Life v. Death

This story from the Associated Press highlights an ideological schism in America. The report, which focuses on pro- and anti-abortion demonstrations held yesterday in San Francisco, reveals the enormity of that divide.

Thousands of abortion opponents shouldering signs with slogans such as "Peace Begins in the Womb" marched in protest of the 33-year-old Roe v. Wade decision, while abortion rights supporters along the march route waved clothes hangers and shouted "Bigots go home."

How does respecting life at all its stages make one a bigot?

I don't get that.

Waving clothes hangers and shouting "Bigots go home" does make one an extremist, in my opinion.

I have no difficulty understanding that.
The dueling protests _ marking Sunday's anniversary of the Supreme Court decision _ reflected the growing tension at a time the makeup of the high court is about to change with Justice Sandra Day O'Connor's retirement.

"It's a crucial time," said abortion rights supporter Carol Norris, 43, who joined the counter-protest in San Francisco Saturday. "We have (Judge Samuel) Alito poised to be on the Supreme Court, and he's clearly an anti-choice person."

On the other side, college student Laura Arnold, 20, of Pleasanton, Calif., marched with her mother opposing abortion, saying: "We're here to stand up for the babies that don't have a voice."

"I know so many girls who did it and they are hurting every day of their life," Arnold said.

The Supreme Court handed down its decision in Roe vs. Wade on Jan. 22, 1973, and abortion has been legal in the United States ever since. But efforts to restrict or outlaw the procedure have been just as enduring; 34 states have passed laws requiring parents either to be notified or to give consent when their underage daughters seek abortions.

Note AP's pro-abortion bias in the previous paragraph.

"Laws requiring parents either to be notified or to give consent when their underage daughters seek abortions" are considered threatening.

That's ridiculous. Such laws are consistent with countless other requirements for parental notification when it comes to the activites of CHILDREN. They also serve to uphold the rights and responsibilities of the family -- a parent's right to know.

Simply put, parental notification in no way undermines or threatens the ability of a WOMAN to get an abortion. The fact that the pro-abortion crowd gets so bent out of shape about parents being informed about the physical condition of their CHILDREN illustrates just how radical these activists are.
"Abortion rights have been slowly whittled away while we haven't even been looking," said Kitty Striker, 22, who decorated her hair with small coat hanger replicas for the counter-protest. "That's what's so shocking and so scary to me."

What's shocking and scary to me is that a young woman was wearing coat hangers in her hair. She's either a bit unhinged or desperate to get noticed. In any case, it's indicative of that typical radical Leftist "the sky is falling" mentality.

Abortion rights have been whittled away?

Oh, really?

Last time I looked, abortion is legal in all fifty states.

Every state in the Union allows WOMEN to choose to terminate pregnancy.

With all due respect, Striker's comments are goofy. What does she mean rights have eroded "while we haven't even been looking"?

Who hasn't been looking?

For thirty-three years, people on both sides of the abortion debate have been looking.

I hope Striker realizes how lucky she is that the woman who gave birth to her decided not to opt to choose to exercise the legal right she had to kill her.

Yes, Striker is a very lucky 22-year-old, instead of a statistic.
At the San Francisco protest, Archpriest Michael Regan of St. Michael's Orthodox Church in Concord, Calif., said it was important to show how mixed public opinion is on abortion, even in the liberal San Francisco area.

"You do get the impression that there isn't anyone here for the right to life, but look around," he said.

To be sure, these dueling protests shed light on the extent to which people are divided on the abortion issue. They also reveal the existence of fundamental philosophical differences regarding the value of life.

On the one hand, we have irresponsibility, selfishness, and death -- embedded in the pro-abortion stance.

On the other hand, the anti-abortion perspective embodies responsibility, selflessness, and respect for the dignity and preciousness of life.
I've said it before.

John Edwards was right.

There are two Americas.

We are a divided nation. No doubt about it. One America values life. The other promotes death. It revels in it.
This divide is especially evident whenever January 22 rolls around.

Let's look back on that day in 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled on Roe v. Wade, establishing that laws banning abortion violated the constitutional right to privacy.

In effect, with one decision, the Court overturned all state laws outlawing or restricting abortion.

Click here for transcripts and audio of the oral arguments.
It's chilling. Nine individuals were able to do away with the "settled law" in fifty states, deciding that it was illegal to protect the unborn because it infringed on one's right to privacy.

Roe v. Wade was tried; millions and millions died.

For thirty-three years, the Roe v. Wade decision has been marked by a March for Life in Washington, in addition to demonstrations and rallies around the country, such as the one held yesterday in San Francisco. Millions of Americans gather to show their support for the unborn, recognizing that human life does not begin at birth, but in the womb.

About 3,800 babies are aborted each day in the United States, or approximately 1.3 million annually. Every 23 seconds a life is aborted. For every 100 live births in this country, there are 31 abortions.

Since Roe v. Wade, over 46 million babies have been aborted.

46 MILLION!

That's staggering.NARAL Pro-Choice America, (the acronym stands for "National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League"), offers some ideas on how to "celebrate" the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a time of rejoicing.

The website suggests:
Ways you can honor and celebrate the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade:
--If you are in the Washington, DC area, please join us on Tuesday, January 31, 2006, for our Roe v. Wade Anniversary Dinner. Please click here for more information about the dinner and program, ticket prices, and to print our RSVP form. Please send in your reservation by January 25, 2006.

--Please join a NARAL Pro-Choice America affiliate near you by clicking here. Many of our affiliates hold dinners, rallies, lobby days, or other important
activities to pay tribute to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

--Become a member by donating today. Our political strength is in our numbers and the financial resources our members provide. Please become a member today by clicking here.

--If you have a blog or website, sign up for Blog for Choice. On January 22, the 33rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are asking pro-choice bloggers to join us in a day of activism for choice. This is our chance to raise the profile of reproductive freedom in the blogosphere and the media, and to let everyone know that a woman's right to choose is not negotiable. Click here to learn more about this initiative and sign up.

I can't imagine devoting my life to working to ensure the right to kill the innocent.

Personally, I don't think 46 million deaths warrant celebration. Lots of Americans think otherwise.

For example, NARAL has a celebratory dinner to honor their cherished right to kill an unborn child. Similar events, paying tribute to abortion, are being held throughout that other America.
In 2005, over one million babies died. Cause of death: CHOICE.

Is this really something to celebrate?

Millions of the weak and the powerless have been legally slaughtered since Roe v. Wade. Of course, pro-abortion proponents don't like to frame the murder of human life in those terms. Instead, it's a right, a freedom. The ability to abort one's child is seen as empowering -- all good stuff.

I see that as denial, pure and simple. The loss of 46 million lives is tragic.

How can anyone justify in good faith the overwhelming majority of those deaths -- abortions performed on demand, out of convenience?

The thought is nauseating.
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Zombietime offers some great pictures of the "Walk for Life" in San Francisco.