
This dramatic decrease is largely due
to the widely supported limitations. The Guttmacher
Institute says 35 percent of women who would have
aborted didn't because of the ban on taxpayer funding
through the Hyde Amendment. Millions of Americans born
since 1976 are alive today and owe their lives to these
provisions opposed by abortion advocates.
Not only are abortions down, a series
of polls also shows that Americans are pro-life and that
America's youth are profoundly pro-life. State
legislatures have passed hundreds of widely supported
laws and regulations. And despite abortion advocates'
control of all three branches of government, the Freedom
of Choice Act is dead and the health-care bill appears
doomed in large part due to the Senate version's
abortion funding provisions.
Thirty-seven years from Roe, there are
some things to celebrate. America is pro-life, abortions
are down and Americans are moving toward a more pro-life
policy on abortion.
Don Nelson
is president of Nevada LIFE (Life Issues Forum and
Education).
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