Responce to "Pro-Life" Voters

A friend of mine who was making calls for the Obama campaign recently reached someone who was against abortion and so wasn't sure if he could vote for Obama. My friend wasn't sure how to respond. She liked my suggestion for a response so I thought I'd put it in writing.

First acknowledge that no one is in favor of abortions in the sense that we all wish the unwanted pregnancies that need abortions never would have happened in the first place. Abortions are not pleasant for the woman who have to have them.

Second point out that in spite of the majority of supreme court justices having been appointed by presidents who say they are opposed to abortion Roe vs. Wade still stands. When Bush was elected we were told that Roe vs. Wade would be overturned, but 8 years later it still hasn't.

Then explain why this might be. The Republican party depends on the "pro life" vote to get its politician elected. It's not that they want to end abortion (some may more than others), but they want you to think that they want to end abortion so that people who are against abortion will vote for then. If the right to abortion was ever over turned this could undermine the conservative politicians case that they can help stop abortions. Once over turned stopping abortions is no longer a major issue.

It's worth noting that while Sara Palin is strongly anti abortion and might actually do something to end abortion as vice president, she is not in the position to do so, she won't be appointing judges. On the other hand John McCain has "shifted" his position on this issue.

Now at this point the question is whether the person is just against abortions from a pro-life position or as is often the case they are anti-sex-outside-of-procreation-in-heterosexual-marriage. In the later case abortion is evidence of sex not intended for procreation. (excuse me if I overstate the position, but I think you know what I mean). If their opposition to abortion is part of a larger agenda perhaps you should stop with talking about John McCain flip flopping on the issue. Apparently in 1999, John McCain said.

"I'd love to see a point where it is irrelevant, and could be repealed because abortion is no longer necessary. But certainly in the short term, or even the long term, I would not support repeal of Roe v. Wade, which would then force X number of women in America to [undergo] illegal and dangerous operations." (source: http://www.bi30.org/wordpress/flipflopper.htm)

If your talking to someone who is truly only opposed to abortion then additional points can be made. Abortions happen whether they are legal or not. in fact according to The Incidence of Abortion Worldwide by Stanley K. Henshaw, Susheela Singh and Taylor Haas, published in International Family Planning Perspectives, 1999, 25(Supplement):S30–S38, "Abortion rates are no lower overall in areas where abortion is generally restricted by law.... than in areas where abortion is legally permitted". Comprehensive sex ed, empowering young women, and reducing poverty does more to reduce the number of abortions than outlawing them. For instance The Incidence of Abortion Worldwide also points out,

"Among countries where abortion is legal without restriction as to reason, the highest abortion rate, 83 per 1,000, was reported for Vietnam and the lowest, seven per 1,000, for Belgium and the Netherlands. Abortion rates are no lower overall in areas where abortion is generally restricted by law.... than in areas where abortion is legally permitted".

You might end with wondering if we could have better luck reducing abortion rates more if pro-life and pro-choice people worked together.