The Liberal Case Against Abortion

Thirteen years BEFORE the legalization of abortion, Dr. Mary Calderon, the medical director of PLANNED PARENTHOOD, made the following admission in the July 1960 edition of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH: "90% of illegal abortions are being done by PHYSICIANS. Call them what you will, abortionists, or anything else, they are still physicians trained as such...They must do a pretty good job IF THE DEATH RATE is as LOW as it is... Abortion, whether therapeutic or ILLEGAL, is in the main NO LONGER DANGEROUS [in 1960!!] because it is being done WELL BY PHYSICIANS." Eleanor Cooney states in her review of this book that overturning Roe v. Wade will send "women back to the illegal abortionist," thus endangering their safety. However, this argument doesn't hold up when placed next to the preceding quote from Guerrilla Apologetics for Life Issues (another noteworthy book)

With science, history, and logic, the authors call liberals (and libertarians) to be consistent in their stand for human rights. We cannot, on the one hand, oppose the killing of young people in an unjust war while demanding the right to kill unborn children in abortion. In the past, pro-lifers have been dismissed as blinded by their religious agenda - but which is worse, a religious agenda or a purely political agenda? This cry for justice must be heard. Abortion has not brought freedom to women, on the contrary, it has brought only another form of oppression. It is time to make a consistent moral stand for the most basic of all human rights.

While Murti relies heavily on quoting from other authors, speakers, and historical figures, his organization of the material, and the sheer number of quotes that he has gathered, is both impressive and overwhelmingly compelling. I find myself appreciating that he did all of the work and research for me, compiling it into a quick read. His own assertions are honest and challenging to any reader: to pro-choice liberals, pro-life conservatives, pro-life activists who insist on using religion to essentially lose the debate, and to pro-life meat eaters like myself. Watch out--Murti makes some undeniable claims about the need to be consistent, and he has gotten me thinking! That is what any good book should do.

This is a truly unique and stunning work. Unlike a majority of pro-life material, it does not rely on any religious common ground between author and reader. Even more amazing is the fact that the author comes from a strong "left-wing" position, yet makes common sense arguments from that position in opposition of abortion. I would go so far as to say that Vasu's arguments are even stronger than those I have heard from pro-life Republicans - perhaps there is more reason for Democrats, Progressives, and the left to be anti-abortion than the right-wing conservative movement. I would not only reccomend this book to liberals, but to conservatives who could learn a thing or two about how to address the abortion issue with people who do not ascribe to the same "religious right" world view. In this vein, you might also want to consider Guerrilla Apologetics for Life Issues, as that book also uses non-religious arguments to address life issues (although it is not specifically a liberal book, as this one is).