May 17, 2009
Common ground in the abortion debate

Posted at 10:49 am, in: Abortion
Tags: Barack Obama, Jenna Jameson, Notre Dame, Partial-Brith Abortion

Obama claims to want to search for common ground when it comes to abortion:

President Obama delved into the abortion debate in a controversial Notre Dame commencement address Sunday, calling for a search for common ground on one of the most divisive issues in American politics.

Addressing a sharply divided audience at the storied Catholic university, Obama conceded that no matter how much Americans “may want to fudge it … at some level the views of the two camps are irreconcilable.”

“Each side will continue to make its case to the public with passion and conviction,” he said. “But surely we can do so without reducing those with differing views to caricature.”

I think a common ground has been reached on abortion. Poll after poll shows that most Americans, whether they self-identify as pro-life or pro-choice, think abortion should be legal when there is a threat to the life/health of the mother, life/health of the child (think genetic disorders), or pregnancies resulting from rape or incest.

Statistically, those reasons, which most Americans agree on as acceptable (although, not desirable) cases in which abortion should be allowed, only account for approximately three percent of abortions. So, you want common ground, Mr. Obama? I’ll give it to you. Let’s outlaw abortion in all circumstances except for those listed above. And, realistically, we can take rape off the table since anyone who reports a rape is given Plan B in order to prevent a pregnancy as a result of said rape.

Now, that doesn’t necessasrily sit well with me. I mean, innocent lives will be lost, but it will not be at the ridiculous rate of over 1 million children per year. Our president is asking for a common ground and I’m just trying to give him one. Now, if we could stop children from having abortions without parental consent, and wives from murdering their husband’s children without spousal notification, that all might help to save lives, as well. I’m just saying.

Average Americans have found a common ground on this issue. It is the extremist politicians and pro-abortion groups who make it appear as though this is a polarizing issue that average Americans are deeply divided over. I don’t believe that is the case.

Let’s look at “partial-birth abortion”. For the majority of Americans there is plenty of common ground: they’re overwhelmingly against it. And, I’m sure most Americans are against leaving babies born from botched abortions to die in some empty hospital room and discarded in a trash receptacle. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for our president.

I guess we should just all be thankful that Obama didn’t present the abortion issue as a “false choice.” And, I’m still not clear as to why a Catholic university would invite him to speak and confer upon him an honorary degree. But, what do I know? It’s a little discouraging that the second most prestigious Catholic university in the nation would put publicity over their religious principles. Who will be the commencement speaker next year, Jenna Jameson?