A Shocking Abortion Ad

This campaign season has brought a new species: ads that advocate for fewer abortions but are implicitly pro-choice. Matthew25 did the first wave of such ads.

Now, Faith in Public Life has begun running an unusual radio ad in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri.

Pro-life activists will bristle at the notion that "we need to ask ourselves what it really means to be pro-life." Pro-choice activists will dislike the call to help young mothers "choose life." But all in all, the language may be closer to where many Americans are: wanting abortion legal but more rare.

The text of the ad:

With 1 in 5 pregnancies in America ending in abortion and the number of abortions unchanged from 32 years ago, it's time to stop the political posturing and get serious about protecting life.

2,400 late-term abortions a year is tragic, but what often gets ignored is that 10 times more infants die each year in America largely because of inadequate healthcare.

We need to ask ourselves what it really means to be pro-life and help move the conversation beyond bumper sticker slogans.

Thankfully, some lawmakers are already working on real solutions that will drastically reduce abortions by expanding programs that encourage adoption, increasing pre- and post-natal healthcare, preventing unintended pregnancies, and helping young mothers choose life.

It's time for Democrats and Republicans to come together around solutions based on results, not rhetoric. Please learn more by visiting www.realabortionsolutions.org.

Given that most ads are either attacking Obama for supporting infanticide or McCain for putting pregnant women's lives at risk, it's rather amazing to hear an ad like this right now. I'm especially sympathetic with their point about the failure of politicians (pro life and pro choice) to look at the 28,000 babies who die in what I called "the seventh trimester."

The ad was endorsed by an all-star cast of pro-life progressives and moderates, including: Rev. Sam Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Rev. Rich Cizik of the National Association of Evangelicals, Jim Wallis of Sojourners, and Joel Hunter, senior pastor of the 12,00-member Northland Church in Florida.

Comments

[MamaBird62]

Here's some good statistical information from the nonpartisan Guttmacher Institute that answers a lot of the questions posed on this thread: who gets abortions and why and how often.


http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/fb_induced_abortion.html

Maternal and reproductive health is one of many areas where the US lags the rest of the developed world. Some improvements there would reduce the number of abortions and the health of women and children.

[MamaBird62]

...and improve the health of women and children.

[midwesthousewife]

These are interesting facts. I wish one more were entered into the abortion discussion. Scientific studies have found that 1/4 to 1/3 of all conceptions abort naturally in the first trimester. I will let others draw their conclusions about God and the sanctity of Life.

[argon20]

This is a promising approach--a first step to finding common ground on the issue. I've long thought the labels were awkward and polarizing: pro-choice vs pro-life.
These days, I'm finding myself somewhere in the middle, perhaps I'd label it "sad choice." Keep abortion legal and safe, but let's work together to make it a rarity.

[bullthistle]

Too many people who claim to be pro-life are actually pro-fetus. This ad is perfect because it will force them to think. Anti-abortion does not equal pro-life.

[BJD44]

Now THIS ad is absolutely the discussion we as Americans should be having!!!!!!!!! Kudos to those who made this ad! I wish they'd air it nationally, as I am an Independent, born-again Christian voter in Washington State. Plus, I am the Mom of a son with Down syndrome.

One thing I realized after choosing to have my son was the realization, as a Christian, that life is ANYTHING BUT black and white. It is all shade of gray. And it is messy. While I wish abortion NEVER had to even occur, I also realize that, even AS a BELIEVING Christian, it is NOT my choice to make for someone else -- only me.

This is just what Obama has said over and over, and WE NEED TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION!!!

And it is the reason Palin did it in for me in making my choice NOT to vote for McCain.

[Lolotehe]

I would suggest looking at the report "Reducing Abortion in America: The Effect of Economic and Social Supports" ( http://ncronline3.org/drupal/miscimages/dailyphotos/abortion_study.pdf ). According to the study, a recent survey of women who obtained abortions showed that nearly 75 percent “cited economic hardship as a reason for obtaining an abortion; three-fourths also cited having a child as interfering with work or school, or child care responsibilities as a reason.”

[Ocean girl]

FINALLY!!!!

This is the perfect middle ground where we can move forward with our varying opinions and actually take some action to improve the lives of children. Another system that needs and overhaul is CPS and the foster care system. If we put the passion that people have on both sides into changing our systems, increasing access to healthcare and education, then we will surely make progress.

Unfortunately though I think for a lot of "pro life" people it is more about gender and controlling women on a deep subverted psychological level than that actual issue. Otherwise they would be anti war etc.

[chimama1]

I liked this ad. I agree that most Americans think abortion should be legal and decided by the woman, but that nearly all of us would like them to become much less common. As someone who choose to keep a baby under difficult circumstances (unmarried, in college, no money) the results have been beyond wonderful for me, but I still cannot fathom forcing every young woman in my situation to make the same decision I did.

I think Obama voiced the mainstream opinion very eloquently in the third debate: No one is pro-abortion, it is a tragedy every time, let's find the middle ground to reduced the number of unwanted pregnancies. No need to remind you all of McCain's insulting and belittling response.

[mredder4]

Two problems with the abortion discussion:

1. Pro-choice activists have allowed "pro-choice" to become synonymous with "pro-abortion" and "pro-death", as if allowing choice will mean that pregnant women could not leave the house for fear of being rounded up and having their baby summarily aborted. This has limited the ability of pro-choice to present the case that sex ed and reducing unplanned pregnancies will help lower the abortion rates.

2. The pro-life movement, due to their primary basis being religious opposition, refuses to discuss increasing sex ed and contraception as ways to reduce abortion rates. This group is allowed to sink it's heels in and say "Hmph!" instead of being forced to compromise to make progress.

The middle ground on this issue has been, is, and always will be directly tied to the number of unplanned pregnancies in America, which can be addressed by doing away with these ridiculous "abstinence only" programs. Let's arm our teens and young adults with knowledge instead of truthiness and we might see a LOT of progress on abortion.

[greguva]

The most common reason cited for having an abortion is lack of resources to raise a child. If we address the underlying socioeconomic barriers to childrearing, we can reduce the number of abortions. This is a point Obama made in one of the debates, although not as forcefully as I would have liked. I have not heard any such comments from the McCain side.

[wdw101]

so do away with the condition of poor? who will wait on tables, dig ditches, wash the dishes....­...we need someone to be poor......

[tonycoyle]

that's what I (and many others) did in college -- we waited tables, worked in construction, washed dishes.

I'd happily pay more for food and drink, if it meant the waitstaff earned a decent wage for the job.

And I ALWAYS tip -- I don't pay for obsequious - I pay for the job... but doing it well gets you a bonus.. I don't penalize the waitperson for bad food. I penalize the restaurant.

[RedBirdy]

Actually that isn't the most common reason cited. And you'd be surpised that large number of terminated pregnancies are by middle class white women.

[chimama1]

What is the most common reason cited?

[TeeDub]

Just because they are middle class women (like Black, Indian, Asian, etc can't be middle class as well) doesn't mean that the decision to abort isn't due to economics. They are the ones that can afford an abortion but not another child.

Also, every study I've ever read states economics is the primary reason. According to you, it's not. If not economics, then what is the most common reason?

[midwesthousewife]

I was shocked to find out that a friend had decided to abort her third pregnancy. She and her husband are well-educated and great parents, living a middle-class modest lifestyle. The reason? They took a hard look at their finances--little retirement savings, little college savings, and two children's college educations facing them. They are committed to giving their two children the best start in life with a college education. They calculated that they could not manage the expense of a third child and provide for their retirement. A hard but realistic assessment of their financial situation.

And a sizeable number of abortions are amongst the over-40 age group. Lots of reasons for that, including the strength of the mother's health.

[NetWeasel]

Here's a small thought experiment for you...

Suppose the law were changed, nation-wide, thusly:

If a pregnancy resulted in the death of the mother, then the person who helped cause the pregnancy would then be found guilty of murder, or at least homicide, with mandatory jail time or worse.

If a pregnancy could threaten the life or health of the FATHER, you might find some people's opinion change...

[wdw101]

I really doubt it

[hchriste]

I support Matthew 25. A very fine organization with real world values and views as to religion and politics. Choice for a women is and should be their right. It is time to take the radical people for and against choice out of politics. They have been and are still doing major damage to our American society. If we really want to save the lives of the maxium number of babies, fix the healthcare system.

[colleen2]

"If we really want to save the lives of the maxium number of babies, fix the healthcare system."

I get it that the religious amongst us do not care about the women at all but hopefully I won't be thrown out of politics as a pro choice advocate if I point out that the maternal mortality rate has risen to the point where the US is 41st. Indeed we have a worse maternal mortality rate than infant mortality rate.

[hchriste]

You do have a good point and fixing the Health Care system hopefully would also improve the health of many mothers to be.

[HappyAtheist]

I consider myself to be pro-choice, but I'm not an activist - abortion isn't on my list of top priorities. However, i have several friends (female) who are rabidly anti-choice. I think this ad might actually appeal to them! I know.....c­razy....bu­t I like it, for the most part.

[Siava]

You're not the only one who likes this ad. It's middle ground for both sides and portrays reality instead of a future fantasy world where gumdrops fall from the sky and nobody ever encounters hardships.

[wdw101]

would you rather the ad be pro-abortion?

[MizLiz]

Republicans talk a good game, but why, then, are they against sex education in schools? Not pure abstinence, but real solid information -- plus access to birth control...­condoms at least! And why do they make it so hard for women to get birth control and have their insurance pay for it? Even George Bush has made foreign aid more difficult for people who need access to birth control the most. He won't include it for some reason...p­andering to the right-wingers?

No, Republicans seem to care about children until they're born -- after that, hey, they're on their own.

[AlphaDoc]

Good post, MizLiz.

[RedBirdy]

You're right. I am a sexual health educator and STD (mainly HIV) counselor and tester, and what I see everyday makes me sad. Funding for non profits have been greatly reduced and most of the money is giving to abstinence only programs, and they just don't work. They don't. Plain and simple. No one is "pro abortion", but many are anti choice. Not only anti choice when it comes to abortion, but when it comes to health care in general. Birth control isn't always affordable or available for women younger and older, and some don't even have access to the health care system to get it when it is available. So, republicans talk a good game, but the words aren't matching the action. And believe me when I say, the irony is that there are a whole lot of "soccer moms" in my free clinics, using free resources so they won't have to use their insurance or pay out of pocket for their abortions or birthcontrol. So for every free resource they use up, when they can well afford it themselves, takes away services and resources from those who need it. And what Bush did was disgusting. Many don't know that those condoms we no longer aid with and birth control we don't aid in means many woman are being infected with and birthing HIV positive children, without the means and aid to care for these children. It's sad.

[wdw101]

so let's give them medication so they live longer to infect others, right?

[zorak1704]

Republicans are not pro life. They are pro birth. But once you are here, you are on your own. I have a hard time convincing my church going extended family in West Virginia of this fact. They don't know what to say when I bring up the one party rule that existed from 2001-2007. The republicans didn't ban abortion then. And they never will. If they banned abortion, what boogie man issue would they fall back on every 4 years to get the right wing Christians to vote for them?

[HappyAtheist]

YES! My thoughts exactly, Zorak. Abortion and those crazy gays will get the right-wing fear macine to the polls every time.

[wdw101]

what is wrong with pro-birth?

[booksnmore4you]

Excellent ad.

If the Dems were to co-opt the abortion issue - keeping it legal but working very hard and smartly to concretely reduce the numbers - there would be no such thing as a Republican party as we've known it since the early 1980s.