20-11-2008
Abortion: Obama’s nightmare.
Anti-abortion forces are hotting up for a fight. The new president has been given a 0% score by the National Right to Life Committee, which indicates that as far as they are concerned Obama is unambiguously pro-choice. Obama’s voting record seems to indicate that they are entirely correct in drawing this conclusion.
Obama has promised that his presidency will unify Americans and it must be stated that over half (55%) of Americans see themselves as pro-choice.This leaves around 40% of the population opposing abortion to varying degrees. It is estimated that up to 20% of voters oppose abortion fairly strongly. Will this issue be the one that will test Obama’s promise of unifying the nation? Many observers think it will be.
Obama has promised to restore federal funding to international family planning services, that is, his administration will financially support institutions around the globe that perform abortions. Obama has also promised to sign FOCA or the Freedom of Choice Act. Anti-abortion activists are mobilising for a battle as they now realise they no longer have an ally in the White House.
Americans United for Life is gathering up signatures at a frantic pace to oppose FOCA. Catholic Bishops are warning that Obama should not see his victory as a referendum on Abortion and should he view his election as such he risks alienating millions Catholics who largely voted for him.
A spokesperson for the National Abortion Federation, the body that represents medical professionals who perform abortion disagrees with the Bishops. ‘Obama’s pro-choice credentials were well publicised: I see no reason not to see this election result, to some extent, as an indication of where Americans stand on this issue’.
Dr Harold Farbman* has been performing abortions in Chicago for two decades and has often feared for his life, he commented that he hopes ‘we don’t go back to the bad old days of blowing up clinics and the occasional dead medical professional as anti-abortion extremists find themselves unable to accept that the American people have spoken in favour of a woman’s right to choose’.
A source within the National Right to Life Committee begs to differ “The majority of Germans might have supported the gassing of Jews: that didn’t make it right. We won’t stand by and watch an even larger holocaust occurring, that of unborn babies who were never given a say in whether they could come into the world.’
*Some subjects names have been slightly altered to protect their safety | 
