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

[autmarfcvsmom]

When Rev. Sam Rodriguez , Rev. Rich Cizik , Jim Wallis, and Joel Hunter get pregnant they can join in on the abortion discussion. In the mean time, if you're against abortion, don't have one and keep your opinion out of my uterus.

[demjustice]

As a woman, I agree, men don't get a vote on this one. This is a right to privacy that no man or woman should be able to take away from me. This is between me and my doctor and me and my God.

What about the 4,000 plus soldiers who have given their lives, not to mention the men, woman and children of Iraq. Weren't these all someone's child. Why aren't you as outraged at their deaths?

If men had babies, the "right to choose" would have been the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.

[booksnmore4you]

Well, men should. What of the man whose girlfreind wants to aborts but who wants the child? ZERO voice for him???

[MizLiz]

If that man isn't married, he should be using a condom. Then he wouldn't have to worry about it, would he? Bareback riders are just selfish pigs, in my opinion.

[AlphaDoc]

He can say whatever he likes . . . but in the end, the decision is and should always be the woman's. Anything less is holding a woman prisoner to her own biological functions, wresting sovereign control of her body from her and giving it to someone else. I don't know any man who would put up with that on his own behalf. Do you?

[relevancematters]

Might I suggest that HIS choice occurred at the moment he decided to have unprotected sex? The moment he decided that his pleasure was worth more than her risk? The moment his personal values came to include sex outside of marriage? Ponying up to be a dad isn't quite so honorable when every step the guy takes beforehand is irresponsible and self-centered--unless of course he's using his sexual conquests as brood mares.

[NewArtz]

A political policy championing contraception could stimulate research to make our present choice of abortion unnecessary. It is utmost that humans have control over their reproductive process, and, yes, it is a concern for both male and female partners in heterosexual conception. We should be striving for a quality of life that benefits us all, not rallying around moral concerns so deeply conflicted that only fools are blind enough to claim they "know" God's will. Health Care for children is more important than oil, money or eternal life. Life begins at birth, and our responsibility as breeders must be to care for the citizens born each day, not mourning the millions lost who may have only been a sperm and an egg, but never a child.

[jbgnyc]

Wow. This is subtle and seductive and almost, almost dangerously convincing. It begins with a lot of things that all people who are pro-choice would have no trouble supporting: i.e. Babies already born need love and care, adoption is a wonderful option, preventing unwanted pregnancies (is a good thing).

But it starts from a false premise: I.E. All abortions are tragic. (I.E. wrong, sinful, bad). This is simply not true, and every woman deep in her heart know that many, many unwanted pregnancies are truly tragic. Not having to bear that pregnancy is liberating and an absolute right for all women.
Without choice, women have NO say in the REST of their lives.

I return to one of the Clinton's wisest word choices: Let's make abortion protected but rare. How? By making birth control and sex education available and free for all. And safe abortion procedures when/if the first two fail.

[mcthfg]

Um... all the people you listed in the video are MEN.

Last I checked, we can't get pregnant. So why should we have a vote?

[sdskelton03]

It is very difficult to answer such a silly question, but I will give it a shot.

Every child has a father. The woman didn't become pregnant all on her own.

Additionally, I think it is foolish to say that almost half of our society should have no say al all in how we foster the growth of our society.

[NYCSocialWork]

I'm a guy...but I'm also a domestic violence counselor. I have heard a number of extremely tragic stories of rape, torture, slavery, where abortion was basically a necessity in order for the mother to a)survive and b)take care of her other child(ren). Abortion must always be an option, because, as much as the Christian Right hates to admit it, not all pregnancies are minority teens who have 7 baby daddies. Yes, adoption is good, but unfortunately the chances of children in foster care being abused is tragically high. Should abortions be reduced? Of course! but abstinence only education does not work...prevention and education is the only way!