Abortion
Last week I opined about the future of the pro-choice movement in response to the announcement that the head of NARRAL, Nancy Keenan, was stepping down to make room for the next generation of pro-choicers. I said I would talk a little more about what the movement could do to energize the young folks who, according to some polls, are more pro-life than pro-choice.
To me, the first issue is where exactly are we? I mean, who is winning?
I’m not even sure how to answer that question because I don’t know how you judge. But I’ll give it a try.
Keenan Abortion
To me, the first thing I’d look at is whether abortion is still safe and legal? After all, that is what we were hoping for when the Supreme Court was considering Roe v Wade, right? When the decision came down, we were very happy, although a few pro-choicers were apparently miffed that some restrictions were imposed by the court. Sure, today Roe v Wade is under siege, as it always will be. There are these “personhood” amendments, most of which have failed. But one might make it to the Court and if it got there soon, we’d win but only by a slim margin. Meanwhile, for the most part., women still have access to abortions. Sure, if you live in Montana, it might take a little more effort to get one but specialized medical care of any nature is probably difficult to access in such a rural state. No, the plain fact is that women can get abortions so in that regard we are “winning.”
Abortion
Meanwhile, those fundraising letters that say the sky is falling refer to the incredible amount of activity taking place on the state level. The vaginal ultrasound bills, clinic regulations that are really let’s close the clinic bills, parental consent, etc. There’s a lot going on but because some of these things actually pass, does it mean we are losing? Not necessarily. Sure, it will only make it harder for some women to obtain abortions and make it more expensive. And we have to fight them with all the energy we can muster. But, in determining whether or not we are winning, I would say that a woman who needs an abortion in this country can still get one.
Once we’ve had that discussion, if I were there at the NARAL offices strategizing about how we can garner even more support for our position, particularly amongst the younger generation. And, as I’ve said in the past, is ditch the old, weathered and nonsensical “choice” mantra. What? Do you think most 21 year olds, men or women, know what “choice” even means? I’ll tell you this – my bank uses the phrase, suggesting that we have a “choice” in banks. I’ve seen it used elsewhere. The term has been co-opted and by using it over and over again, we lose sight of our main goal – to preserve safe and legal ABORTION.
Indeed, just recently I read about a fundraiser that NARAL is having on May 24 and it’s called the “Power of Choice” reception. Putting aside the verbiage for a second, the thing that got me was that the celebrities hosting the event are Sally Kellerman and Amy Madigan, among other octogenarians. Do you think anyone under 50 knows who Sally Kellerman is? This is not the way to pass the mantle on to the younger generation.
Meanwhile, the antis use the word abortion all the time and our silence or worse, our “choice” response, is killing us. It’s getting us nowhere. I’m sorry, it’s just not sexy enough – and that’s what you need to get people’s attention.
So, I’d ditch “choice.” Where I would go after that, well, I don’t have the energy at this time nor the space. I gotta think more about that…
Related articles
- President Of Abortion Rights Group NARAL Will Step Down In January (npr.org)
- President Of Abortion Rights Group NARAL Will Step Down In January (wnyc.org)
- NARAL Pro-Choice Leader To Step Down (myfoxdc.com)
- Abortion rights leader Keenan steps down from NARAL (billingsgazette.com)
- Hayley Rose Horzepa: The Importance of Choice (huffingtonpost.com)
Abortion - Abortion Clinics, Abortion Pill, Abortion Information 
May 20, 2012 at 7:29 pm
We need a new motive, to give complete and utter understanding, concede their points, and convince them, why should we fight?
I dont understand this where these people come from. Lets hear from the , why is abortion so bad?
Whats the most common argument you hear, Pat?
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May 22, 2012 at 8:50 am
Jacob, of course the most common argument against abortion is that it is “killing a baby.” And here is the problem for the pro-choice groups – to some extent their argument is true. Abortion is a form of killing, isn’t it? And, at 20 weeks (the minority of abortions but nonetheless), it is certainly looking like a “baby.” Indeed, if the pregnancy was wanted, the parent/s would be talking about their “baby.” This is the big hump we have to jump over.
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May 20, 2012 at 7:51 pm
Okay, Do you mean to convince the Pro-lifers?
I think these people come from, in a basic sense, where they were raised, and mainly by the beliefs on who raised them, mainly baby boomers.
But i have heard many things like, God looks down upon it, and that its murder, But i just dont see it. And passing down a torch to the youth actually should not be that hard. The newer generations, have been socialized in a more expansive way then anytime in history, they understand that there are bigger things to fight for, like education, and Health-care.
They need to make commercials, that show the lives of foster kids, that have been given up, the psychological struggle they have with never choosing to love their biological parents, if they ever meet them.
Pent anger is not healthy for development. It does not matter the house hold of parents, it just takes love and support to nurture a growing mind. so quit criticizing, Blaming, And Hurting innocent lives, for the idiocy of a few.
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May 22, 2012 at 8:51 am
The bottom line, Andrew, is that the pro choice movement needs something “sexy” enough to get the young folks riled up – to the point where they start sending money. Campaigns need money, to do the commercials you are talking about, to give speeches, etc. But the young folks are complacent because they’ve been living with legal abortion for many years. I guess there is a “downside” to winning!
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May 23, 2012 at 9:07 pm
i have to agree with you about the complacency, pattypoo.
i am quite friendly with 3 young women from ireland, one of whom i met in your blog and they are all far more concerned about this issue than their american compatriots.
and too, their attitudes in general are far different.
so many young americans do not respect wisdom and experience and are quick to proclaim “you have to EARN my respect!”, as though that is on the top of my list, whereas, these irish women value the wisdom that i offer them, despite the fact that they are choicers and i am an anti.
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May 24, 2012 at 7:38 am
Rog! Why don’t you offer us some of that wisdom! The only comments I hear from you are those of a quisling.
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May 21, 2012 at 4:26 am
After reading #1 and #2 I find myself almost agreeing “…that here are bigger things to fight for, like education.. .”
But common folks! How can you educate someone after you’ve pulled off her arms and legs? How can a corpse benefit from health care?
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May 21, 2012 at 11:10 am
There ARE bigger things to fight for like family planning and comprehensive, age appropriate sex education.
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May 21, 2012 at 4:15 pm
But common folks! How can you fight for family planning that includes pulling off a little girl’s arms and legs, or for age appropriate sex education that includes the same thing?
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May 22, 2012 at 8:56 am
Johnny boy, you do realize, dont you, that the vast majority of abortions do not result in arms and legs being pulled off, right? Most abortions are done by vaccuum aspiration….and I gotta feeling I spelled vaccuum/vacumm/vacumm wrong….
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May 22, 2012 at 10:04 am
You’re right, Pat, the vast majority do not result in arms and legs being pulled off because they are embryocides. But if you can believe Cindy Rodriguez, the autoclave supervisor whose job it was to count the five parts that resulted (two arms, two legs, and torso), vacuum aspiration did remove the five parts separated. I don’t think they can do abortions till the limbs are recognizable. Course embryocide is even worse than feticide.
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May 22, 2012 at 10:32 am
V A C U M N
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May 23, 2012 at 12:39 pm
Vacuum . . .
C’mon, great scrabble word.
So is:
Phlegm.
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May 23, 2012 at 12:41 pm
For example a sentence,
When John demeans women the timbre of his voice is changed by the abundance of Phlegm that should be removed by Vacuum suction.
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May 23, 2012 at 9:09 pm
asiana is right!
i stand corrected. 🙂
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May 22, 2012 at 8:53 am
You can’t educate someone who has been aborted and they certainly won’t “benefit” from health care. Still, there are gazillions of born children who need the help as well.
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May 21, 2012 at 12:51 pm
John, i have made a promisse to myself to never answer any of your posts… BUT being that this one is “kind” on a nice one to answer, i will open a space this one time on my own promises (even though i don’t think is really John Dunkle writing)
The education is not about educating fetus that were aborted, BUT young teens or even women of prevention, of how to care about themselves, of teaching our “already born” kids to respect… You got to agree that now in days kids doesn’t respect the elderly anymore. When they are crossing the streets, knowing that drivers will answer if the do anything stupid, kids look at the driver almost daring them to accelerate the car.
Education, respect and all the old good principles we had when we were a child, and i am only 43, would make HUGE changes. Now in days when parents are so busy leaving their lives they care less and less about their children… So, i believe that the education mentioned above, was more about that than otherwise.
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May 21, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Wish you’d kept that promise, Soni.
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May 21, 2012 at 10:32 pm
So sayeth the octogenarian….
Ignore him, Sonia, because he is not worth your time or anyone else’s time or efforts
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May 22, 2012 at 8:59 am
Good point, Sonia. We’ve got sooo many problems today that affect real,live, already born children than having to worry about those that were aborted. It’s sad, they’re gone but that was the decision. Now, instead of visualizing that child that was aborted, why not use the energy to focus on that kid right over there, the one who is starving.
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May 22, 2012 at 10:06 am
But what about the one who’s about to be aborted, I mean tortured to death?
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May 22, 2012 at 8:24 am
Pat,
From my experience with some undergraduates at a private liberal arts college, the word ‘choice’ is meaningless. But they also have very little exposure to reproductive rights issues or, any political issues, for that matter. Ask them about celebrities or sports and you’ll soon realize how superficial their world is, especially as first and second year students. Eventually, they find their passion, their major and their interests in world events.
As I said, from my experience, when male and female students are introduced to the current reproductive rights battles, the majority are stunned to learn that there are people who are attempting to take away what they assume will always be their rights. Whether they stand up, speak out and take action remains to be seen.
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May 22, 2012 at 9:03 am
Yes, Kate, that is the point. “Choice” means diddly squat. But the ole folks who run these groups are so afraid to say “ABORTION”. Indeed, when I worked for them, they were called the National Abortion Rights Action League. Then, years later, in an effort to soften their public image, they added the phrase “and Reproductive” so it’s now the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League.
The issue is abortion, everyone knows it. So, use the word and let’s start talking about it for gosh’s sakes.
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May 23, 2012 at 9:12 pm
isn’t it sad that celebrities are viewed as heroes and teachers are viewed as buzzkillers by so many youth? certainly not all, but by far too many.
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May 22, 2012 at 9:05 am
Kate is probably right when she says “the majority [of college kids] are stunned to learn that there are people who are attempting to take away what they assume will always be their rights.”
We prolifers are trying to change that. We’re trying to get the majority to see that we old folks tortured to death half of them when they were young, and they should be the ones who end this horror
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May 22, 2012 at 9:31 am
And when I show students clips of your behavior and the behavior of other anti abortion terrorists, they are appalled, as they should be. Typical student responses are similar to the average citizen’s response “Are they allowed to do that?” or “Don’t they have something better to do?” or “Stupid old man” or “That’s just wrong”
And at the National Communications Association Conference, this past November, in New Orleans, when I presented my research on the use of grotesque imagery in the pro life industry, I was pleased that the room was full, that participants were equally appalled as I am. It’s delusional thinking to suggest that think the images work to dissuade women from abortion. As my research and the researchers before me found, the images do two things: 1) among the anti abortion crowd, the images reinforce their beliefs for only some and 2) for the clinic clients, their companions and the general public, the images alienate the very people the terrorists hope to reach.
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May 23, 2012 at 3:54 pm
When I see video of Anti Abortion protestors they look like possessed crazed lunatics.
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February 7, 2014 at 9:08 pm
I went there only because (Congress leaedr and Pune MP) Suresh Kalmadi insisted that I come. I went there only when I was told that Sushil Kumar Shinde had been honoured in one of the earlier meets of the organisation. How can anyone even think of me being a leaedr of any one community? If various associations like the Vaishya Samaj or some Muslim body invite me, I do go there, she told The Indian Express.Asked if she saw Muthalik there, Dikshit said as a leaedr she meets hundreds of people everyday . Am I expected to know everyone whom I meet? I didn’t know about the man you are talking about. But if he’s the same man behind the vandalism (in Mangalore), he needs to condemned in the strongest possible terms. In Pune, there is talk that Kalmadi and the Congress tried to steal the thunder from the saffron parties by reaching out to the four-lakh Brahmin voter base there via the two-day gathering. Kalmadi was not available for comment.Ghaisas Guruji, who runs an institution to impart Vedic education in Pune, said: While we were organising a local meet in Dharwad (in Karnataka), we were told Muthalik should be invited to the Pune meet because he had been doing good work among the Brahmins. We didn’t known about his background at all. We were taken aback when we learnt the truth about him from television. (With ENS reports from Pune, Bangalore)
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May 22, 2012 at 9:49 am
If anyone thinks the so-called pro life cartel is making strides with young college students, consider their latest celebrity darling, Abby Johnson and her visits to Colorado State University and University of Washington. Both miserable disasters. As one author noted, “Abby Johnson’s lecture was riddled with factual errors, missteps in logic, and terrifying rhetoric that was used to emotionally ignite the crowd while simultaneously marginalizing her opponents. Johnson failed to provide rational, evidence-based arguments for her position because, frankly, they don’t really exist. In the end she’s just another hate-mongering ignoramus with too much clout. She was pedantic, self-obsessed, and utterly despicable.”
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May 22, 2012 at 10:15 am
Got a little mixed up here, Kate. This took place in New Orleans and here’s what “one author” really said: “Kate Ranieri’s lecture was riddled with factual errors, missteps in logic, and terrifying rhetoric that was used to emotionally ignite the crowd while simultaneously marginalizing her opponents. Ranieri failed to provide rational, evidence-based arguments for her position because, frankly, they don’t really exist. In the end she’s just another hate-mongering ignoramus without too much clout. She was pedantic, self-obsessed, and utterly despicable.”
Personally I think “one author” is over-the-top but I bet you know people who would disagree with me.
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May 22, 2012 at 11:33 am
Too cute, John
Your contribution is so valuable to the ongoing dialogue
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May 22, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Dialogue? Is that what you call “preaching to the choir,” which is what you do here till I come around and what you do at the AWC even if I’m around?
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May 22, 2012 at 1:44 pm
You really do flatter yourself, don’t you?
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May 22, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I really hate to do that but I’m compelled to speak the troth.
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May 23, 2012 at 8:04 am
Compelled to speak the troth?
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May 23, 2012 at 10:54 am
truth
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May 23, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Actually Kate, I think John speaks Troth more than he ever spoke Truth.
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May 23, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Explain this, Asi, I might like it.[
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May 23, 2012 at 4:01 pm
Dunkle the explanation is simple. You are the flag burning worshiper of convicted murderers.
That is what you are.
You will die eventually of natural causes, go to Hell for your sins, and accomplish nothing here on Earth. Jesus would never act in the ways you have conducted yourself. Quite a stupid legacy you have made for yourself. A legacy that will be forgotten to all within hours of your natural demise. But that has been your choice.
You could have helped children instead of disparaging, harming and demeaning women you know nothing about, but you choose the latter.
These choices sealed your eternal fate.
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May 23, 2012 at 4:24 pm
Karl! Who’s overturning rocks and exposing these toads?
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May 26, 2012 at 9:05 am
jajajajajaja
omg, i ADORE you, kate!
your sense of humor is so rich.
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May 22, 2012 at 11:43 am
The author is Tim on the blog Atheist Elephant, Feb 26, 2012
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May 22, 2012 at 12:03 pm
Quoting you, though, wasn’t he?
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May 23, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Well written article, I enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to Part II on Abortion.
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May 23, 2012 at 9:14 pm
yes! i was thinking the same thing! if this was part 1, there is at least another entry!
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May 23, 2012 at 12:58 pm
There will be a day when even “opponents” will decide how stupid they look discussing the same exact subject but accusing the other part. That day, i hope soon, they will laugh, shake their heads and come to an agreement that if what they REALLY want is something good for all, they will be together in that… otherwise we will have to keep listening to BS from people who thinks like in 1900… too bad so sad…
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May 23, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Sonia, you might enjoy reading alternet’s article on the 10 dumbest in Congress—all Republicans, all speaking at a 7th or 8th grade level….pretty much like the anti abortion terrorists
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May 23, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Here in an inspiring obit about a progressive woman, Dr. Jean Pakter, women’s heath advocate
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May 23, 2012 at 9:23 pm
wow!
she covered every aspect of female reproduction!
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May 23, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Yeah but you can blame everyone, in the sense, that we as people put them there.
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May 23, 2012 at 9:15 pm
i have never seen asiana before.
i like this person. she is quite refreshing,
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May 24, 2012 at 8:12 am
Thank you. I noticed your intelligent commentary on FB so I though I would check out this Blog. The Posts are very good reading.
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May 26, 2012 at 9:06 am
you have seen me on FB?
will you message me so we can chat some more?
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May 24, 2012 at 9:49 am
the blind leading the blind
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May 24, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Hence why we are glad you don’t lead anything.
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May 26, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Talking to Rog, right? Otherwise youda replied to me.
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May 25, 2012 at 6:06 am
I am one of the young Irish women Rogelio was speaking of…I too feel that the word choice has become meaningless to a lot of people at this point and I think it is because because antis have done a really good job creating the idea that they are simply trying to defend all human life. I think that this is one thing that does seriously need to be tackled because you would think that if this is what they truly believed, then they might be more open to the idea that it is not so. I mean, I would honestly expect that antis would be relieved and happy to consider the notion that several countries worldwide have legalized something that is the exact same as killing a baby and that millions of women avail of this procedure….but no. No matter how well you articulate yourself, no matter what facts you have to back up your point, antis are unwilling to accept that idea. This is not indicative of a group of concerned, compassionate human beings who are simply standing against something that they believe is atrocious…it is more indicative of a very egotistical and manipulative group of people with a more sinister agenda. This is definitely something that abortion rights groups everywhere need to take on to create a more productive dialogue about abortion so that people everywhere can make their minds up.
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May 26, 2012 at 9:09 am
omigosh i love you, clare!
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May 26, 2012 at 9:11 am
for anyone that doesn’t know, this is my e-daughter
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May 26, 2012 at 12:16 pm
I’d rather slog through Kate’s mud than wade through this swamp. No wonder Rog likes it.
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February 8, 2014 at 1:08 pm
They are all so good! I need one for my wall but will be hard to pick.You have really getotn the photography thing down pat. Of course,it doesn’t hurt to have such a good model.
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February 28, 2014 at 9:51 am
I told my kids we’d play after I found what I needed. Damnit.
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December 12, 2013 at 4:48 pm
[…] Preserving Abortion Rights – Part I(abortion.ws) […]
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