It used to be that the majority of Americans were for choice?

[still_one]

Is that still the case?

[kikiek]

1. I thnk so, but the horrors of the women dying trying to perform their

own or from illegal ones are now a distant memory. They were still fresh enough when I was young, and it was a given. Each generation has more they take for granted. It isn't their fault though. We have very short and selective memories.

[TheKingfish]

18. Macheavelian approach

Sometimes I think the best thing that could happen for the Long-term is for Roe v Wade to be overturned.

Force politicians to pass these laws and hold them accountable. Would be a high price to pay in the short-term though.

[vi5]

2. I'm sure people on here will tell you that it hasn't changed...

But my gut tells me it has. For several reasons:

1)Women under age 30 consider it such an abstract concept that they can't imagine a world without choice. And most think they would never need it so it's not as big an issue with them as it was say people my age (mid 30's) who were still aware that it used to be illegal and dangerous.

2)The right worked the media so hard on this issue that now even the most strident pro-choice person always feels the need to caveat with "I don't personally like it BUT....." in which case it opens the door to "Well if you agree that it's a bad thing..."

I'm not saying choice isn't still supported by the majority of americans but I will bet that it's not as big an issue to most as it was say 10-15 years ago.

[annabanana]

4. "abstract concept"?.... wait until they try to take away the pill!

I'll show you "abstract". They same crowd that are fighting to outlaw abortion for ANY REASON, is the same crowd that would outlaw masturbation (spilling seed, ya know), for crying out loud! Abortion is just the top of the wish list.

[vi5]

8. Hey, don't shoot the messenger....

I agree with you. Pro-choice is probably one of my top 3 issues if not the top.

I'm just trying to explain how I think many in the younger generation see it.

[FizzFuzz]

13. I agree with you.

I never can understand why pro-choice doesn't emphasize the life or death nature of safe legal abortion. To me, that's the crisis, more so than loss of privacy.

As tasteless as it is, those sensationalistic photos of "aborted babies" should be countered with photos of of reality: women dead of botched abortions. Raped women forced to raise the result. Incested women with no way out.

[WLKjr]

3. The majority still is

it just hasn't reared it's head and roared loud enough.



It's always the small groups that roar the loudest. more bark than bite.

[PeaceForever]

6. I wish the Democrats would push abortion rights more.

It would be such an easy issue to pick up massive votes from women.

[IrateCitizen]

7. They shouldn't push "abortion rights"...

What they should push is "full reproductive choice". They should push allowing people control over their own bodies, without the government peeking in on them and trying to tell them what to do.

Pushing "abortion rights" just plays into the way in which the RW has framed this issue. Abortion is just one small part of this issue. Democrats should be pushing for REAL sex-ed, full access to contraception, AND access to safe and legal abortion for those who seek it.

They can also play to those who don't personally like abortion by stating that when Republicans refuse to talk about sex or provide contraception, teenage pregnancy and abortion rates go UP. When we allow people access to contraception and fund common-sense sex ed, teenage pregnancy and abortion rates go DOWN. Keeping that in mind, which party is truly interested in minimzing the instance of abortion through means that don't infringe on people's freedoms?

The virulently anti-choice crowd won't be swayed by this, but I guarantee you that many people from the middle (and even center-right) will.

[FizzFuzz]

14. you made me think!

yes, my reply to another post just now was coming from blind polarized anger. I don't think what I was saying is invalid, but your view is much more three dimensional.

thank you :thumbsup:

[IrateCitizen]

17. Thanks -- it ties in with post #9, below...

This provides a perfect instance of how the whole issue of "choice" has been twisted into being about "abortion", and how misleading it is. We continue to allow the RW to frame this issue at our own peril (not to mention the thousands of women who will have to resort to back-alleys should Roe v. Wade be overturned).

[IrateCitizen]

5. Yes, most Americans are.

The trouble lies in the way that we have allowed the RW to frame this issue. They make it out as one in which the Democrats actually support abortion and the "killing of babies". When the issue is polled to people in terms of whether or not a woman should have control over her own body, and whether or not safe and legal abortion should be available rather than sending women into dark alleys, Americans come out in favor of choice.

[Fleshdancer]

9. I was watching Hardball the other night.....

and Tweety was taking the mike down the line of Bush and Kerry supporters who were yelling behind him and he asked several people what they thought the number one issue of the campaign was.

He approaches a young woman, a Bush supporter in her 20's and she yells out "abortion". Tweety then asks, "are you for or against abortion?" to which she responds "I'm pro-life" with a big grin on her face. The next question asked was "So should women be criminalized for it? Should they go to jail if they have an abortion?" and she said no. Tweety's response? "Then you're pro-choice".

I thought this was a VERY telling exchange. She then went on to hesitatingly change her position because she was committed to saying she was pro-life, but I thought this conversation really hit the nail on the head. By the expression on her face, I could tell she never thought of the natural consequences of illegalizing abortion. It was probably the only time she thought about the argument from the pro-choice position.

[Ripley]

10. Great story gloria!

Great way to push the "think" button Tweety!

I still believe our country is pro-choice. While the fundies are getting louder by the minute, they are not the majority.

[NYCGirl]

11. Remember the "March for Women's Lives" back in April in Washington

that drew over 1 million marchers? Yes, the majority are still for choice. (The last statistics I heard were somewhere around 70% believe that the government cannot interfere with a woman's right to choose.)

[FizzFuzz]

16. yeah I remember--the one the media downplayed and smeared.

:grr: :nuke:

FAIR.com (.org?) has an extensive article about the nationwide media "grayout" on that march.

wish I could have been there

[merh]

12. Now because of the terra & the fundies "implying" that we are

approaching the end stages the world or armageddon (sp), folks too worried about their own a**es or souls, than their fellow man/woman.

[noonwitch]

15. I guess one of the televangelists recently stated he had a message

from God that the church needs to start preaching about the "end times". It wasn't Falwell or Robertson, I'm thinking it was Oral Roberts(God will kill me if you don't send me $1 million), but I'm not %100 sure. The only one of those guys I ever watch is TD Jakes, because he is amusing. Someone asked about it at my church's Wednesday service, and if our church could address it. The minister said, yes, he could do a series about Bible prophecy, but that our denomination does not interpret the Revelation, or any other Bible book, the same way that a televangelist would.

[merh]

19. It is weird, if you talk to a fundie or born again or renewed

christian (depending on the religion) they all seem to be resigned to the fact that the bible says that they end times will be like this -- its creepy and odd.