Compendium of Abortion Facts and Opinions

An Ongoing Work

Published on May 4, 2004 By Shulamite In Current Events

I'm going to try to update this article as a source for information I've heard on abortion. I will update this article frequently. I'll not put too much of my opinion here unless I state it as such. I hope it will spark your analysis of what I put. I will, however, include mine in the comments area. If you have facts, I welcome them. If I can verify them, I'll include them. Cheerio!

Last week, I heard on SRN news radio broadcast that twice as many black babies are aborted as white babies.

A nurse in Houston said on an interview that at her pregnancy crisis center (I'll work to find specifics) 60% of females entering the center were NOT pregnant. The nurse said at the abortion clinic where she formerly worked, she would have performed the procedure whether the patient was pregnant or not and whether the patient was known to have been properly tested or not. (NOTE: As Shades of Grey pointed out, this is only anecdotal and shows unethical behavior on the part of one place. I'm only repeating what I heard on the air in 1999 on a talk show with no claim to normative value or credibility beyond what the nurse herself gave.) Former abortion counselor, Debra Henry, says, "We were told to find the woman's weakness and work on it. The women were never given any alternatives. They were told how much trouble it was to have a baby." Former abortionist, Joseph Randall, M.D., says, "The picture of the baby on the ultrasound bothered me more than anything else. The staff couldn't take it. Women who were having abortions were never allowed to see the ultrasound." (Note: I heard the same comment in two other places. Dr. James Dobson interviewed a woman who owns a crisis center. She said around 75% of women who see the ultrasound change their minds.) http://www.abortionfacts.com/life_or_choice/babies/babies_saved_by_prolife_work.asp This takes you to a site with photos and personal stories. Not emperical evidence, and admittedly anecdotal and reliant on pathos, but still worthwhile to many. http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_10.asp#When%20does%20human%20life%20begin? This takes you to the best source of logical thinking on the debate issue I could find. Rather than reproduce it here, I've linked it for those interested. Pro-Choice demonstration accounts: http://www.rightgrrl.com/99grrls/May/Sass/violence.html http://www.catholicexchange.com/vm/index.asp?vm_id=26&art_id=23475 The point is this: protestors are the most passionate members of any side of any debate. Add that to mob psychology and people do wild things. This is not ever representative of the more calm, articulate members of either side of the debate. Using protest behavior to prove a point about the falsehood of the opposition proves nothing.

Comments

Sherye Hanson

on May 04, 2004

What was interviewing her and what was the nurse being interviewed for. Which news source it is makes a difference. When writing about such a controversial subject such as abortion, you need to make all of your sources clear. Some sources are biased.

Shulamite

on May 05, 2004

It was a talk radio host out of Houston. She was being interviewed because she used to be pro-choice but switched her opinion after salvation. (experiencing conviction.) I agree with your insights above. I heard the interview. I know she herself is biased against it now -- she works in a pregnancy crisis center she began after leaving the clinic -- but her experience makes her viewpoint more valid, I think. She stated she was told to "find" the fetus in a sonogram whether she believed there was one or not. They would perform an abortion on anyone, pregnant or not. The only criteria was that they wanted one.

shadesofgrey

on May 05, 2004

Shulamite--I've been searching for this Houston radiotalk show statistic for a while now and I'm not coming up with anything--any evidence??

Shulamite

on May 06, 2004

Shades of Grey,

I know it was on KPRC and I think it was Pat's show. I've contacted the station in hopes of finding out the woman's name and/or the center where she works. I've also contacted a pregnancy center in west Houston in hopes they would know who she is. If I can get one of these two to respond, I'll let you know. All I can relay is what the woman said on the interview. I appreciate your interest in facts ... I didn't question her stat because of her credibility. I'll see what I can find out and then put a source on it for you.

shadesofgrey

on May 06, 2004

I am interested, but I don't think that it is an "abortion fact." Rather it is evidence of some really unethical people. If the women weren't pregnant, they didn't have an abortion (abortion is defined as the termination of a pregnancy). The center was highly unethical, yes, but does it relate to the "choice debate?" Not in my mind.

At the gym the other day, a woman was telling me about the DC March for Women's Freedom. She said that anti-choice protestors were screaming at her about how they regretted their abortions. She simply turned around and asked, "but did you regret having the right to choose?" That's the key. Yes, some people will make decisions that aren't right for them, but it's their decision to make, and they need to deal with the consequences. I have a hard time stomaching the "converted anti-choicers," who having had the right to choose want to take it away from everyone else. Accept responsibility for your decisions, the government didn't force you to have an abortion--you made the choice. Do not try to take away other choices because you now regret yours.

Shulamite

on May 06, 2004

I totally agree with the premise of the right to choose. I believe an individual should have a right to choose a lot of things. I noticed you said, "Accept responsibility for your decisions." You finish the sentence with "the government didn't force you to have an abortion -- you made the choice." I see a parallel here in our line of thinking. Would it sound so very strange if I said, "Accept responsibility for your decisions. The government didn't force you to have sex."

I think we agree that sex and abortion are two choices anyone has a right to make in the status quo. Some wome are raped and I'll give you that 3% give or take stat to shave off the argument. Let's deal with the 97% consentual figure. If you really believe people should be responsible for their choices and they should have a choice, why not go with the side that does not cause loss of life or physical harm to anyone involved?

In otherwords, I believe in freedom of choice -- a woman is free to choose the activity that creates children or to abstain from it. Beyond that, there is responsiblity. If you and I can agree thus far, now we only need to agree as to what the responsiblity is. Does society have a responsiblity to protect its weakest members? I have a suspicion you'd agree with this on all issues but this one. Here is the crux. 1. Where does the freedom of choice begin and end? 2. Does society owe its weakest members protection?

btw, I contacted the radio station and the guy who emailed me said he hasn't been there that long. He'd keep looking, but he thinks the current local talk show host has only been there since 2000. I'll edit the stat to more clearly reflect your comment -- I think you're right that it shows unethical behavior and it is a more localized stat. As to normative behavior, I'd not make that claim without a more scientific sampling. Thank you for your always-appreciated class.

Shulamite

on May 06, 2004

Note: I edited the article and neither my formatting nor links are working properly. Please forgive the inconvenience. When this is no longer the case, I'll re-edit. Again, I apologize for the lack of paragraphs and reading ease.

gothic impulse

on May 07, 2004

In otherwords, I believe in freedom of choice -- a woman is free to choose the activity that creates children or to abstain from it. Beyond that, there is responsiblity. If you and I can agree thus far, now we only need to agree as to what the responsiblity is. Does society have a responsiblity to protect its weakest members? I have a suspicion you'd agree with this on all issues but this one. Here is the crux. 1. Where does the freedom of choice begin and end? 2. Does society owe its weakest members protection?

What about the women who didn't have a freedom of choice between the activity or abstinence?

Are you saying even if a woman did choose to have sex it is better for the child to be born unwanted and possibly spend their childhood being abused?

I personally think until anyone is in the position, they have no right to comment..... It is easy to say what other people should do and I'm sure that it is not an easy choice to make.

Jess

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