R v. Wade – 40 Years On

I’m a little late on this.  I meant to post on this last week, closer to the anniversary of the monumental decision, but alas, the technical wizardry required to bring you the clips below were beyond my meager ability.  It took a bit of time to accomplish.

Anyway, I still feel the same about this debate as I did 6 months ago, 6 years ago and as a Sr. in college.  I really, honestly feel that America is much more in agreement than disagreement on the topic of abortion. For example, Gallup had a poll in 2011:

I’m afraid the debate has been taken over and dominated by the extremes.  The extremes of both sides.

Heh.  Sound familiar?

As a conservative and a Christian, I can understand where “my guys” are coming from and it’s easy to identify the crazy and disregard them.  But for the life of me, I just don’t get the far left and their position on the defense of every single aspect of the abortion debate.

Anyway, when it comes up, I always think of these two scenes in an episode from “Boston Legal”.

The context, of course, is a liberal law firm in Boston.  One of the named partners however, Denny Crane, is a staunch republican and often caricatured as such.  The show is a sounding board for liberal issues, when the show is about issues.  However, it’s more often than not funny and entertaining.

Anyway, in this episode, the two main liberal attorneys are faced with a dilemma; a 15 year old girl is seeking a court override of the parental consent required for an abortion.  The attorneys, normally in favor of such laws, take the case.  However, the scene turns complicated when the intent of the girl is not so much that she doesn’t wanna have a child, it’s that she doesn’t wanna have a daughter.

This creates a moral dilemma played out here:

In my experience, it’s spot on.  To the extreme supporter of Roe, it’s not so much the support of what’s going on, as it is the absolute critical nature of the ruling itself.

Finally, the bourbon scene:

Notice the hint at the “beginning of life” thing.

4 responses to “R v. Wade – 40 Years On

  1. I will admit that I haven’t dug in on all this data, but it looks to me there something of a consensus around the status quo, no?

    • it looks to me there something of a consensus around the status quo, no?

      It does. It diverges when it comes to allowing abortion at anytime of the pregnancy – late term abortions- and then allowing the procedure for reasons not related to health; an elective condition.

  2. Both sides clearly agree on some points, so why not work to address those areas? This reminds me of an interview that I saw on television over 30 years ago. At the time, Michigan’s legislators were considering a helmet law for motorcyclists. A spokesman for a bikers group opposed to the legislation was being interviewed.

    The biker person was asked if he wore a helmet while riding. He said that he did. He even acknowledged that only a crazy person would ride a motorcycle on a public highway without a helmet. The tv newsperson doing the interview paused a moment. He was surprised to hear that remark from an opponent to the helmet law.
    The news guy asked the follow up question, “Why then are you opposed to the mandatory helmet law?”
    The biker guy said, “Because if we allow this, bit by bit motorcycles will by regulated off the roads.”
    The biker guy was afraid that the “anti-motorcycle” people would just keep adding more and more restrictions, and he was probably right.

    I am sure that both sides of the abortion issue secretly agree that abortions are an inappropriate solution to a problem that needs to be addressed, but neither side wants to give up any ground for fear that the other side will just keep pushing for even more concessions. I know the hard core right will never rest until ALL abortions are outlawed. I also believe that the extremists in the Pro Choice side want zero restrictions.

    For the record, Pino, we don’t happen to be on the same team on this matter. I am Pro Choice, yet I fully acknowledge that abortion is morally wrong. I want abortions to remain legal because I consider it a practical and cost effective solution. The way I look at it, if a couple is too stupid to keep from having an unwanted pregnancy, I certainly don’t want them raising another child. I also believe that statistically, that aborted child would have been a drain on society. You recently wrote about your support for the “teach a man to fish” philosophy. I think that abortion fits right into that plan. It is better to teach a man to fish and keep his family small rather than to feed him and bunch of kids forever. I know that my reasons and motives are heartless, but I am convinced that abortions are saving this country money. It is nothing but a dollars and cents issue with me. The sad part of the deal is that the abortions are also taking us down a road of moral decay. It is a trade off. I would rather have a better solution, but until both sides come together, (something they will not do), I don’t see a better way.

    • I am sure that both sides of the abortion issue secretly agree that abortions are an inappropriate solution to a problem that needs to be addressed, but neither side wants to give up any ground for fear that the other side will just keep pushing for even more concessions. I know the hard core right will never rest until ALL abortions are outlawed. I also believe that the extremists in the Pro Choice side want zero restrictions.

      Well said; I totally agree.

      Same thing with respect to guns.

      The way I look at it, if a couple is too stupid to keep from having an unwanted pregnancy, I certainly don’t want them raising another child. I also believe that statistically, that aborted child would have been a drain on society. You recently wrote about your support for the “teach a man to fish” philosophy. I think that abortion fits right into that plan. It is better to teach a man to fish and keep his family small rather than to feed him and bunch of kids forever. I know that my reasons and motives are heartless, but I am convinced that abortions are saving this country money. It is nothing but a dollars and cents issue with me. The sad part of the deal is that the abortions are also taking us down a road of moral decay. It is a trade off. I would rather have a better solution, but until both sides come together, (something they will not do), I don’t see a better way.

      This is, sadly, true. It turns out that mothers having abortions are remarkably adept at self selecting. The vast majority of abortions are occurring in “at-risk” homes. Single, poor and uneducated women who get pregnant are the ones choosing this route.

      As it turns out, I strongly feel that this is the reason why Planned Parenthood started. Additionally, I think that population control was on the minds of the Court when they ruled.

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