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Older: Abortion in America: Framing the Conversation
Under the banner philosophy and science there is greater latitude to have an honest conversation about when ‘life’ actually begins and how to apply this definition in a society of many faiths and of those who subscribe to none.
Newer: Photo Free-write: “A Reflection”
PHOTO BACKGROUND: This is a portrait of Mapathe. An acquaintance of mine. He is a Senegalese muslim. During my session with him I found a certain …
Abortion in America: Steering The Conversation
PHOTO CUTLINE: As t-shirt hawkers promote their pro-Obama apparel reflecting the presidential candidate’s message of hope at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO, pro-life protesters employ an effigy of Obama in a very different way.
PHOTO BACKROUND: I took this photo while covering the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, CO. Aside from the main convention activities there was plenty to photograph on the streets of Denver. The t-shirt vendor and anti-abortion protester were both outside the main convention facility.
COMMENTARY:
Last Friday, June 5, President Obama appointed Alexia Kelley, co-founder of Catholics in Alliance for he Common Good (CACG), as Director of Faith-based and Community Partnerships at the Department of Human Services. The move is in line with President Obama’s diplomatic temperament and philosophical approach to hot button issues. As pro-life advocates go Kelley is decidedly middle of the road. The fact that she formerly served as the head of explicitly anti-abortion organizations has generated a fair amount of criticism from hard-line pro-choice Obama supporters. At the same time her embrace of “abortion reduction” as a holistic way to resolving the cultural and political war over the issue is drawing fire from staunch pro-life advocates. Abortion reduction essentially posits that pro-life advocates can best address their concerns about increasing abortion rates by addressing related issues like poverty that seem to be key drivers. The reduction approach is anathema to those who oppose abortion purely on moral grounds and seek to win a broader cultural victory by codifying a federal ban on the practice base on that premise alone.
By appointing Kelley as Director of Faith-based and Community Partnerships at HHS President Obama is sending a clear message that he intends on moving right down the middle in his response to the abortion issue. The middle, in this case, is probably the most dangerous place be to since he runs the risk of alienating a significant portion of his pro-choice base while entrenching hardliners in the pro-life camp. It is perhaps exactly what he should be doing however.
Building on my last post about framing the conversation around abortion, I believe the president is setting the stage for a broader conversation not just about abortion, but also how it relates to and is influenced by other social issues like poverty, education and equitable access to health care. A quick perusal of the CAGC’s web site illustrates how broad the organization’s agenda is. Headlining the site’s front page is a large link to a page advocating direct action in the pursuit of health care reform. Below you will find links to campaigns advocating worker’s rights, poverty reduction, ‘moral economics’ and more aid for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. By tapping into to talent from an organization with such a broad based response to American issues the President has clearly chosen someone who can not only steer the conversation about abortion towards greater dialog, but has the organizing experience to present tangible responses that may yield results.
Indeed this nation is in need of more moderate voice to cut through the cacophony of vitriol and crosstalk and create real dialog based on sound ideas and tangible data. According to the CACG’s 2008 report Reducing Abortion in America: The Effect of Socioeconomic Factors economic factors weigh heavily in a woman’s decision to proceed with or terminate a pregnancy. To further this position the reports presents evidence suggesting a correlation between cycles of economic expansion and contraction and corresponding increases and decrease in abortion rates across the nation. The report states:
“…that a two standard deviation increase in economic assistance to low-income families is correlated with a 20% lower abortion rate in the 1990s. Across the entire United States, this translates into roughly 200,000 fewer abortions. Further, higher male employment in the 1990s was associated with a 21% lower abortion rate; and lower poverty rates were correlated with 10% reduction in the abortion rate.”
It goes on to conclude that:
“Elected officials can utilize effective and appropriate socioeconomic public policies to reduce abortions. These include: promoting policies that increase male employment; lower the poverty rate; provide funding for child care for working women; and increase economic assistance to low-income families. Legislation aimed at these goals can effectively reduce abortion in America.”
In the end a re-framing of the larger philosophical conversation about abortion will have to be preceded by a gradual steering towards rational ideas and practical responses. Finally, perhaps, this process has begun.