Frances Kissling, who made her career and her reputation by sticking a finger in the Catholic Church’s eye for decades as head of the inaccurately named “Catholics for Choice,” has written a piece for the Washington Post in which she argues that abortion leaders are inflexible, change-resistant ideologues who are stuck in a timewarp and are using outdated, myth-based arguments that have caused them to lose ground, ground she says they cannot recover, and that they risk losing the abortion fight entirely.
Let’s hope she’s right!
Especially about that inflexible change resistance leading to losing the abortion fight entirely. That’s the best part.
Unfortunately, she hasn’t seen the light and switched sides. She’s urging them to be less inflexible and more reality-acknowledging in their approach—so that they can avoid total failure as a movement.
Some excerpts:
[T]he opposition to legal abortion has increased dramatically. Opponents use increasingly sophisticated arguments - focusing on advances in fetal medicine, stressing the rights of parents to have a say in their minor children’s health care, linking opposition to abortion with opposition to war and capital punishment, seeking to make abortion not illegal but increasingly unavailable - and have succeeded in swinging public opinion toward their side.
Meanwhile, those of us in the abortion-rights movement have barely changed our approach. We cling to the arguments that led to victory in Roe v. Wade. Abortion is a private decision, we say, and the state has no power over a woman’s body. Those arguments may have worked in the 1970s, but today, they are failing us, and focusing on them only risks all the gains we’ve made.
The “pro-choice” brand has eroded considerably. As recently as 1995 it was the preferred label of 56 percent of Americans; that dropped to 42 percent in 2009 and was 45 percent in 2010, according to Gallup polls. And abortion rights are under attack in Congress. . . .
Pro-choice advocates have good reason to oppose legislation that restricts abortion in any way, but unfortunately we’re not going to regain the ground we have lost. What we must do is stop holding on to a strategy that isn’t working, and one that is making the legal right to abortion more vulnerable than ever before.
We can no longer pretend the fetus is invisible. . . . We must end the fiction that an abortion at 26 weeks is no different from one at six weeks.
These are not compromises or mere strategic concessions, they are a necessary evolution. The positions we have taken up to now are inadequate for the questions of the 21st century. We know more than we knew in 1973, and our positions should reflect that.
The fetus is more visible than ever before, and the abortion-rights movement needs to accept its existence and its value. It may not have a right to life, and its value may not be equal to that of the pregnant woman, but ending the life of a fetus is not a morally insignificant event. Very few people would argue that there is no difference between the decision to abort at 6 weeks and the decision to do so when the fetus would be viable outside of the womb, which today is generally at 24 to 26 weeks. Still, it is rare for mainstream movement leaders to say that publicly. Abortion is not merely a medical matter, and there is an unintended coarseness to claiming that it is.
We need to firmly and clearly reject post-viability abortions except in extreme cases. . . .
Those kinds of regulations are not anti-woman or unduly invasive. They rightly protect all of our interests in women’s health and fetal life.
Even abortions in the second trimester, especially after 20 weeks, need to be considered differently from those that happen early in pregnancy. . . .
We should also work to sensibly regulate abortion facilities - not to prohibit access, but to ensure safety.
Kissling also has a bunch of recommendations to advance the abortion cause, things like cozying up to the government, getting funding for abortions for those in the military, handing out a lot more contraception, focusing on the plight of poor women as a way of keeping abortion legal for rich women, etc.
She concludes:
Some of my colleagues in the abortion-rights movement will resist even this modest shift on post-first trimester abortions, fearing that any compromise reflects weakness. Give the opposition an inch and they will take a yard. I believe most in the movement share my concerns and hold more moderate positions on abortion than their rhetoric or silence implies. These shifts I am suggesting are not about compromising or finding common ground with abortion opponents. Compromise assumes that there are two parties prepared to give up something in return for settling an issue. Neither opponents nor advocates of legal abortion are willing to do that. But, for pro-choice advocates, standing our ground will mean losing ground entirely.
For too long, abortion has been treated in black and white. Any discussion that deviates from legal or illegal, women or fetus, faces criticism from the twin absolutes of choice or life. If the choice movement does not change, control of policy on abortion will remain in the hands of those who want it criminalized. If we don’t suggest sensible balanced legislation and regulation of abortion, we will be left with far more draconian policies - and, eventually, no choices at all.
I have to say that I’m with her colleagues who would view fear that her proposals reflect weakness. They do.
And she’s right that the less extreme abortion advocates are, the less out-of-alignment-with-reality their position would be. The less out of alignment a position is with reality, the harder it is to attack and the easier it is to defend. That’s why successful lies always contain elements of truth. Otherwise they wouldn’t be believable.
Frances, may you be heeded by your fellow abortion advocates the same way that Cassandra was heeded by the Trojans. You deserve no less. You’ve been involved in an epic tragedy that has taken far more lives than theirs.
Readers: What do you think her chances are?
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Every lie only furthers the revelation of the truth, by Divine Providence. So rather than the doing of evil that good might come out of it, the good of truth will eventually triumph over abortion, at the appropriate time.
After all, Christ has already triumphed over abortion, and every evil, on the Cross, and He has revealed this triumph in the Immaculate Conception: What need we to fear in the battle against evil and the Evil One?
So, she wants to make it a “successful lie”. And she knows it. She seems to be completely aware that she stands with the murderer and father of lies. Such a state of soul can only be reverted by lots of alms-giving, fasting and prayer.
She is right that there is no common ground to be found between the two sides. She says that the ‘“pro-choice” brand has eroded considerably,” and she is right, but what she fails to acknowledge explicitly but supports implicitly is the fact that many of those who claim to be “pro-choice” are actually pro-abortion. Pro-choice is a position that can be rightly claimed only by those who’ve managed to distance themselves from not only abortion itself but the debate over it. Once such a person is forced to deal with the reality of what abortion is and defend it, they inevitably become pro-life, or they accept or disseminate some lie about abortion, in which case they become pro-abortion.
That she, on her own accord, concedes the phrase “fetal life”, is to really yank the one of the last Jenga blocks out of any semblance left in the abortion-logic tower she tries to build…
It’s refreshing to see such a beautiful example of moral relativism consuming itself…
The whole thing is an act: she proposes legal concessions (restricting “pre-viability”—-when will we lose that canard?—-abortions to those not necessary for a variety of “health” reasons) that merely restate the existing law. It’s been repeatedly established that restrictions with “health” exceptions are entirely vacuous. So the idea that the abortion industry is going to win hearts and minds (or “the future,” or effect “change,” or whatever the next slogan is) by doing that particular song and dance is just absurd. We’ve seen that show already, and it’s not entertaining.
Her comments read eerily like Screwtape’s advice to Wormwood. . .
The pro-choice battle plan is crumbling thanks to those in the pro-life movement breaking down the euphemistic phrase of “a woman’s right to choose” into its individual components with each person who accepted the arguments without considering what was actually being permitted with that ‘choice’. When the pro life movement refuses to be shut down by the cry for common ground, but is willing to given the reasons why to one person at a time, people like Kissling don’t have a chance. For to do so, is to remind each person that their life has value, as do all other human beings made in the image and likeness of God.
I was thinking the same thing (Screwtape) Dc. Skip Olson. Let’s pray for Frances. Perhaps the pro-abortion zealots will drive her closer and closer to pro-life. Maybe another Bernard Nathanson in the making? May she let go of whatever it is that is keeping her allied with this evil.
Her comments also remind me of something I read awhile back where a group was offering some sort of burial service for the aborted baby, but without any real remorse or awknowledgment of the evil that was done. The pro-abort’s lies that the unborn is not really human or not a person at least implies an awknowledgement that murder is wrong. Frances position seems to be “evolving” to a more insidious position—concede that the unborn is a person, but that abortion is justifiable murder.
TO Dc. Skip Olson. That is an astute observation. I agree that she is “giving the ranks their new marching orders” in a Wormwood fashion.
When I took abortion counseling training at a crisis pregnancy center, they told us that of the reactions to great wounds an abortion wreak on a woman’s soul is becoming a hardened advocate for choice.
Since 44% of American women have had abortions, its safe to assume Frances Kissling’s camp is full of post abortive, self-hating women who are acting out of rage, not reason. They need healing, but are far from accepting it.
Good luck moving that crowd toward moderation.
Bernard Nathanson, pray for them!
Even the pro aborts know it’s not simply ‘a woman’s right to choose.’ That’s why the health clause not only covers valid excuses being the woman’s physical or mental health, but even the mental health of her husband, mother, boyfriend, friend, anybody as a good enough excuse to have an abortion. There is validity to this idea because it acknowledges that others are also involved in the raising and care of children, especially husbands and parents. It is entirely contradictory to say that only woman can choose whether to kill their children, but if the child should live, then the man responsible must bear the burden of financial support etc. This is not equality. It is tryanny. But in any case the point is moot. Nobody has the right to take the life of another, no matter how inconvenient it may be when there is no direct threath to your own life. And by that I mean death, plain and simple, of which no child in the womb can ever be responsible for.
I sould take the time to mention here that all this also comes on the backs of exposure that abortion clinics in the U.S. have been found to be guilty of covering up sex trafficing and child rape and abuse which only further cements how evil produces more evil, but for years these people are being protected by teh government, by the local law enforcement and regulators who’ve been turning a blind eye towards abortion clinics involvement with all these shady activities and failing to notify law enforcement and following a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ ethic. So where is the outrage from the American population and the press with regards to this? They had no problem coming out angrily when segments within the Catholic Church were found guilty of negligence with regards to abuse by priests… So why the double standard? As usual, these people weren’t really that concerned for victims of abuse and rape in the first place, they are showing themselves to be the hypocrites that they truly are.
One one hand:
“Pro-choice advocates have good reason to oppose legislation that restricts abortion in any way, but unfortunately we’re not going to regain the ground we have lost.”
On the other hand:
“We need to firmly and clearly reject post-viability abortions except in extreme cases…”
In other words, “Say it, but in your heart think otherwise.” Where have I heard that before?
What Francis Kissling fails to realize is that abortion on demand advocates are doing is sealing their own doom. Prolifers are having kids; they are not. The abortion on demand movement is stuck in the ‘70’s because their advocates are from then. There are far too few young people in their movement to sustain it.
Leticia, what a beautiful thought to ask Bernard Nathenson to pray for us, and I may add the babies and mothers who have been victims. I think it likely that Nathenson is already in heaven since he had his purgatory on earth. If you haven’t read his autobiography, The Hand of God, I urge you to do so. You’ll see what I mean.
I quake with fear to imagine being, less a woman who was duped into an abortion, but more so an actual heretical Catholic abortion pimp, when faced with our Lord at the Four Last Things. Our Lord must mete justice to the babies who were killed by person x, as well as the adult souls who were led astray by person x. But He must also exercise his mercy. My mind boggles. All I can say is o what fear and trembling we humans should feel when we ponder our sins. Mine included.
The fetus is more visible than ever before, and the abortion-rights movement needs to accept its existence and its value. It may not have a right to life, and its value may not be equal to that of the pregnant woman, but ending the life of a fetus is not a morally insignificant event.
“It may not have a right to life…” This gave me chills. Such evil. And the Screwtape comparison is spot on.
In other words, Quisling wants to concede as much of the truth as is necessary to make the remaining lies credible. If they can concede X% to us, they can make it that much more difficult to get the remaining Y%, and the abomination can remain with us that much longer than if they conceded nothing.
You’re right, Jimmy, I hope the extremists pay no attention to her.
“Fetus…value may not be equal to that of the pregnant woman” this is wrong wrong wrong doctrine. Nothing from the Magisterium has told us to think this way. Small-statured people (fetuses), and young people (fetuses) have exactly the same value as larger and older people.
St. Gianna is a saint because she knew she had no more value than did her fetus. Thus, the saint’s virtue reveals in gory detail the vice of the non-saint.
Frances needs to admit that in the end God always wins! No matter how clever the plan, in the end pro- abortions advocates ( which are dwindling even as I comment )will lose their case..because their “case” for abortion is falling apart as more is learned about fetal development. Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider, will collapse if government funds are withdrawn…and taxpayers refuse to allow its support to continue. Those of us who are Pro-Life must continue to hold their feet to the fire! Continue to blast your Congress reps and senators to vote NO on funding abortion!
“Meanwhile, those of us in the abortion-rights movement have barely changed our approach.”
Actually, they have tried every single lie there is. Even to try to make it sound as if abortion is somehow not a bad thing. Just doesn’t work - there’s a changing of the guard - the young will soon take over. While us old baby boomers grow older and move closer to the judgement of Our Lord. Better wise up and ask Jesus to reveal to each of us our part in this nightmare - from donating to companies that we know the support abortion, knowingly voting for pro-abortion candidates, .etc. to give us ample chance to repent.
I think this “Catholic” is running out of ways to justify abortion being ok as old age takes hold - perhaps feeling God’s guilt deep in her soul for her heavy sins and the accontability that waits in the next life for taking and encouraging others to commit these terrible crimes on society’s most defenseless, falsely and in the name of Jesus and His Church to boot. Let’s hope she and others who have been lifetime supporters of this this evil pay closer attention to that nagging feeling of something being wrong deep in their souls - it is God’s Love and Mercy calling out for them to repent.
Yes,CR, and the rest of us had better pray for her conversion…it is possible as all things with God are possible! For inspiration read the
book written by Dr Bernard Nathanson, the founder of NARAL. May his soul rest in peace for all the eventual good he did for the pro-life cause!Ours is a merciful God!
I think this is the wall she’s running up against:
The new generation knows that if their mothers had listened to her arguments, they would be dead.
That’s a hard proof to lie your way around.
You are right, I don’t remember to pray for conversions enough. But, what greater way to pray for conversions than praying Jesus’ Chaplet of Divine Mercy.
http://www.divinemercysunday.com/chaplet.htm
TRUST IN GOD’S WISDOM
There once was a man who proclaimed he did not believe in God. “God could never love anyone and if he existed, I would insist that he prove it to me”, he often proclaimed to friends. “God takes lives all the time and the poor and down-trodden are first on the menu”, he would say further. Even though the man was often kind to people all throughout his life, he believed that one should live life to the fullest in every way. He also believed strongly that a woman had every right to an abortion, and if she chose to do so, it was her business only.
One day the man found himself in front of an abortion clinic watching women walk in as protestors were praying and begging the pregnant women not to go in the clinic. A woman who was protesting began talking loudly to a young pregnant woman who was walking into the clinic. This immediately enraged the man and he began yelling at and cursing the woman who was protesting and others began to join in.
The young woman walking into the clinic became scared and upset at both the woman protesting and the man, and immediately turned and ran away from the clinic. This enraged the man and others even more and they escalated their yelling and insults toward the woman protestor. The woman protestor cried and left the scene.
Many, many years later the man was in a serious car accident and was thrown from the car. As he lay dying, many people consoled him as an ambulance rushed to the scene. A young priest who had also been called to the scene began to perform last rites. The man, although in terrible pain and very terrified, gruffly said to the priest, “Don’t waste your breath with that prayer, Father, I’m not a Catholic and even if I was, God has never gone out of his way to help me – take a good look”.
The priest gently smiled at the man and stopped saying the last rites. After a few seconds, the priest began to softly recite the Divine Chaplet of Mercy. “For the sake of His Sorrowful Passion, have Mercy on us and the whole world”, he recited over and over. The man peacefully passed into darkness.
Suddenly, a great light engulfed the man along with great love. The man was more afraid than ever as he knew he was in the presence of God. He asked what was happening and who it was that he was speaking to. He asked this because he could only see one form but felt there were others in the area as well.
“I am Jesus, Son of the Living God, and you have been born to a new life. We are here to judge your life on earth”. Immediately, as in a video, the man began to see his entire life in review. The good and the bad.
Many times when he helped the poor, other times when he freely partook in sins of the flesh. Times when he helped the elderly, and times when he intentionally hurt other people. The life review seemed to stop as quickly as it had started and the man felt ashamed.
Quickly, however, the man recovered, and recalled what he had said to friends during his life. “What chance did I have when my creator never showed any effort to reach out to me with love?” “Why did you not even try a little to help save me from myself?”.
The Lord looked lovingly at the man and played back the life scene in front of the abortion clinic. The man was mortified as he watched himself become enraged. He was overcome with resign and asked the Lord what happened to the woman protestor who had left the scene those many years ago.
The Lord responded, “She was called to me a few days later, she had accomplished her mission”.
“And what of the woman that decided not to have an abortion that day?”, he asked.
“She bore a healthy son and passed to me after childbirth, she had accomplished her mission”.
The man looked down and felt very sad. He slowly looked up and softly said to the Lord, “I wish I would have met her son; that I could know what he looks like and see how he turned out in life”. But, I never did, and yet you show me these images anyway.” Lord, can you not show me one instance in my life where you went out of your way even a little bit to show the extent of your love for me”?.
“You met her son at the twilight of your life”, said the Lord, “He will be joining us soon – he has accomplished his mission”. “Come, let us go to heaven”.
The man felt happy, relieved, and curious all at once, and felt compelled to ask Jesus two final questions. “Who was this woman’s son and what was his mission?” , asked the man.
“He was a simple priest who believed in God’s Mercy, and you were his mission”, responded three voices.
I rejoice and celebrate Kissling’s willingness to back away from the constant bickering and polarization that has become the norm on both sides of this issue, and reaching part way towards a reasonable solution. We don’t need to give in on principle, but each one of us needs to be grateful for her admitting hard truths, and being willing to be honest even when it unpopular (in her own camp). We could learn something from her here. We need more calm discourse like this and less confrontational bickering (which does neither side any good).
Good point Nathan…if we were talking about anything other than an
intrinsic evil….for which there is NEVER any middle ground! Until
Ms Kissling is willing to admit to this all else she has to say just
continues the heinous atrocity to which she has dedicated her adult life.
We need to continue the battle until the war has been won! Perhaps the point you really need to make is that we need more prayer warriors..to
say the rosary daily for an end to abortion..and committ to it with
more conviction. Ms Kissling and her ilk would like nothing better than for us to “come to the table” of compromise…which would only delay the victory. There is NO common ground where these people are concerned which is really what you are suggesting.
Abortion is not a political issue, it is a spiritual and moral issue. It is: 1) an arrogant and direct attack against God because He and only He is the giver and taker of life 2) it is murder of the most innocent in society and 3) the taking of a life that would impact other lives according to God’s plan. (this has already happened over 50 million times).
And I believe it something that all will be held accountable for after our lives are over - whether any of us believe it or not. The question of what we did or did not do will be put to us. Were we Pro-Life? What did we do for others? Did we stand up for the unborn in our little corner of the world? Did we vote pro-life? Did we pray for the unborn? We will each get our turn to stand before Our Holy Lord for our judgement - the Holy of Holies - who Died for us.
Or, did we think it much easier to go along with the “pro-choice” thing, without really thinking about that means. Or, just say nothing..
When “compromising” on abortion, we continue to embrace evil (and mortal sin). Thinking of it in any other way is just willingly fooling yourself.
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