by Daniel T. Zanoza, Executive Director
My wife was getting her hair cut just weeks before the presidential election. The stylist--who suddenly was an expert on Barack Obama and John McCain--was providing a lecture on the abortion policy of the two men.
"John McCain used to be pro-abortion," said the hair-stylist-turned-political-gadfly. "That's a fact. McCain has flip-flopped on the position of abortion. Once he was for it, now he's not."
My wife spent most of her time listening because she knew it was no use arguing with the woman. I might have done the same if someone was holding a sharp pair of scissors close to my neck, too.
Obviously, the woman had made up her mind. She was going to vote for then-Senator Barack Obama, but she had to come up with reasons why--especially in a small town in central Illinois where it's not unusual to see Republicans run unopposed for elected office. I guess it was right about then that I realized John McCain was in trouble. The Arizona Senator had taken the pro-family, pro-life vote for granted and the Obama campaign filled the void very well thank you. McCain only mentioned the abortion issue once in three political debates with the junior senator from Illinois. So people like the hair stylist filled in the blanks any way they wanted to regarding the issue of abortion.
Americans have a way of trying to make themselves feel better about the choices they make. In the past, the saying was "I don't want to get involved." Today the opposite is true. Everyone wants to get involved, even if they don't understand the consequence of their action.
"Barack Obama's election will be historic," said school teachers, liberal columnists and African-American leaders--including the clergy. However, few seemed to know (or care) what Obama believed in. Well, those people are starting to learn and there are consequences for their ignorance.
On Friday, Obama signed an executive order ending the ban on federal funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions.
Known as the Mexico City Policy, established in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan, the executive order was rescinded by President Bill Clinton and then reinstated by George W. Bush and once more rescinded by Barack Obama. The bottom line is American tax dollars will once more help kill unborn babies worldwide.
Now if you voted for Barack Obama and this makes you uncomfortable, perhaps you shouldn't read on. The truth is one of Obama's campaign pledges included a promise to sign a bill called the Freedom Of Choice Act (FOCA). FOCA would turn the United States into a virtual "free fire zone" on unborn children and those who protect them. Legislation, including parental notification, the ban on partial-birth abortion and the ban on live-birth abortion would be things of the past. Doctors and hospitals which refused to take the life of innocent unborn children would no longer be entitled to federal money. Pharmacies and pharmacists would be forced to dispense controversial abortifacients without recourse. The list goes on and on.
Yes, FOCA would be an abortionist's dream. It would be akin to when Adolf Hitler legalized the murder of Jews. FOCA, like the Holocaust, will become government-sanctioned policy, if Obama has his way. And those who voted for him can take credit or blame for a bill that will lead to the deaths of millions if enacted.
I suppose, like in Nazi Germany, there will be those who will claim they didn't understand Obama's stand on abortion. Or they might try to find sanctuary in the fact this is only one bill the President will sign--among thousands--in the next four years. However, none of these excuses hold water. If you didn't know where the man stood on the issue, it wasn't hard to find out. Clearly, I am quite comfortable in saying the blood of the unborn will stain the hands of those who voted for this man. And, no matter how hard they try to wash it off, it will remain.
Of course, there are higher powers that can offer forgiveness. But collectively, as a culture, such ignorance is unforgivable. Subsequently, I hope that nice warm glow some of you felt when Obama was being sworn in will cover the shame we should all feel for electing such a man to the American presidency, a man who should understand what it is when an entire group is stripped of its humanity.
There have been an estimated 50 million abortions committed in the United States since the landmark Supreme Court decision titled Roe v. Wade went into effect in 1973. Those numbers will increase dramatically under the Obama presidency. And let's make sure responsibility lies where it is due.
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Amen, brother, Amen. Must the same can be said for people who believe in equal treatment for all, Civil rights, property rights, and gun owners. The population bought the snake oil from the good talker, now we must all live with the out come.
Posted by: Charlie | January 26, 2009 at 03:52 PM
This is silly. In the countries with the lowest abortion numbers - Abortions are legal and widely available along with birth control. Having ALL options available and affordable is what makes the numbers go down. As long as we feel like judeging, maybe we should ask ourselves what we are doing to help women who struggle to support themselves and their children? This black and white thinking isn't going to help anyone if you want to change abortion then change the reality of bringing a child into this world when you have no resources thats how you make real change.
Posted by: Lisa Dunkin | February 02, 2009 at 09:04 PM
For someone who said we should close Guantanamo Bay because the United States is better than that. I say we are better than this. We shouldn't kill unborn babies because it is expedient.
And for the one who cites statistics about low abortion numbers; delve into those numbers. It's not about having all the options available, it about which options the culture pushes. Right now, it's pushing death. Most abortions are for convenience. Oops, I messed up. I had unprotected sex or the condom broke. Silly me. I need to go get an abortion and everything will be okay. It's not okay. A child is dead, a man may not ever know about the child or the woman's pain, and a woman's soul and psyche is damaged, often beyond repair. We are better than this.
In a culture where this is possible, I guess it's okay to strap a man to the back of a pick up and drag him to his death. Why? Because we no longer have respect for humanity. It has to begin somewhere. I should begin with the most vulnerable. Well, don't worry "low abortion rate lady." Mr. Obama did this so early in his term, no one will remember in four years. You see, we have a very forgetful society. Shame on everyone who wanted the pretty prize with the bow and didn't look under the lid.
Posted by: Danita | February 05, 2009 at 07:35 AM