Pro-Life Message is Winning, but War is Not Over
Dear Friend of the Family,
On the 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, we are greatly encouraged by the recent news that the number of abortions in the United States fell to the lowest level in 18 years. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the research arm of Planned Parenthood, abortions have declined by 25 percent since 1990. There are a number of reasons for the decline.
Abortion numbers have actually declined in 13 of the past 14 years. Reasons given include the rise of the average age of abortion doctors and a reduction of the number of doctors willing to do abortions and the number of operating abortion clinics.
Even though there were 1.2 million abortion deaths in the United States in the most recent year of reporting, the rate among American minors is declining more significantly than among adults.
A combination of the pro-life message and technological advances is winning over new converts on a regular basis. The foremost technological contributor to the decline in the abortion rate is the availability of ultrasound technology, which allows women to fully grasp the humanity of their unborn child. The abortion rights advocates’ message that abortion is a matter of “choice,” does not resonate with the technology-savvy younger generations. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report, “HHS Report Shows Teens Making More Responsible Decisions,”abstinence education has also made a positive impact on the rate on our youth.
Other sources of research on the subject of abortion are available to you by clicking on these sites:
- Our own publication, “Guide to Family Issues: Abortion,” has helped to educate the public about the many dangers and harms of abortion.
- Analysis by the Heritage Foundation shows how parental involvement laws are also relevant to the decline in teen sexual activity and resulting pregnancy and abortion.
Even though we are winning the battle, the war is far from over. Internationally, the annual numbers of abortions have declined from 46 million to 42 million between 1995 and 2003. The success of the decline in abortions includes the reasons cited above. But, it can also be directed to the Bush Administration’s ban on the use of U.S. dollars for international abortions. President George W. Bush’s strong stance on protecting life has been a detriment to abortion efforts around the world. We wish to thank him and his administration for standing firm in the wake of criticism and media rebuke.
In many ways, momentum is clearly on the side of life. We need to keep the momentum moving forward. Incremental gains over the years have added up to significant progress. All of our voices are needed in this fight for life. Please consider supporting us financially as we prepare to go to the United Nations conferences to continue our important pro-life work. Thank you.
Roe IQ
Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling, profoundly changed the United States. In spite of its dreadful impact, an accurate understanding of Roe and what it did remains relatively vague in the public consciousness. The Roe IQ Test measures current awareness of Roe and its effects, as well as providing detailed information about the ruling. It only takes a few minutes to complete the test. Your answers and results will remain confidential. We hope you will take the IQ Test and invite your friends to do the same.
Warmly,
Carol Soelberg,
President United Families International