Comment on MOREU Cartoon Christchurch Press 12th June

The following cartoon appeared in the Christchurch Press this morning

We challenge the Press and the author of this cartoon on a number of fronts.

Firstly the message depicted in the cartoon relies on the tired old war-cry that the feminists have always dragged out to justify state sanctioned abortion. The Royal Commission on Contraception Sterilisation and Abortion, prior to the introduction of the CS & A Act in 1977 found that, on average about one New Zealand woman per year died due to complications arising from back street abortions. The vast majority of these abortions were done by medical practitioners. Former prominent US abortionist Bernard Nathanson, now a Pro-Life worker, revealed in his book “Aborting America”, how he and his Pro-Abortion colleagues actively promoted lies masquerading as data by vastly over-exaggerating the number of US women who had died in back-street abortions. The aim being to influence public acceptance of the need for legal abortion in that country.

We ask if, given the facts presented above, this argument can be used to justify the death of nearly 380,000 unborn New Zealanders since 1977 and the terrible impact abortion has had on the lives of many of these women.

Secondly the cartoon suggests that there are only two “choices” both leading to death. Pro-choice (that of having “safe” State run abortion “clinics”), or no-choice (back alley abortions). There are two choices but these are the choice of life or the choice of death. A women who is pregnant can choose not to kill her unborn child, but to give him or her life. From which point there are many choices open to her, adoption being one for which thousands of couples are just waiting for a chance. In a world that is more and more divorcing consequences from actions, the unborn child has been one of the first victims.

Thirdly the cartoon is in effect in contempt of NZ Law. The High Court of this country has just made an important ruling regarding our Abortion Laws. Respect for the law is not apparent in the cartoon, which effectively mocks it.

Abortion is not a social necessity. It is a scourge on our land and one while its impact has already been devastating, the real cost to our nation is only just beginning to be felt. What we have sown, we shall reap.