I remember following the abortion issue in the early 70s. In Catholic schools in upstate New York we wrote letters decrying our Republican governor’s support of and signing into law one of the most permissive bits of abortion legislation in the US. Later I learned a certain California governor or later greater fame and high office did the same in his state.
In just ten years, the political climate on abortion sure shifted. It was never clear to me that individually, Republicans were all that excited about the pro-life cause. They certainly didn’t step to the plate, even when initiatives could have lowered abortion rates. Forget about the times when the government was actually at the switch–capital punishment, and making senseless wart in SW Asia. Forget about the times when some prominent anti-abortion politician (or minister) would urge a mistress or victim to get an abortion.
I never quite tune in the outrage over the occasional politician who said, “personally opposed, but politically pro-choice.: It seemed a lot of conservatives were politically opposed, but personally in favor of the procedure.
So Republican politicians who lobbied to decriminalize abortion fifty to sixty years ago got it their way in 1973. And now they get it their way again in 2022. Any questions?
Catholic Sensibility 