Frenzy-Bordering-on-Hysteria -- Part One of Two

Editor's note. I would hope you have time to read both Parts One and Two and send me your thoughts at daveandrusko@hotmial.com.

"The next president will be the decider on whether women's emancipation from the slavery of the womb will continue in this country. We are on the cusp of losing the right to control our bodies and determine our family size. [Sen. John]McCain promises as much."
     Robyn E. Blumner, St. Petersburg Times, March 9.

Today's edition will be a two-parter. Part Two will delve into a column about abortion that appears on salon.com which is alternatively shrewd, morally tone-deaf, and almost incomprehensible. For all its ditziness, it's very interesting and worth pondering. While what Robyn Blumner writes is not unique, either in substance or in frenzy-bordering-on-hysteria, Part One is a kind of catch-up column to alert readers to what the pro-abortion set is saying about presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Az.). As we all know, there has never been a time in the past 27 years (minimum) that we haven't been warned that the "right" to abortion is teetering on a precipice, needing only the slightest nudge to vanish into the void. Were it only so.

There are collateral attacks Blumner makes on McCain which are outside our purview. But on our agenda, she is quite right that "McCain's voting record is solidly antichoice" (make that pro-life).

She cites McCain's comments during the run up to the South Carolina Republican primary where he said that Roe "should be overturned" and "strongly reiterates that position on his campaign Web site."

Among other examples Blumner could also have cited are his remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this year. McCain talked about believing in "judges who enforce, and not make, our laws; the social values that are the true source of our strength; and, generally, the steadfast defense of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, which I have defended my entire career as God-given to the born and unborn."

"McCain also supports the global gag rule," Blumner writes, "probably the most backward foreign policy initiative since the importation of slaves." Wow! What in the world is she talking about. It's the pro-life "Mexico City Policy," originally adopted by President Reagan and announced at a 1984 population conference in Mexico City. The policy was reinstated by President Bush in 2001 after being overturned by pro-abortion President Bill Clinton his first day in office.

Where does the "gag rule" part come in? Let's summarize the key points:

Under this policy, in order to be eligible for U.S. "population assistance," a private organization must sign a contract promising not to perform abortions (except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest), lobby to change the abortion laws of host countries, or otherwise "actively promote abortion as a method of family planning."  

In other words, if you want access to U.S. population assistance funds, agree to stop trying to undermine the protective laws of foreign nations. That hardly qualifies as "gagging" anyone.

As I say, this is not the first, nor will it be the last the "sky-is-falling," gloom-and-doom lament from the anti-life set. We will update you periodically.

If you have time, please read Part Two.