Politics

Abortion on demand restricted in 32 states since 2010

CBS News reports on the legislative success of the pro-life movement at the state level since 2010:

In the past two years alone, 32 states have adopted some form of abortion restriction.

The Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights, tracks legislation. Elizabeth Nash, its state issues manager, said: ‘Since the November 2010 elections, we have just seen a huge tidal wave of abortion restrictions roll across states.’

In the first six months of 2012, 15 states passed 39 restrictions on abortion. Last year, 24 states passed 92 restrictions, an all-time record.

Restrictions include bans on abortions at 20 weeks; 24- to 72-hour waiting periods; and a requirement to inform women of suicide risks if they seek an abortion.

This graph by the Guttmacher Institute makes the gains even clearer:

While some may criticize the legislation as incremental or “small steps,” it is clear that the pro-life movement is on the move in a big way. And every life saved is at least two precious lives won. Besides the lives saved through these legislative efforts, there are three other big gains being made along the way:

1) Typically, many more pieces of legislation are attempted than those that are actually passed. This is great news! It means that the legislatures, newspapers, and citizens across our nation are discussing the issue of abortion – and the precious women, children, and families that are central to this fight.

2) Truth is being spread at a record rate. More and more people are learning about the humanity of the unborn child, why abortion is wrong, and what it really means to be “pro-choice.” It’s not as rosy as it once was. CBS News refers to a Gallup poll on abortion:

On the abortion issue, a recent Gallup poll asked: ‘Would you consider yourself to be pro-choice or pro-life.’ Fifty percent of Americans now call themselves ‘pro-life.’ Fourty-one [sic] percent call themselves ‘pro-choice,’ a record low

3) The culture is changing. I continue to believe that one of the biggest reasons pro-lifers ought to actively work to pass pro-life legislation and, specifically, ballot measures is because it keeps the public talking. It keeps the media talking. It keeps the issue of abortion in the forefront of people’s minds. It makes those silent screams just a little bit easier to hear and quite a bit harder to ignore.

What kind of abortion restrictions are being passed in over half the states? There’s quite the range! Heartbeat bills, counseling and waiting periods, fetal pain bills, funding cut-offs for Planned Parenthood, and women’s information bills have all begun to make the rounds.

Let’s hope that this trend continues until instead of only being restricted, abortion is stopped in our nation and in every state. And more than hoping, let’s keep working to ensure this happens! Do not lose heart; the tide is turning, my friends.

   
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  • Sparky

    Come back to Earth, Kristi …. ask Todd Akin just how well the extreme pro-life movement sits with mainstream America. When people find out what you guys really think, they find your position repulsive. See you in the Supreme Court.

    • Sophia

      It’s not extreme to believe that all human beings are worthy of life no matter how they were conceived. It is extreme, however, to believe some human beings are expendable. It is extreme to punish children for the crimes of their father… especially in a country in which rape is not even punishable with the death penalty because that punishment is deemed “cruel and unusual” in comparison to the crime. Therefore, it is extreme to sentence an innocent human being to a “cruel and unusual” form of punishment for a crime they didn’t even commit. That is repulsive.

      • Solntsye

        Rape pregnancy is a tough situation. While we can not deny the innocent humanity of the unfortunate baby conceived via rape, we also can not deny the innocent humanity of the raped woman either.

        Pregnancy and delivery are far from being merely “inconvenient” or “uncomfortable”, and insisting a raped woman to endure both of these aspects could also be construed as a cruel and unusual punishment…to the victim of the crime, no less!

        Perhaps the best option for women who become pregnant via rape would be to explain to her how the baby she is carrying is no less a victim than she is; offer every possible service and support, in an effort to make the pregnancy and delivery more bearable; allow her to see how far along the baby is; and then….let her make her choice of what she feels would allow her to heal from the trauma of her attack.

        I realize if she chose to abort, it would not “unrape” her, but if that is what she feels would allow her to return her life to as close as what it was prior to the rape, then so be it. She may not feel willing to endure pregnancy and delivery (neither of which is a cakewalk) in order to birth her rapists’ baby. While I feel terrible for the baby, should this be the choice the raped woman would make, we can not treat the lives of raped women who become pregnant with such disregard. Everybody discusses the situation of rape pregnancy with the raped woman as an afterthought, and that is not fair to her.

        • Kristiburtonbrown

          Definitely a tough situation, without a doubt. I’d have to disagree with you, though, that abortion should be an option in rape. I certainly think adoption is a great option if the woman doesn’t want to keep her baby and doesn’t think she can handle that. However, killing the baby isn’t going to make the situation better in the long run. It just adds tragedy on top of tragedy. If the man can’t even get the death penalty for rape, why should the innocent child get it? I know you understand where I’m coming from here, and I appreciate your thoughtful comments. But we just can’t allow a horrible situation to be “solved” by killing an innocent, helpless child.

          Also, I think it’s worth noting that the baby isn’t just “a rapist’s child,” as so many people call her. She’s also her mother’s child, and a precious, innocent life. No baby is a monster, regardless of what either of her parents are.

          • Solntsye

            But what if the woman is not willing to endure all the illness and misery pregnancy is, or the absolute agony that delivery is, to give birth after a rape? Pregnancy and delivery are permanent life changers, too…and neither is no easy thing to be disregarded or viewed casually, especially in the case of rape. To do that is to disregard the raped woman.

            I’m not saying raped women should be encouraged to abort! Far from that actually, but I do think after giving her all the advice/options/offers I previously mentioned, then we should stand back and let her decide what would best allow her to heal and go on with her life.

            Personally, I think rapists should get the death penalty. They destroy their victims lives as surely as a murderer does. Taking the raped woman’s autonomy is what the rapist did; the last thing I would ever be willing to do is continue to take her autonomy. I could only pray, for the sake of the baby, that she could be strong enough to carry and deliver. But I could never be callous enough to insist she choose what I would hope for.

            Like I said, I don’t hold the baby responsible, nor would I ever look at he or she as a “monster”, but I also can not ignore the innocent humanity of the raped woman. I could never judge her or insist she do or be something she simply can not or will not be willing to bear or be. Adoption is not the easy cure-all or fix-it for rape pregnancy, when she is not willing to endure pregnancy/labor/delivery after rape. I know it’s a raw deal all the way around, but I can’t help but feel that I have no right to decide for a raped woman what will be best to allow her to heal from her attack. Only she knows what would best help her recover her shattered life, whatever she would choose.

    • Solntsye

      It does appear that mainstream America would like to see some restrictions on abortion, and rightfully so. Random murder of innocent kids should not be tolerated by decent human beings, especially when the woman implies consent to pregnancy every time she consents to sex.

      Kristi didn’t bring up anything about rape. She only displayed the numbers in opinions and recent legislations regarding how the public feels about elective abortion.

      • P.D.

        “especially when the woman implies consent to pregnancy every time she consents to sex.”
        this statement is completely inaccurate (read: ridiculous). there are methods of birth control, you know. and women who take them are not “implying consent” to birthing a child every single time they consent to sex.

        • Solntsye

          Birth control is never 100% effective, and everybody knows this. Therefore, each time a woman consents to sex, she is consenting by implication to a possible pregnancy, whether she uses some form of birth control or not. Personal accountability would be her keeping this fact in mind before consenting to sex.

    • Kristiburtonbrown

      Uh, not sure why you think Todd Akin’s inaccurate comments represent the pro-life movement. They don’t. Of course, we support the right of every baby – even those in a rape situation – to live, so he was right on that. But his comments about “legitimate rape” were wrong – as has already been said again and again. He’s apologized. Other pro-life politicians and the movement as a whole has made our position clear. So perhaps you could move on.

      • Kristiburtonbrown

        One more thing…I don’t say that to minimize the wrongness of Akin’s comments in regards to whether or not women can get pregnant during rape. i don’t think we need to keep beating a dead horse, but he was very wrong there. However, it’s pretty clear that his inaccurate comments aren’t representative of the movement, and it’s ridiculous to claim they are.

    • Mitch Behna

      it was a mistake, a gaffe. he apologized and we should move on.

  • veeva65

    when all the LIVING CHILDREN IN USA have a place to live, then tell me about no abortions. until then, pro life is a joke.

    http://www.childrenawaitingparents.org/?gclid=CM2f5-3IlbICFad9OgodUzYAEA

    • Mitch Behna

      Our country makes strong efforts to provide children a place to live.