I was asked by John Meacham of Newsweek, what I thought about John McCain and Sarah Palin's desire to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion. Here is my response.
If John McCain and Sarah Palin believe that human life begins at conception, then they should not only support overturning Roe, but contrary to their stated position, should oppose individual states having the right to permit abortion as well. Do they believe that states should have the right to permit citizens to execute defenseless children or old people at will? Given their stated beliefs, that would be no worse than abortion. In fact, it might be less objectionable because the unborn fetus is utterly without sin or guilt of any kind.
Consistency demands that McCain and Palin admit that as soon as Roe is overturned, they will look for legal means to assure that no abortion is ever permitted in this country for any reason. That's pretty scary to me. But having said that, I loathe the legal logic behind Roe and think it has done a great deal of harm.
Roe may have gotten us to a better place in many ways, but it enshrined a notion of privacy that is as morally empty as the alternative is coercive. By focusing on the notion that "it's my body and I'll cut if I want to", Roe turned this complex issue into a battleground about personal autonomy, and complex psychological issues that would be summarized by my kids as "you're not the boss of me". That may be less immediately upsetting than the McCain/Palin position, but it's not any healthier.
Years ago I participated in a public forum on this issue, which included a national leader from Planned Parenthood. She gave a powerful presentation about the right to choose. The problem for me was that I when I asked her if she had ever counseled a young women to keep the pregnancy/baby, she could not recall having ever given that advice! It wasn't about choice for her at all. It was about power - the need to demonstrate that each of us can do whatever we want. And that understanding of choice is as dangerous as the choicelessness which the pro-life community celebrates.
But most Americans know that these polarized positions are off. Whether they are correct or not, people in this nation have largely agreed on that one for years. Time and again, individuals tell pollsters that they are opposed to abortion but believe that women should have the right to choose whether or not to have one. And unlike the activists on both sides of this issue, they demonstrate a sensitivity and sophistication which is rarely seen on the cultural battlefield over which this issue is fought. The real issue is how the law could reflect the position of most Americans.
Most people in this country sense that abortion should not happen, that it is sad when it does, and that they wish there were far fewer of them --a rough re-statement of the Democratic Party's position on this issue and one with which I agree. But they do not regard abortions as murder. That is why they are not prepared to take away from women the right to make a bad, or at least undesirable, decision.
What we need are people who are willing to stop politicking this issue on either the left or the right. We need people who are willing to enact laws that reflect the collective wisdom of the American people, not the religious dogmas or the psychological dramas of small segments of the population.
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Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of 
Speaking for myself, abortion was a one time solution to a problem I didn't fully understand. I was raped at 13, and literally had NO ONE I could talk to. My teacher told me I was lying, and I knew my mom wouldn't handle it well. It makes me sad to think I'd have a 12 year old, but I couldn't have kept it, and I couldn't live knowing I had a child out there somewhere. Millions of women have been in my place. They understand. It's not a form of birth control, though.
Scott R.
This IS a Jewish blog and I never said otherwise. And it's a shame to see you go. But if you are looking for a rah-rah chorus which always confirms and affirms what you already believe, then you are probably correct about this not being the place for you.
I believe however, that deep down, you, like the Jewish position on abortion, are more nuanced than that. And so, I hope that you will stick around. Your presence is valued here and so is your voice. You may want to reconsider why you don't feel that. It can not be good for you, or anyone else, to limit the places they go to those that merely mirror the status quo. Where's the fun in that? And more importantly, where is the growth?
Alas, I am not sure how many people associte being Jewish with growing, but that's for another time....
Rabbi Brad:
Thank you so much for your refreshing insight and balance when you bring these issues to the table.
Doreen:
I agree with many of your points but please don't be so quick to judge "All the church people..." Since you don't know all the church people and haven't talked to all the church people, you really don't know what all the church people want to do. I, for one, do not want to push my views on others, nor do a whole lot of other people and many do support a great deal of these unwanted or unplanned children.
I think that we all could use some balance when we make reference to any issue and realize that there are people on both sides of the fence. I don't believe that abortion is the best way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy. I don't believe that the government should force women who have been raped to carry a baby that continues her traumatization. I do believe that many Americans have become very irresponsible and self-centered which has opened the door to many of our ills. Because we will not judge ourselves, we find ourselves being judged by others.
I think we can make our point without anger as the Bible states, "Come now,let us reason together..." If we refuse to reason with each other to come to a place of agreement, we will find ourselves cutoff from the very help that we need to live balanced and peaceful lives in this world.
sure abortion may be wrong, but youve got to take into consideration that there are many people who for one reason or other did not want any kids and guess what they got pregnant by accident. now what either adoption or abortion i pick the later, also unfortunately i see it all the time ,,you have some parents act like theyre not humans theyre animals once its born they fend for themselves against enemies and food and that is wrong it would of been better if they didnt have kids at all thats why kids commit crimes etc no proper upbringing. you may feel im wrong thats okay but you have kids you have responsibility to care for and teach them right from wrong no buts and there are some who dodges responsibility in raising kids.why is this happen lazy no just dont care no no responsibility yes.we need to teach young adults they are responsible for their actions including having a family which is sadly lacking in todays society.unfortunately im sorry to say im part of it.but im proud to be a godly man and unashamed to say so.also people should have a choice but its not always right in gods eyes.
I don't fully understand your position on the choice/power dynamic regarding the person from planned parenthood. I work in an industry defending a woman's rights across a wide spectrum including abortion. I have worked with a number of planned parenthood representatives who have not given me that impression. You are right that they have never advocated or stressed the position that a woman keep the child; but they have never advocated for the abortion either.
You are obviously unfamiliar with the empowerment model, which exists precisely to inform to the utmost degree and strengthen the personal understanding of the choice at hand. No respectable person in this position would ever advise a woman to have or not to have an abortion and such behavior is grounds for termination. It destroys everything the organization stands for - THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE.
Never-mind the practicality argument; there are more reasons for a woman's legal right to have this procedure done in a safe and supervised manner than there are stars in the sky - and yet many moderate and understanding people oppose this issue with vicious religious fervor. The most beautiful part is that nearly anyone could potentially be swayed one way or the other under the appropriate circumstances. We must be careful when holding on to our personal beliefs because we may find one day that we are destroying one life to save another.
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