I noticed an excellent item by Patterico today on selective reporting from the Los Angeles Times's David Savage regarding the "safety" of partial-birth abortion as compared to other methods of abortion and thought I'd excerpt it for you below:
Savage highlights the fact that some doctors say that the ban creates “significant health risks.”
What he doesn’t mention is that many others disagree. This disagreement is a major point of the opinion, and is stated again and again (though not mentioned by Savage). Here are some representative quotes from the opinion:
[W]hether the Act creates significant health risks for women has been a contested factual question. The evidence presented in the trial courts and before Congress demonstrates both sides have medical support for their position.
. . . .
There is documented medical disagreement whether the Act’s prohibition would ever impose significant health risks on women.
. . . .
The medical uncertainty over whether the Act’s prohibition creates significant health risks provides a sufficient basis to conclude in this facial attack that the Act does not impose an undue burden.
Savage has done this exact same thing before on the exact same topic: noting that some experts say partial-birth abortion is safer — without noting that other experts disagree.
Here are some previous blog posts on NewsBusters relating to media coverage of the Court ruling yesterday:
- Nets Separate from 'Partial-Birth' Term, Frame Story Around Loss of 'Abortion Rights'
- CBSNews.com On 'What the Law Calls a Partial Birth Abortion'
- CNN.com Finds Court Upholding Partial Birth Ban Unremarkable
- Papers Soft-Pedal, Bury Details of Partial-Birth; NYTimes Says Term is 'Provocative'
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
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Thank you Ken - this is their
April 19, 2007 - 13:17 ET by Dee BunkThank you Ken - this is their favorite trick, just ignore all the doctors and congress and the courts that found it wasn't a health risk. There was extensive testimony about the facts and there was not one case sighted where a women's life would be at risk by doing a different procedure. These people rely on the ignorance of their audience.
Remember with Terri Shivo how congress wasn't supposed to question the courts? Now all of the sudden it's no problem. In the Shivo case there were no discernable facts. You had the word of a husband who changed his story about what her wishes were after he got a settlement and wanted to remarry vs multiple friends and family members who had unconditional love and no motive to lie. With the partial birth case there is factual testimony and they just want to ignore it.
Savage
April 19, 2007 - 13:35 ET by iveseenitallDavid Savage. At least the name is appropos for someone who supports this "savage" procedure.
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
One does not have to be a med
April 19, 2007 - 14:05 ET by dscottOne does not have to be a medical expert to know if you deliver a baby 80% of the way, that there is no risk to the mother delivering the child alive the other 20% of the way. All the risk was experienced in the first 80%. I shouldn't have to state the obvious but then we are dealing with a group of people so adept at spinning to deceive people. The debate over Partial Birth abortion is a classic case of stealing wheel barrows not saw dust.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
Really better?
April 19, 2007 - 15:06 ET by Right_of_LeftI don't understand the hooplah about the partial birth part.
Is normal Dialation and Extraction, where the fetus is dismembered better than PBA? Or is it because the baby is so close to being born that is cause for concern?
right of left
April 19, 2007 - 15:16 ET by misterbillI can only speak for myself. Forgive me if my reaction bothers you. I consider abortion to be murder. However there is something significantly more repugnant to me to hear of a fully formed viable life being taken to satisfy the social or financial needs of a person. I detest abortion at any stage, but, again, it just seems so horrific in the methodology and the proximity to a live birth
I also feel that murder is horrible, yet it bothers me more to read about a child being murdered than an adult. I am sure I ma not unique in my feelings.
Thanks
April 19, 2007 - 15:32 ET by Right_of_LeftThank you for the quick response misterbill.
I too am sorry if my reaction offends you.
I have gone through several stages on my view of abortion, when I was young I saw it as a simple solution to a simple problem. As I have grown, I know now that I could never be part of an abortion of a viable life.
However, I cannot condone forcing my beliefs on others and think the focus on PBA when D&E is just as horrific, very silly. (Again I do not mean to offend)
Right of left - Forcing you
April 19, 2007 - 15:47 ET by Dee BunkRight of left - Forcing your beliefs would only occur if you had an abortion. Then you are denying that child (that is a life without question) to have a spiritual journey in this world and form it's own beliefs. Almost everyone is glad they were born and the ones who aren't commit suicide. Even though the babies can't tell us, we can infer statistically that they would prefer to be born.
RoLHowever, I cannot condone
April 19, 2007 - 20:04 ET byRoL
However, I cannot condone forcing my beliefs on others
Should there be no penalty for rape or murder? How about pedophillia? Should that be legal for NAMBLA members?
RoLI am not trying to be offe
April 19, 2007 - 22:48 ET byRoL
I am not trying to be offensive, just shocking enough that you see it really isn't about forcing beliefs, that happens all the time in law. Think about it almost ALL law is legislating morality! I believe that you need to research this issue and if you proceed with a willingness to find out what is true you will be convinced that the unborn babies are deserving of all rights of personhood. You currently do not believe that the unborn are people! else you would have no problem saying that murdering them is wrong.
Yes, let's follow that line o
April 20, 2007 - 07:25 ET by dscottYes, let's follow that line of reasoning, if there is to be total separation of Church and State as claimed by the liberals/Socialists/Marxists then anything written in the Bible is completely contrary to "Man's" Law. With this premise, the 10 Commandments being a religious doctrine of both Jews and Christians (Muslims too) must be banished from influencing any laws. Hence the 10 Commandments Tablet replica is removed from any Court house as a symbolic measure and by decriminalizing all the stated Commandments. Let's see which ones are still in force that have not been already legalized/decriminalized and in fact made into a "Right".
Exodus 20: verses
3"You shall have no other gods before Me.
4"You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
5"You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,
6but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
7"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.
8"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9"Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or your female servant or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.
11"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.
12"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.
13"You shall not murder.
14"You shall not commit adultery.
15"You shall not steal.
16"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
17"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
By my count we have decriminalized 8 of the 10 Commandments and in fact made them into "Rights". Stealing and Murder are being worked on as we speak by making rationalizations why it's ok to do those things in certain circumstances. In some cases murder is already a Constitutional Right as claimed by the radical feminists.
If you ever have sat in a Family Law Court, you will know that depending on the gender of the defendant, these Judges have such contempt and callous disregard for children that it is no safer being born than unborn because the perp is not held accountable.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
R of L
April 19, 2007 - 20:24 ET by misterbillNo offense taken. I share with you that my stand on abortion has changed over the years. I too, at a younger age, in spite of my Catholic upbringing and 12 years of Catholic school, had a much more casual attitude about abortion than I do now. I actually assisted a young girl to get one. I did not set anything up, but I drove her to a hospital and picked her up the next day. I have never forgotten and I have never forgiven myself. I do believe God has forgiven me. I have prayed for His forgiveness and I feel that my true regret and repentance has , if not gotten forgiveness from God, at least has made me feel that He has. This has become plain to me- this wondrous gift the Lord has given us to procreate in our image and thus in his, is soul stirring. To interfere in that process is a great sin. The way I can deal with my fellow Americans and attitudes that are more accepting than mine is the morning after pill. I still feel guilt, but I have to live among others that God created and abide with them.
Or is it because the baby is
April 19, 2007 - 15:27 ET by dscottOr is it because the baby is so close to being born that is cause for concern?
2 parts, first answer is yes - how can anyone rationalize killing a child? Claiming the child didn't come out of the womb alive is disengenuous when it would have done so if they didn't crush it's skull and suck out it's brains.
Part 2, the fact that this gruesome procedure is done on a defenseless living human being in and of itself speaks to the inhumanity of anyone condoning, advocating, defending or perpetrating this act of murder. There comes a point in confronting the ruthlessness of such people against the defenseless, one must act. Any victory, no matter how small is cause for great rejoicing against this monsterous evil.
This is not to say that we aren't doing everything we can to end all abortions, so on the other hand there is no hooplah on the pro-life side, just on the pro-death side for being halted in performing one of many ghoulish procedures. I agree, a D&C is no less ghoulish than crushing a baby's skull and sucking out it's brains, both acts are only worthy of a low budget grade B slasher movie.
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” – Marcus Aurelius
As I recall, back in the '90s
April 19, 2007 - 15:40 ET by GalvanicAs I recall, back in the '90s, the AMA's first position on partial-birth abortion was that they found no medical circumstances in which it was necessary, to include life of the mother.
Later, under political pressure from special interest groups, they modified the AMA position by leaving the decision to the doctor and patient, but without endorsing it as a legitimate method of abortion.
Can anyone verify that?
Galvanic, I found this lett
April 19, 2007 - 16:24 ET by motherbeltGalvanic, I found this letter from the AMA to then-Senator Santorum. They do say they normally oppose legislation criminalizing medical practice, but then go on to support the proposed ban. And this was late in the 90's.
AMA Letter to Santorum
America claims to be a nation
April 19, 2007 - 16:41 ET by iveseenitallAmerica claims to be a nation of laws and our laws define who we are. Laws should not be created simply to tell others what to do or how to live their lives, but to proctect the common good. Allowing, by law, the barbaric procedure of partial-birth abortion speaks volumes about us. Rejecting it also has. I am so glad.
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
Ken S,I just wanted to thank
April 19, 2007 - 17:03 ET by bigtimerKen S,
I just wanted to thank you for putting this in here.
I read it early this morning and was going to put the link in an open thread if I didn't happen to see it anywhere.
I have posted so much about this since yesterday I am out of words.
Poor leftists...they are besides their-selves with this decision.
Too danged bad, they can spin it any way they want...it still stands.
Wouldn't it follow, then, tha
April 19, 2007 - 17:27 ET by mattmWouldn't it follow, then, that postpartum abortion would be even safer? I bet Hitler's gas chambers were safer than firing-squads...
"Abortion is only advocated by those who have been born." - Ronald Reagan.
MattM, this woman who had t
April 19, 2007 - 19:42 ET by terrigMattM, this woman who had this sickenly sweet Southern voice told me earlier this year when we were still in HI that my daughter should have been aborted (she has Down Syndrome and rides the short bus which is a comment that pops up here occassionally that annoys me but that's another story). I told her and this other individual wearing a "drop knowledge not bombs" shirt in Tripler Army Medical Center who advocated the same thing that it was a shame they weren't aborted. I got called a rude name and I got up and left. It always amazes me that those who think this abortion is a great thing, were born. I love the Reagan quote.
Terrig
April 19, 2007 - 19:50 ET by Mr. BishopOn the short bus comment, don't worry about it, and don't let it upset you. My son and daughter ride the short bus home from school. My son has ADHD and needs the smaller environment for control purposes and my daughter has had some severe speech problems she has been working out. Anyhow... my son's ADHD was transferred to him through me, since I have ADD, which I have learned to control. However, I am greatful for my son, no matter how difficult he can be at times, especially when he starts to get out of control.
Down Syndrome is nothing for anyone to sneer at. It's a minor thing (I know, saying that is not an easy thing to digest), and quite honestly -- could have happened to anyone at anytime. To say that a child should have been aborted because of them having 47 chromosomes, is just ludicrous. You, in my opinion, responded approriately. The only thing I would have said differently, is, "Gee, it's just too bad that post-birth abortions aren't legal. You two would have been perfect candidates. But what the hell... I can always hope the laws change in the future..."
"Stop global warming! Asphyxiate a liberal!" - Show us how far you're willing to go to stop "global warming"
Thank you for the kind word
April 19, 2007 - 19:53 ET by terrigThank you for the kind words!
NP
April 19, 2007 - 19:56 ET by Mr. BishopNo problem... now if I can only get use to this larger keyboard... I would have slightly less typos... I'm use to a laptop, but finished building myself a new PC a week and a half ago... and this keyboard is HUGE compared to my old one...
"Stop global warming! Asphyxiate a liberal!" - Show us how far you're willing to go to stop "global warming"
terrig,Thanks for your honest
April 20, 2007 - 14:25 ET by msh1973terrig,
Thanks for your honesty on this site. My friend has a 21 year old son with Down Syndrome, he works full time, delivers mail for the State Attorney's office, and lives with two other young men with Down's. I run into him several times a week. He is great guy! Don't let the stupid comments of so called, "compassionate" people get you down.
Bumfuzzled
April 19, 2007 - 19:59 ET by Cool ArrowI'll never understand how mothers can abandon/kill a litter of one.
Ok, so a sow may abandon one of necessity, but not the whole litter, and I think the health of the mother is statistically less fragile with pigs.
Guess if you were going to miss your chance at the starring role in Porky and Bess. or Porknoy's Complaint...
You know...
April 19, 2007 - 20:07 ET by Mr. BishopAlong those lines...
I just found out last night, that a double murder/suicide took place in a town about 15 minutes from where I live. Nothing special I guess, but what happened was, the father shot his son (8) then his daughter (4), called the police, and committed suicide before they got there. What really hits home with me on this though... is that it was my Uncle's (married to my dad's sister) brother who did it.
All I could think about when I learned of this is, "How can this happen? How can a man, or woman, do this to their own children?"
I can only imagine, and I can't stop thinking about it, the horror those children had to have on their faces as their father came at them, to kill them.
"Stop global warming! Asphyxiate a liberal!" - Show us how far you're willing to go to stop "global warming"
Mr. Bishop,You are an amazing
April 19, 2007 - 21:40 ET by BlondeMr. Bishop,
You are an amazing man to so honestly bring up something which those of us here would never care to admit.
These horrible things can happen to anyone, at any time. And unfortunately, happen in our extended families. Which is what no one would ever care to admit.
My sincere condolences to you and your extended family. I can't imagine what such a tragedy must be like to live through.
Again, my condolences.
Life is cheap
April 19, 2007 - 20:22 ET by Cool ArrowI think the sanctity of life has gone through some cheap times. We are fed the anecdotal outliers and the logical conclusions to which they lead.
We're already accepting ending life at both ends of the stick. Now we're whittling inward.