Meeting a Culture of Death in the Trenches
On the front lines of the pro-life movement is Care Net, a non-profit network of nearly 700 crisis pregnancy centers across the United States and Canada. Care Net’s members provide women with peer counseling, post-abortion support and other practical help to women and men facing pregnancy related concerns.
Yet recently, crisis pregnancy centers have been criticized by the pro-abortion movement as "fake abortion clinics." Suzanne Riaz, director of The Life Alternatives Center talks about these public relations attacks in George Grant’s book Grand Illusions. "None of the accusations have had even a modicum of truth to them…," she says. "We have very strict guidelines that every volunteer is required to follow – there is not even to be a hint of deception or coercion."
Instead, the coercion comes from abortion clinics which are known to pressure their patients to proceed with an abortion. In Grand Illusions, abortion patient Caroline Ness speaks regretfully of her experience, "The counselors at Planned Parenthood told me that abortion was the only responsible choice in my situation… "
Many organizations like Care Net and The Life Alternatives Center are working hard to make sure pregnant women are fully aware of their heath care options.
Strategy for the Future
Imperative in the pro-life strategy is promoting an accurate understanding of the issues. For example, there is a widespread myth that Roe v. Wade provides abortion on demand only in the first 3 months of pregnancy. In fact, Roe made it legal to have an abortion for basically any reason the mother can think of, regardless of how far along her baby may be.
Another common misperception among Americans is the well-known caveat that sounds like a good reason to allow an abortion: "Protecting the health of the mother." In Roe v. Wade’s companion decision Doe v. Bolton, the U.S. Supreme Court defined "health" to mean "in light of all factors -- physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman's age -- relevant to the well being of the patient." Thus, an abortion is allowable for any woman who believes having a baby will negatively affect her emotional health.
Many fail to grasp that abortion opinions no longer fall into the two simple categories, pro-life or pro-choice. Kellyanne Conway, President and CEO of the Polling Company, suggests that the best way to survey the public on this issue is with a six-point continuum. As an example, a 2001 poll by the Polling Company shows:
* 14% of America feels that abortion should be prohibited in all circumstances
