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Faith & Cultureby Rod D. Martin
November 12, 2003
It’s been a bad year for Faye Wattleton. And she has her own extremism to thank for it.
On November 5, President Bush signed into law what Bill Clinton had vetoed repeatedly — a ban on partial-birth abortion. It had no trouble passing both houses of Congress, no threatened Democrat filibusters: in fact, even Clinton’s vetoes had been sustained by the barest of margins.
Why? Because the shrillness of its supporters notwithstanding, partial-birth abortion is something only the fringe of the fringe could love. In this “medical” procedure, a doctor pulls the live baby feet first out of the womb, punctures its skull with scissors, inserts a hollow tube into the wound, and then sucks out the baby’s brain. Not just any baby either: a nine-month baby, a baby that feels everything the “doctor” does.
Even the pro-abortion American Medical Association has called this “barbaric”. And, not surprisingly, Americans overwhelmingly oppose this detestable violation of the Hippocratic Oath.
But for rabid pro-abortionists — who continue to defend partial-birth as a vital “women’s right” — the ban is far from the worst of the story.
In June, Wattleton, the former Planned Parenthood president, found herself in the distinctly uncomfortable position of announcing a real shocker: the new pro-life majority among women.
Mark Stricherz details this 140-page report on women’s opinions in the August 4-11 issue of The Weekly Standard. Princeton Survey Research Associates conducted the study on behalf of the Center for the Advancement of Women, a feminist group led by Wattleton.
The study shows a dramatic erosion of everything Wattleton has ever worked for. As she bemoans in the introduction, “there is significant and growing support for severe restrictions on abortion rights.”
Of the 3,329 women surveyed, 51% would ban abortion altogether or limit it to cases of rape, incest, or the endangering of the mother’s life. Another 17% still want abortion available, but with significant restrictions.
Translation: In ever-increasing numbers, women want a pro-life America.
And it doesn’t stop there. The study divided women into six groups, ranging from traditionalists on the right to radical feminists on the left. As expected, the traditionalists were pro-life and the “advocates” pro-abortion. The big surprise was in the vast middle, where soccer moms dwell, and where elections are decided. Fully 42% wanted to ban abortion or limit it to two or three exceptions, while 23%, while opposing a ban, still wanted more restrictions. Only 35% of these “family-plus-feminism” women backed unrestricted abortion.
Make no mistake about it. These are stunning results. And coupled with the partial-birth abortion ban – the first major pro-life victory since the infamous Roe ruling — the political implications are staggering.
But the crucial point is this: neither the results of the study nor the ban would have been possible without the partial-birth abortion fight.
For years, many pro-lifers have demanded an all-or-nothing solution. They opposed the partial-birth fight — the ban, admittedly, will “only” save a couple thousand lives a year — and anything else short of total victory.
But this approach was (and is) fatally flawed. It forced activists into an impossible position — how do you “force” the Supreme Court to do anything? — dispiriting the faithful and suppressing their numbers. In frustration, it also produced its own form of extremism, exemplified by Paul Hill, executed this September for murdering an abortionist.
And most importantly, it put the cart before the horse. It prodded politicians to vote on an issue on which the public remained ignorant and opposed. Polls consistently showed Americans were grossly ill-informed about fetal development and even about Roe itself. They accepted two key myths: that until many months into a pregnancy, the unborn child was just a “blob,” and that once it ceased being a “blob,” aborting it became illegal. Had a referendum been possible, pro-lifers would have lost.
Yet by calmly focusing on partial-birth abortion — by forcing pro-abortionists to defend something indefensible to virtually everyone — pro-life incrementalists have demonstrated the lie of these broader pro-abortion myths. In doing so, they have persuaded the public, swelled their ranks and even crossed partisan and religious lines. And they are only just beginning.
Message to the Republican Party? Your strategists were all wet. Fire them. Half of America’s women want abortion banned. So stop ducking the issue. Become America’s pro-life party again.
Message to liberal Democrats? Be afraid. Be very afraid. When it comes to abortion, the handwriting is on the wall. Ignore at your peril.
Message to pro-life movement? Incrementalism works. It’s changing hearts and minds, especially those of young people. Keep at it. And most important, get out the pro-life vote next year.
Rod is one of our nation’s leading minds. He’s smart, original, and very committed—a combination that one rarely finds.
Rod Martin and [former Howard Dean campaign manager] Joe Trippi are America’s two foremost experts on online politics.
Rod Martin is a Reaganite-Thatcherite conservative…[and] a man who has spent much of his life ministering to and working for the benefit of others. I know Rod as an advocate for freedom, a leader who understands the real changes we need in Washington, and who has the drive and ability to make those changes happen.
Rod Martin is the kind of dynamic leader who has the knowledge, ability and experience to lead us successfully into the 21st Century. His vision for America is compelling.
Rod Martin literally wrote the book on excellence. Humble yet brilliant, a man of love and compassion, with penetrating clarity he illuminates the world around us, and we are both stirred and enlightened.
Rod Martin is a born leader and an outstanding political mind. Anyone who takes him on is going to have a serious fight on their hands.
Rod Martin is a man of uncommon vision and character. Ever since I first worked alongside Rod in the early days of PayPal, I’ve been struck by his powerful vision for the future. Rod understands the intersection of technology, politics and culture in a way that few others do.
Rod Martin wears with uncommon grace an uncanny ability to link his vigorous faith to the practical challenges of both the business world and the political arena. Yet the respect he shows for others carries a warmth and modesty that are both too rare among those who are strong advocates of feisty positions.
America badly needs more leaders who really get the future. We need more Rod Martins.
Rod Martin is a modern day philosopher-statesman. He is a capitalist intellectual, a conservative iconoclast, a gentle adversary and a kind prophet. He inspires us towards a fresh national vision built upon the original founding principles.
Rod Martin is not only effective and efficient, but he is also perceptive, wise and gracious. He gets things done. He is a great friend and a great ally.
Rod is one of the sharpest, most gracious men I know, and one of the most gifted political thinkers today. His ability to analyze issues and communicate thoughtful insights on them have earned him the respect of people across the political spectrum.
I am proud to have been Rod Martin’s friend for a quarter century, and I can tell you that he is one of the finest men and most outstanding leaders in our church and in our country today. He has a knack for turning everything he touches to success.
Rod Martin is a cornucopian entrepreneur and eutropic thinker whose influence radiates through an array of companies, institutions, movements and churches. A renaissance American, he is also a prolific friend of freedom and faith around the globe.
If Rod Martin represents the next generation of leaders, America has nothing to worry about.
A leader and a servant, in public life and in private, Rod Martin strides at the top of his profession, and has nowhere to go but up. He is in the truest sense of the word ‘outstanding’.
Rod Martin is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished thought leaders today. He is a wonderful mentor, a humble role model, and a deep inspiration for the next generation of scientific innovators and entrepreneurs.
Rod’s achievements pale beside his character and his brilliance. He sees what others can’t. He leads when others won’t.
Rod Martin is one of America’s finest young minds.