Women's Groups Urge CBS To Pull Super Bowl Abortion Ad

[Just_A_Guy]

Groups who claim to want to make abortion "safe, legal, and rare" are really shooting themselves in the foot here.

[pam]

All I can say after reading this is: Waaaaaaaaaa

[Dravin]

"It (the ad) uses one family's story to dictate morality to the American public, and encourages young women to disregard medical advice, putting their lives at risk," said the letter sent to CBS by the Women's Media Center.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means. Unless of course she means speaking aloud, and in that case I just gotta say, it's easier to tell a story in 30 seconds than read one in a commercial.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Dravin

[RachelleDrew]

It's an advertisement. If you don't like it, change the channel. If anyone is "enforcing morality" it's the Women's Media Center by requesting that the ad FOF paid fair and square for be removed. It's called capitalism, or do they have an objection to that too?

I'm very liberal regarding the abortion argument, but this is just stupid.

[Wingnut]

Unfortunately for Focus on the Family, I think they've wasted their money. Anti-abortion campaigns need to be directly primarily at women. While it's stereotypical to assume that only men watch the Super Bowl, it's not unrealistic to say that the majority of its viewers are male.

[dazed-and-confused]

i think that i might have to disagree with wingnut.

men can and are influential in these matters concerning their wife, girlfriend(s) and their own potential parenthood.

and they are also confused with soirtual and personal aspects of it, just like women.

but without doubt...it is a womans body, and her choice.

[dazed-and-confused]

i meant to say spiritual and personal aspects

[pam]

I would have to disagree somewhat.

1. The superbowl is one of THE biggest watched programs during the year therefore you are exposing yourself to a wider range of viewers by numbers.

2. I think there is more women that watch the game as is given credit for. While it's always been thought of as a "mans sport", there are many many women who watch it as well.

3. You are hitting the men in using a Heisman Trophy winning college player as an example.

4. While it would be a woman's choice in what she chooses to do, it also brings more awareness to the men in that woman's life as to the decision making. While I would agree that it ultimately is the woman's choice, I believe the father of that baby should have the right to make his thoughts and opinions known as well. They can be very influential in the decisions that are made.

I disagree that it should be directed primarily at women.

[bytebear]

They aren't just using the Super Bowl because it will give them the biggest audience, but it will give them the biggest exposure in the media. It already has. Look at us, talking about it here. And it will be run and rerun and discussed long after the game is played.

[john doe]

Yeah, the strategy of shutting them down by protesting the ad is backfiring and bringing more people into that discussion than if the groups had merely said nothing. The abortion campaign is backfiring.

[annamaureen]

If anyone is "enforcing morality" it's the Women's Media Center by requesting that the ad FOF paid fair and square for be removed.

Agreed. They're just "enforcing" their own form of morality.

[talisyn]

Hypocrites, seriously. I thought the whole idea of 'pro-choice' is that there is a choice?

[ADoyle90815]

I'm pro choice, and by that, I mean that women can chose to have an abortion, or she can chose to carry to term. Even though men might try to influence what is done, in the end, the woman has control over her body. Sometimes that means that men are going to be fathers even if they would have preferred her to end the pregnancy.

[ColorMEreal]

Tiny Refugees

They come into this world

As tiny refugees

From a place where truth is timeless.

Each is a spirit son or daughter of God.

Their tiny souls

Hold tiny hearts that beat!

They’re not made of rubber.

They feel

And they bleed!

Each has a spirit

With very real needs.

They start out on life’s journey

As the most defenseless among us.

Each has a voice

Though not fully developed.

They each come to earth

With infinite possibilities.

Each with their very own wish:

Life.

By J. Ann Tibbetts

Jenny Ann Tibbetts

[bytor2112]

I'm pro choice, and by that, I mean that women can chose to have an abortion, or she can chose to carry to term. Even though men might try to influence what is done, in the end, the woman has control over her body. Sometimes that means that men are going to be fathers even if they would have preferred her to end the pregnancy.

Or they are going to not be a Father without any say so in the matter or they are gonna pay for it for the next 18 years....blah, blah, blah.

[bytor2112]

There needs to be a pre-sex contract....kind of like a pre-nuptial contract, outlining the rights of the two parties should the act lead to fertilization and later be determined that there is actually a human being formed in the woman's tummy.

Examples:

1. Should pregnancy result, woman must agree to carry child to term and if the child is not wanted the man should have the option of adoption.

2. Should pregnancy result, the man is obligated to pay x amount of dollars until the child is 18 if there is no marriage agreement.

I think you get the idea.....then there really would be freedom to choose for both parties. Consequences and responsibilities agreed upon right upfront. Then we don't have to pretend that this really about "choice".

Edited January 29, 2010 by bytor2112

[Guest Godless]

Focus on the Family has First Amendment right to free speech just like everyone else, and in this case they've spent a lot of generously donated money to exercise that right. If you don't like it, then tough luck. Just shut up and watch some doggone football.

[Faded]

Of course they should pull the ad! It's a violation of the invisible ink fine print in the Constitution:

First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press * ...

*[invisible Ink Fine Print: UNLESS it's politically incorrect, in which case freedom of speech is just plain out of the question. Political Correctness shall be enforced no matter what and nobody get's to voice any opinions to the contrary.]

[annamaureen]

Or they are going to not be a Father without any say so in the matter or they are gonna pay for it for the next 18 years....blah, blah, blah.

That's kind of what I thought. If she wants an abortion, it's "It's my body, my choice, your feelings don't matter! You don't get to be a father." If she wants to keep it, it's "You have to man up and be the father and pay child support! You have no say! "

[ColorMEreal]

It's amazing how many pro-choice individuals their are out there who have never woke up at the age of 16 to find themselves pregnant and scared. But yet they're so sure about such a decision. Well, this was my plot many years ago. I found myself 16 and pregnant. I was raised to pray over any important decesion your about to make, so I did. I pondered over the options, prayerfully and carefully. It was always an "Eternal" question for me, not "an immediate fix" question...After praying about it, God made it over whelmingly clear in my heart that an abortion would be wrong and that the Spirit growing inside of me very much wanted to live. Shortly after I came to this realization I choose adoption. This decision never haunted me nor did it ever emotionally traumatize me. Abortion however does. It's a haunting decision that never leaves you. Every time I run into a woman who has had this de-humanizing procedure, their is always a haunting look in their eyes when they tell their story. I've never run into a woman yet, who has not regretted having an abortion. It turned out to be one of the most painful, emotionally traumatizing experiences of their life.

Abortion also scars your insides. Many women are totally unable to carry a baby in the womb again. The pro-life people never tell women this as part of their counseling before hand...

If that commercial that aires brings to light more of the truth, then I am all for it.

[ColorMEreal]

Excuse me, I meant pro-choice in the line I wrote below..

The pro-life people never tell women this as part of their counseling before hand...

[Elphaba]

It's amazing how many pro-choice individuals their are out there who have never woke up at the age of 16 to find themselves pregnant and scared.

Does 14 and terrified count?

　

Additionally, what evidence do you have that women (“individuals” include men, and thus, it doesn’t apply) who are pro-choice never found themselves pregnant at the age of 16 that is not anecdotal?

　

But yet they're so sure about such a decision.

Yes, I am.

　

Well, this was my plot many years ago. I found myself 16 and pregnant. . . . This decision never haunted me nor did it ever emotionally traumatize me.

I can’t think of any reason to be against giving an unwanted child up for adoption;; however, it would be wrong for you to assume that just because it didn’t traumatize you, it doesn’t have the potential to be traumatizing. It does. I know, anecdotally, of two women whose lives have been hell because they gave up their babies for adoption. Neither of them thinks they did the wrong thing, nor does either of them believe adoption is wrong in practice, but it has been a life-long ordeal for them, and “haunted” describes them perfectly. The fact that it wasn’t your experience with adoption doesn’t mean it isn’t anyone’s.

　

Abortion however does.

Yes, it does, for some, and no, it doesn’t, for others.

It's a haunting decision that never leaves you.

Again, yes, for some, and no for others.

Every time I run into a woman who has had this de-humanizing procedure, their is always a haunting look in their eyes when they tell their story. I've never run into a woman yet, who has not regretted having an abortion. It turned out to be one of the most painful, emotionally traumatizing experiences of their life.

Well, you’ve now met a woman who does not regret having an abortion, whose procedure was not dehumanizing, nor was it the most painful, emotionally traumatizing experience in my life. It did not traumatize me at all; in fact, the only thing I feel about it is great sadness for the reason I had the abortion, and great gratitude that an adult was willing to help me get it where it was medically safe, because this was before abortion was legal and I was terrified without a clue as to what to do. If that person hadn’t been there for me at that moment, it does traumatize me, knowing what would have otherwise happened.

　

So, no, not every woman who has an abortion is traumatized by it.

　

Abortion also scars your insides. Many women are totally unable to carry a baby in the womb again. The pro-life people never tell women this as part of their counseling before hand…

Good for the pro-life people, because that is nonsense. In fact, if your concern is really about ruined wombs, then you should hope abortion remains legal, because desperate women will continue to get abortions, whether it‘s legal or not. That’s never going to change, and many of those women, especially the poor, will go to the “back alleys,” and some of them will die because of it.

　

Does that mean an abortion never causes a woman to become infertile? Of course it does, but not because of the procedure itself. If it happens, it is due to an unseen infection, a doctor’s incompetence, an accident, an underlying physical phenomenon that was already present, or some other anomaly. It is not because of the abortion procedure itself, which is safer than a D&C, a gynecological procedure performed every day on non-pregnant women.

　

Elphaba

[FunkyTown]

Hahah. I love James Dobson, who created Focus on Family. He is forthright, intelligent and direct.

I'm just waiting for the inevitable 'Shadowy Government' argument people are going to start as the commercial gets closer to airing because he's part of the Council on National Policy.

[boyando]

Unfortunately for Focus on the Family, I think they've wasted their money. Anti-abortion campaigns need to be directly primarily at women. While it's stereotypical to assume that only men watch the Super Bowl, it's not unrealistic to say that the majority of its viewers are male.

Not in my household. In the past, the Women have watched the commercials and the men have watched the football and ever the two shall meet, around the salsa.

To bad I gave up on the NFL

[pam]

Sarah Palin speaks out on this:

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