Alex Brandon/The Associated Press
A crowd of people gather outside the Supreme Court early Tuesday in Washington.
I’ve always been a big fan of mythology. My favorite is Athena, also known as Minerva, goddess of wisdom. It is said that she emerged fully formed from the head of her father Zeus, which was probably a great relief for his wife Hera. Athena is the patroness of Bryn Mawr College, and there is a statue dedicated to the goddess on campus. At exam time, you can see her covered in offerings (I usually left Tastykakes) to invoke her protection. Athena is a myth, but one that ironically calls us to examine the truth. Given what happened last week in the Supreme Court and its aftermath, I think it’s time to dispel some of the myths surrounding the pro-life movement. It’s the least I can do as proud Bryn Mawrter.
Pro-lifers are only interested in babies until they are born.
It’s a myth that always pops up when those who support abortion rights try to get the moral upper hand, pointing out that pro-lifers want to force women to have babies but don’t provide them with any help during pregnancy. pregnancy or after. It’s such an easy fabrication to dispel, given the long list of agencies that support pregnant women and children. Organizations such as Birthright, A Baby’s Breath, Mother’s Home, Heartbeat International, Live Action, Project Rachel Ministry, Catholic Charities and Carenet are easily accessible on the internet. Of course, those who support abortion rights don’t like to admit that these places exist, because myths are powerful.
Most pro-lifers are religious fanatics
This is another popular idea, especially since many of the most outspoken abortion advocates come from the Catholic Church (except, of course, for “Catholic” notables Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi) . And while it is true that faith is a very strong aspect of the pro-life movement, especially among Christians, there are a large number of unaffiliated people who “trust science,” as Dr. Fauci would say. The first scientist to turn against abortion was Dr. Bernard Nathanson, who performed many abortions during his career before realizing that the procedure ended a human life. Abby Johnson is another person who was so convinced that abortion was a legitimate medical procedure that she became the director of a Planned Parenthood clinic, presiding over thousands of abortions. It wasn’t religion that made him change his mind, it was seeing a real abortion that did. My friend Monique Ruberu is a pro-life obstetrician, who understands science while honoring her faith. Women who were previously pro-choice have told me personally that experiencing a pregnancy and observing the development of their unborn child convinced them that it was indeed a human creature. Another witness to life is Dr. Ben Carson, who performed in utero neurosurgery. Science can be more powerful than faith in persuading skeptics.
Most women support abortion
Whenever abortion hits the headlines, the loudest women’s voices are those speaking out for “reproductive justice”. It is only reluctantly that networks or newspapers seek out and promote the opinions of women who believe that abortion causes great harm to women and society. If we are asked for our opinion, it is usually to serve as a foil to the sophisticated and empowered women of Planned Parenthood, etc. Al. Even if Roe is knocked down, that dynamic isn’t going to end anytime soon. But the truth is very different from this myth of women’s overwhelming support for abortion rights. A recent NBC poll from 2021 showed that among women, 59% think abortion should remain legal and 38% think it should be illegal. There are differences between education levels, class, and racial demographics. But it’s pretty clear that more than a third of American women don’t support abortion rights, and most American women support limits on abortion. You can view that poll here: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/meet-the-press/nbc-news-poll-shows-nation-s-demographic-divides-abortion-n1278210
If Roe is overthrown, abortion will disappear
It’s not so much a myth about pro-lifers as it is about the nature of Roe v. Wade. A disturbing number of Americans believe that abortion has always been a national right and that the elimination of the most notorious Supreme Court decision of the past 50 years will destroy this “right”. After Justice Alito’s draft opinion leaked on Monday, a critical mass of commentators began to lament that they had never seen the Supreme Court “take away” a right from women. This hysteria is based on a faulty premise. First, the Supreme Court does not “remove” anything. If Roe falls, the matter will be up to states and their legislatures to decide whether women have access to abortion. If a “right” is taken away, it is by your local legislators. But more specifically, there is no “right” to abortion beyond what Harry Blackmun and the other six scholars have extracted from the shadows and shadows of the Bill of Rights. It’s just not there. You can’t take away what you never had in the first place.
Men are not allowed to talk about abortion
It’s one of my favorite myths. There’s this idea that people who don’t have wombs don’t have an opinion about what ends up in those wombs. Aside from the fact that some people with wombs no longer identify as “women” and some biological men now identify as women, the whole womb story goes out the window. A recent bill to codify abortion rights if Roe’s annulment includes this heartening observation: “This law is intended to protect all persons capable of conceiving. You might say, “Yeah, women.” But guess who else can get pregnant, according to our lawmakers? “Cisgender women, transgender men, non-binary people, those who identify with a different gender and others.”
But even if we come to our senses and call people who are about to have babies “pregnant mothers”, abortion rights activists still believe that men should shut up, unless they are acolytes of Joe Biden and agree with them that abortion is a human being. right, or align yourself with John Fetterman and Conor Lamb who believe abortion up to the moment of birth is fine. This kind of man can talk.
There are so many more of these myths, and so little space to debunk them. I’ll just leave you with this, in honor of Pallas Athena:
Myths are fun. True wisdom is eternal and extremely serious. Be like Athena.
Christine Flowers is a lawyer. His column appears on Sunday and Thursday. Email him at [email protected].
