By Dave Andrusko

Editor's note. Please send your comments and observations to daveandrusko@gmail.com.  They are very, very helpful.

Although the results were pooh-poohed, it is no small matter that in the era of pro-abortion President Barack Obama only 36% of Americans believe abortion is morally acceptable versus 56% who told Gallup it is morally wrong. A year ago 40% responded to Gallup that abortion was morally acceptable, meaning there's been a drop of 4 percentage point since May 2008.

This follows news that for the first time since Gallup began asking the question, a majority--51%--identified themselves as pro-life. In 1995 a mere 33% considered themselves pro-life.

Returning to the morality question, pro-lifers always try to place developments in context. Consider that in 2001 there was almost an even split with 45% telling Gallup that abortion was morally wrong but 42% saying it was morally acceptable--a difference of only 3%. The gap is now 20%!

That's real progress.

Likewise, there was a 5 percentage point decline in those who said "medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos" was morally acceptable. It was 62% last year and 57% this year.
This is hardly what we would want. But in the face of the relentlessly pro-embryonic stem cell media coverage, this shrinkage is nothing to sniff at.

We've written story after story about the failures of embryonic stem cells and the string of successes using adult stem cells, cord blood stem cells, and by reprogramming skin cells to revert to a status essentially indistinguishable from embryonic stem cells. Perhaps we have helped to establish a firewall.

Gallup racks up both improvements--more self-identified pro-lifers, fewer saying abortion is morally acceptable--to changes among Republicans (and independents who lean Republican). But as we pointed out last week, there was majority pro-life identification expressed by both sexes as well as by Protestants and Catholics, reflecting similar strong gains. (http://nrlc.org/News_and_Views/May09/nv051809part2.html)

Let me know what you think at daveandrusko@gmail.com.

Part Two -- Fewer Northern Ireland women seek abortions in Britain