Can Obama Work to Reduce Abortion Demand Without Judging Morality of Abortion?

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Your question belies the misunderstanding that too many pro-life people have about the pro-choice position. Most pro-choice advocates I know are NOT abortion advocates. Many see abortion as something they would not do, based on their morals. Nonetheless, they still see another moral imperative is leaving that difficult moral decision to the people closest to the situation, not to the government. After following the Barack Obama's words and actions for several years, It appears clear to me that he recognizes the moral implications of abortion and that he is not IN FAVOR of abortion, but he is in favor of women and those around them making that decision.
Again, the pro-choice position is not usually for the promotion of abortion. Many people who are pro-choice are also against abortion. Some times moral issues are decided between two evils or between two virtues.

Tony Peterson of TN 5:46PM July 07, 2009

"Let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions," Obama said in his recent speech at the University of Notre Dame.
That is a step in the right direction.
An unborn child is the least of our people. They are weak, poor, innocent, defenseless, and fragile. They are completely dependent upon our love and mercy. They are the least of our people in American.
At more than 1.3 Million American abortions a year this is an important topic. Deaths from abortion is greater than all other deaths in America (reference Center for Desease Control and Prevention counts). Simply put more Americans die each year from Abortion than from Aids, Heart Disease, Cancer, Accidents, and all other causes of death.
At more than 45 Million American abortions in 36 years since 1973 this topic is an important topic of respect for every human life.
These unborn children are being ignored. When was the last time the the news media, politician, or anyone told you the count for how many babies were aborted today in American. We talk about all the other news (health care, aids, cancer, economy, 911, murders, deaths in Iraq, and etc... You know all the news and stats for these events.This is not to reduce the importannce of that news but we should stop hiding the Truth about abortion.
In America we averages more than 3800 unborn American babies that die to abortion a day.
Did you know, In just one year there are more unborn American babies (more than 1.3 Million) that die than all the Americans that have died in all our wars (less than 1.2 million).
Did you know, In just 35 years that America has killed more unborn babies in American than Hitler killed in all his concentration camps.
All Human Life is equally important.
Please promote respect for every human life.
Please don't promote violence against the unborn defenseless children of America.
Please protect the least of God's people.
Abortion is war against Life and Love.
Please help encourage Human Life and Love.
Quote: What you do to the least of my people you do to me.
May the Love, Peace, Mercy, and Grace of God be with each of you.
May God Have Mercy on America!

ComPassion of IN 1:29PM June 27, 2009

Dennis of FL, you wrote "Why not let the people who abortion affects the most vote on the law." That would be the unborn babies. If you choose to buy into the lie that the abortion debate is about choice then your argument makes some sense. But it is not about choice. I get no choice in funding overseas abortions. I get no choice in my taxes going to Planned Parenthood. The pro-choicers would like to see to it that physicians are not allowed to choose to refuse to do an abortion. No this debate comes down to the inherant worth of human life and we all have a stake in that. Apparently your another man who has been so emasculated by modern feminism that feel you are not even allowed an opinion about this fundamental issue.

Joe of MI 2:09PM June 12, 2009

Well, following your line of reasoning Dennis of Florida, women would severely restrict abortion according to polls the last few months indicating more Americans consider themselves pro-life than pro-choice. The polls indicated exceptionally little support by women for the current situation thanks to Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton where a women essentially has a right to get an abortion for any reason through all nine months of her pregnancy in America.
There has been relatively small differences in opinion between men and women on abortion, indicating that it is a moral question, not "women's rights."

Chris of MI 2:48PM June 11, 2009

Pro-lifers are already helping women in crisis. This is done at Pregnancy Resource Centers. There are more of these centers around the country than there are abortion clinics. These centers provide counseling plus emotional and financial support during the pregnancy and often up to 5 years after the birth if the woman chooses to keep her baby.
By the way, for unwanted children there is no need for them to be in an abusive family. There are plenty of potential adoptive parents. That's why so many U.S. couples have to go to China or Latin America or Eastern Europe to adopt children. Too many children are aborted here.
Abortion is the quick, cheap, anonymous and cruel "solution" to a woman's problem. The support provided by the Pregnancy Resource Centers is personal, labor-intensive, time-consuming but ultimately healthier and more loving for the woman and obviously for the child.

L. Rogers of CA 12:32PM June 11, 2009

Why not let the people who abortion affects the most vote on the law. Allow women only to vote on their personal beliefs. Why are men even in the mix? Men have no legal rights on this issue. Their rights only are affected after the child is born. Keep the "MALE BEAUCRATS" out of the debate. I'm willing to bet that if men were the ones who got pregnant and carried the babies, this WOULD NOT BE AN ISSUE. Let's all use some common sense (something that seems to be missing in Washington). LET THE WOMEN DECIDE THE LAW!!!

Dennis of FL 10:58AM June 11, 2009

What mystifies me is that while everyone is talking about "choices" and morality, they're skipping the fact that abortions are hard on a woman's body. Much harder that birth control. Those of us who see abortion as a medical procedure still agree that it's a procedure better avoided whenever possible. It's not without risks, and I know I would prefer to never need one, even though I don't have a moral problem with it. I'd prefer to avoid needing a root canal too.

VA of MN 8:12PM June 10, 2009

Dan, thanks for sharing this thought. You make a good point.
You know, I peruse a few blogs on religion and religion & science, and I continue to be surprised at comments like Chris' above. Do people really not get the use of literary devices like rhetorical questions? Are they just too mad and cussed to care?

Greg of TN 7:22PM June 10, 2009

This line of reasoning above seeks to worry more about whether The White House gets a pass to "absolve" itself from making moral judgments about abortion than it worries about whether any woman is ever helped.
OF COURSE nobody "wants" to get an abortion. OF COURSE there is something regrettable about each and every one of them.
OF COURSE, there is something regrettable too about unwanted children being born, then ill-raised while still unwanted. And, OF COURSE, there is something wrong with a bunch of men thinking their legislatures are ordained to "the deciders" of a woman's choice to be a mother or not.
The main goal in "abortion reduction" is to help women avoid and prevent the unplanned pregnancies BEFORE they occur. That, not a critique of the political conveniences of any White House administration, is the point. No pregnancy started, no abortion ever needed. No tough decision. No baby lost. But will conservatives stop soap-boxing long enough to actually help with this? Anybody see any signs of that?

Muser of NM 4:26PM June 10, 2009

"Why reduce the number of women seeking abortions if there's nothing wrong with the procedure?"
If you're too dumb to work that out you shouldn't be writing a column in this journal.

Chris 4:10PM June 10, 2009