L
Luis_Santiago
Guest
I bring it up, because the Mexico City policy was introduced by Republicans to make it look like they’re combating abortion, when really they’re just not giving money to groups that provide medical services to poor people. Keep in mind, the US is already prohibited from funding abortions in other countries, regardless of the Mexico City policy. That just prohibits any organization that receives money from mentioning abortion as a possibility. In China, the UNFPA is working to set up clinics to reduce or eliminate coerced abortions, but abortion is so pervasive in Chinese society that it would be impossible for their clinics to not be able to mention it. Plus, Chinese law would not allow it. Essentially, by accusing Obama of funding abortion overseas, you’re believing something that isn’t really true because the Republican party has made it easy for you to believe that.
The morality of any society ebbs and flows. You may idealize the 1950s, but the safety and security of that decade was largely a reaction to the violence and uncertainty of the World War II years. The 1920s were a period of moral laxity, and the 1930s experienced record levels of crime. During several periods in European history, children were valued considerably less than they are today because so many died so young. During some periods, it was common for infant mortality to approach 75%. If a child was born deformed or with special needs, the parents would often just take it out to the woods and leave it. If anything, children are valued more today that they used to be.
Well, here it is. Honestly, I wasn’t aware that Obama said he would be in favor of limits on late-term abortions until I read this. I won’t tell you how to think, but I do think it’s self-evident that Obama isn’t the “rabidly pro-abortion” president a lot of people here make him out to be. He’s only the second pro-choice president, since he’s only the third Democratic president since Roe v. Wade. But I don’t think his views are much different from Clinton’s.
*WARREN: Now, let’s deal with abortion; 40 million abortions since Roe v. Wade. As a pastor, I have to deal with this all of the time, all of the pain and all of the conflicts. I know this is a very complex issue. Forty million abortions, at what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?
OBAMA: Well, you know, I think that whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity, you know, is above my pay grade.
WARREN: Have you –
OBAMA: But let me just speak more generally about the issue of abortion, because this is something obviously the country wrestles with. One thing that I’m absolutely convinced of is that there is a moral and ethical element to this issue. And so I think anybody who tries to deny the moral difficulties and gravity of the abortion issue, I think, is not paying attention. So that would be point number one.
But point number two, I am pro-choice. I believe in Roe v. Wade, and I come to that conclusion not because I’m pro-abortion, but because, ultimately, I don’t think women make these decisions casually. I think they — they wrestle with these things in profound ways, in consultation with their pastors or their spouses or their doctors or their family members. And so, for me, the goal right now should be — and this is where I think we can find common ground. And by the way, I’ve now inserted this into the Democratic party platform, is how do we reduce the number of abortions? The fact is that although we have had a president who is opposed to abortion over the last eight years, abortions have not gone down and that is something we have to address.
WARREN: Have you ever voted to limit or reduce abortions?
OBAMA: I am in favor, for example, of limits on late-term abortions, if there is an exception for the mother’s health. From the perspective of those who are pro-life, I think they would consider that inadequate, and I respect their views. One of the things that I’ve always said is that on this particular issue, if you believe that human rights begin at conception, then — and you are consistent in that belief, then I can’t argue with you on that, because that is a core issue of faith for you.
What I can do is say, are there ways that we can work together to reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, so that we actually are reducing the sense that women are seeking out abortions. And as an example of that, one of the things that I’ve talked about is how do we provide the resources that allow women to make the choice to keep a child. You know, have we given them the health care that they need? Have we given them the support services that they need? Have we given them the options of adoption that are necessary? That can make a genuine difference.*
I suppose, although the abortion debate is more a matter of values than it is one of truth or lies. That is, as a society, do we value embryos as much as children? Some do, but certainly not all.