Newsworthy means advancing their agenda

Today was the annual march in DC for those opposed to abortion. These valiant pro birth folks who believe that the 1973 Supreme Court Decision Roe V Wade was wrong now seek to overturn it.

This march reminds us that many in the radical “religious” right are intent on turning the tragedy of abortion into a politically-driven culture war. Instead of focusing efforts to combat abortion, those in the “religious” right rely on today�s march and 30 years of failed policy and rhetoric to address the problem.

It has become obvious that the Supreme Court will not overturn Roe V Wade anytime soon. Chief Justice Roberts, a firm believer in judicial precedent has suggested that Roe V Wade is settled law. So abortion is still available on demand in this country and the question must be asked: “What is the rational plan to address the problem?” As Catholics we understand that abortion is never a legitimate moral option.

While those on the right march, there are many Catholics and Americans of all faiths who refuse to stand by and watch the unborn continue to die. There are things we can do to help the unborn right now – like expand health care coverage, education, adoption programs, ease the economic burdens on working families, and address endemic problems of greed, violence, sex, corruption, and materialism in our society. It would seem that our new Congress is willing to take on many of these issues.

Abortion Reduction acts – some already introduced in Congress and some others on the table by members ready and willing to do something about the problem of abortion are up for debate in the House and the Senate.

What do these acts do and what is the need?

To provide for programs that reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, help women bear healthy children, and support new parents.

There have been numerous actions taken at the federal, state, and local level to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies and abortions�yet there are still 1.3 million abortions performed in America each year�this is half of ALL unintended pregnancies.

One in five U.S. pregnancies ends in abortion.

Nearly one of every five abortions in America are performed on teenagers�20%.

The root-cause must be addressed as 73% of women sited �cannot afford a baby� as a contributing factor for choosing an abortion.

60% of women who obtain abortions have incomes below 200% of poverty.

In Latin America, where most of the region abortions are illegal, the rate of abortion is far higher than Western Europe or the United States.

In Colombia�where abortion is illegal�the average is more than one abortion per woman and in Peru the average is nearly two abortions per woman over the course of her reproductive years.

The failure to reduce the rates of unplanned pregnancies in America and around the globe is due to diminutive pregnancy prevention education and lack of access to contraception.

The education and practice of prevention will help reduce the level of poverty in America.

This issue is one of human rights, social justice and access to quality medical care.

What is the answer?

The Answer:

The fundamental goal of reducing unplanned pregnancies and abortions must be comprehensive and aggressive.

We need to change the debate on abortion by working to provide women in difficult pregnancies as much support as they will need to carry their children to term and give parents the confidence and resources to carry and raise healthy children.

We need to make it easier for couples to plan the size of their family.

We need to make sure that not just people who have means and have health insurance can plan the size of their family�but expand this option to poor working women and men.

These are realistic steps that must be debated and implemented as public policy if we are ever to address the question of abortion. After the marching and the rhetoric, the abortions continue. What are we going to do that works?

We also need to reverse the perception that a baby is a “problem” in need of a solution, however. Does anyone really believe that the 73% of women who claim that they can’t afford a baby really can’t? Look at the ridiculous stats on the cost of raising children as quoted in the average parenting book or magazine. By those standards, I certainly couldn’t afford my 2 children and we should be wallowing in miserable, desperate poverty. But we’re not! But of course, abortion needs to be legal if the pregnancy endangers, encumbers, or otherwise inconveniences the life of the mother. So of course the pro-abortion stance gets more press coverage than pro-life! Where are the people who, rather than advocate abortion, rather than make sure that the mother gets her 18 years of welfare, stand up and say, “You’re pregnant! It doesn’t mean your life is over! It means that another is beginning! You can still finish school! You can still accomplish your goals! You will just have someone special to give you reason to strive for something great!” (Sorry if I’ve hijacked or rambled!) P.S. Eamon-anyone can plan the size of his or her family–one just needs knowledge and a little self-control, but the media doesn’t promote either of those things, either.

“There are things we can do to help the unborn right now – like expand health care coverage, education, adoption programs, ease the economic burdens on working families, and address endemic problems of greed, violence, sex, corruption, and materialism in our society. It would seem that our new Congress is willing to take on many of these issues.” –Eamon

I see! So implementing the agenda of the Democratic Socialist Party in the U.S., perhaps with attention also to the environment, the decline of some polar bear populations, increasing diversity, multi-cultural studies and inclusiveness, and making every church a welcoming church will greatly aid in preventing the slaughter of yet 40,000,000 million additional innocent unborn children in the next 33 years.

We live in a society where even the poor (or especially the poor) are pampered, where criminals become victims, and the lives of the innocent are held hostage by the late Cardinal Bernardin’s delusionary seamless garment theory of gradiose rhetoric and poverty pimping.

We concoct statistics, create crises where none exist, and make all of our lives dependent on the likes of Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. And all the while, another innocent child is suctioned out of his mother’s womb while Planned Parenthood and the DNC take the funding to the bank

The post-march coverage in today’s Post was not much better. One short story, two pictures. Although I think it was telling that the average age of the people pictured holding the NOW signs was my age or older, and the average age of the people holding the Choose Life signs was about 19. I have a feeling it will not be our generation that will end abortion, it will be our children’s generation.

Roe vs Wade must be overturned because the constitutionally supported killing of persons based on their age cannot be tolerated in a civilized democratic country. To accept the “right” to kill is too dangerous in any age. We who persevere in the battle for life are not idealists, but champions of the Truth that will not disappear, no matter stubbornly the media ignores it.
Curiously missing from all pictorial accounts of the March For Life is the tremendous support, leadership and solidarity the marchers received from our priests, seminarians and religious brothers and (though not nearly as numerous…) sisters. Never before yesterday had I experienced the PUBLIC power and HOPE I felt as they stood and marched and prayed on the streets with us. (And many of them are suffering the same “morning after the BUS” woes, too.)
I hope that all the clergy and religious who do not see their images in the news stories know that they have renewed for us the image of “God, with us” in our souls. I am so grateful to have had the experience of their support.
And for all those who prayed for Life at home, thank you. You MOBBED the Mall, like an invisible secret weapon of Love, whether the opposition could see you or not.

“Instead of focusing efforts to combat abortion”? -The same people who marched are the people who work for, pray for and financially support efforts to combat abortion – ie crisis pregnancy centers, educational efforts, adoption centers, etc. It is they “who refuse to stand by and watch the unborn continue to die”.Contrary to the 1st poster’s delusion, PP doesn’t combat abortion – it promotes it and benefits financially from it. “expand health care coverage, education, adoption programs” – yes – that’s what those marchers endorse and promote. Here in New York State, for example, we have Health Care Plus, which assures that every child in New York State has access to healthcare coverage. “The failure to reduce the rates of unplanned pregnancies in America and around the globe is due to diminutive pregnancy prevention education and lack of access to contraception” – now this quote is a real beauty – I laughed out loud. Our country is awash in pregnancy prevention education and access to everything the devil could ever need to contracept is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I think an earlier poster covered the “planning” and poverty issues pretty well. God bless the marchers. By the way,does anyone know where Eamon’s posted article originated?

Ouch.

Good for you, Blest one, let me know, and I’ll be looking for you, I’ve gone for almost half of the marches since the seventies, and I feel like a dinosaur with all those young people!
I was at the Bloggers for Life Conference and they impressed us with just how important the new media of internet and cable news is to the movement. The only three TV cameras trained on the March for Life were cable, EWTN, Fox News, and C-span.Bloggers can do a lot to spread coverage of the March, I had my best day ever yesteday, with my coverage of the March and my meeting with Senator Brownback.

Whether there are clinics where it is possible to receive free-of-charge health services, whether there are programs on transplantation of bodies for poor? WBR LeoP