A recent Gallup Poll indicates that more people call themselves "pro-life" than "pro-choice." Should abortion rights activists be concerned?A Gallup Poll released Friday found that 51 percent of Americans now call themselves pro-life rather than pro-choice on the issue of abortion, the first time a majority gave that answer in the 15 years that Gallup has asked the question.Do we really want to return to a time when abortion was illegal? Do we want women dying from botched back-alley abortions? We know that women facing and unplanned, unwanted pregnancy will seek an abortion.
The findings, obtained in an annual survey on values and beliefs conducted May 7-10, marked a significant shift from a year ago. A year ago, 50 percent said they were pro-choice and 44 percent pro-life _ in the new poll, 42 percent said they were pro-choice.
The new survey showed that Americans remained deeply divided on the legality of abortion _ with 23 percent saying it should be illegal in all circumstances, 22 percent saying it should be legal under any circumstances, and 53 percent saying it should be legal only under certain circumstances.
The findings echoed a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center, which reported a sharp decline since last August in those saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases _ from 54 percent to 46 percent.
Taken together, the two polls have elated anti-abortion activists, who had been stung by the November election results that placed President Barack Obama and other abortion-rights supporters in power in Washington.
Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards questioned the terminology in the Gallup questions, and had this to say:
"The terms pro-choice and pro-life no longer define the parameters of the debate, witnessed by the fact that in the Gallup Poll, a majority of people say they are both pro-life and that abortion should be legal," Richards said.And what does this say about the women's movement?
She added that most Americans share Obama's stated goal of reducing the number of unintended pregnancies.
Planned Parenthood also noted that another recent national survey, a CNN/Opinion Research Corp., poll in April, reported 49 percent of respondents identifying as pro-choice and 45 percent as pro-life.
In the new poll, men identify as pro-life, 54 percent to 39 percent, while women also tilt pro-life 49 percent to 44 percent. A year ago, Gallup found more women calling themselves pro-choice than pro-life, by 50 percent to 43 percent, while men were more closely divided: 49 percent pro-choice, 46 percent pro-life.Are we doing enough to educate young women about what it was like BEFORE Roe v. Wade?
You will find the polling data here. Take a look and let me know what you think.
3 comments:
I saw that on the news. Very scary. I hope that you are correct, and it is merely the question was phrased. I looked at the poll data, an it looks like more men than women changed, but still the change was across the board.
(In your link, you need to take the "poll:" out of the beginning or the link won't work.)
Thanks, Dr. Zaius, I fixed the link.
BAC
I think it is very tricky. I looked into the more detailed info on the Gallup Poll and it is interesting to see that the change occurred mainly in the Republicans and Republican-leaning Independents (+10 pts.) - Democrats and others stayed the same. Also, the change occurred abruptlly after the Republicans got out of power. Maybe it is driven more by a sense of powerlessness on their part ("OMG, the Democrats are in, they might force everyone to have abortions!") rather than a real shift of attitude. Basically what it looks like to me is a hardening of the core GOP supporters into a stronger position than they may have had before on this subject, not a shift of "American" attitudes overall.
Post a Comment