I graduated from grade school in 1973, coinciding with the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision, which was to unleash unrestrained abortion across the United States. While I knew that abortion was horrific, I did not fully understand the significance of that decision; abortion was already legal in my native New York, lauded by some on talk shows, and overlooked in many pulpits.
“Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree”
In one of 1973’s pop hits, “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” by Tony Orlando and Dawn, some wise people may have felt a promise to pre-born babies that they would not be forgotten. Tying the yellow ribbon meant keeping a permanent place in the heart reserved for a loved one. I pray that the anticipated reversal of Roe v. Wade will start to fulfill that promise.
“Show Me the Way”
Following the example of a high school buddy, I would sometimes participate in a pro-life witness outside a local abortuary. Being actively against abortion did not seem to be a popular position among adult staff at our Catholic high school. (In fact, it was even worse at my Catholic college.) When a local pro-life leader came to speak at our high school, I recall him being treated rudely.
In 1976, James Buckley was trying to maintain his U.S. Senate seat against a challenge by Ambassador Daniel Patrick Moynihan. While both were practicing Catholics, only Buckley was identifiably pro-life. One of the religious brothers from our school told my buddy that he was voting for Moynihan because Moynihan’s positions were supposedly better for economically impoverished people. Somehow, I do not recall the brother’s “calculus” ever being explained.
Is it any wonder that Catholic lay people did not take the horrendous crime against humanity, abortion, with sufficient seriousness when Catholic leaders had dismissive attitudes about abortion?
“Staying Alive”
My teen years were in the 1970s Brooklyn of Tom Seghini’s “Borough of Churches” and the film “Saturday Night Fever” (No, I never owned a white suit or mastered disco dancing.). In the latter, the brother of John Travolta’s character was leaving the Catholic priesthood.
Catholics desperately needed the guidance of their clergy in the post Roe v Wade years. Yet in the ten years after Vatican II (1965–1975), ten thousand men across the world left the Catholic priesthood, allegedly because of mandatory celibacy – to which they had committed themselves at ordination.
Though he would object to partial birth abortion late in his Senatorial career (1976 – 2001), Daniel Patrick Moynihan would claim to be personally pro-life but most often vote in a pro-abortion manner (cf,, Pro Life Action League, 2003).
The odd and contradictory idea that you could personally oppose abortion but still vote for it was claimed by others, including Senator Joe Biden of Delaware. The idea probably became most entrenched because of Jesuit priest, Robert Drinan, who was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1971–1981) and consistently voted in a pro-abortion manner.
With Father Drinan and other pro-abortion Catholics going uncorrected and undisciplined by Church authority, the 1970s may have been an even more confusing time for Catholics than our own. Father Drinan remained in Congress until early in the pontificate of Pope St. John Paul II, who ordered him to leave politics.
“Livin’ Thing”
In the 1976 presidential election – the first following the Roe v Wade decision – much was made of former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter’s avowed Christian faith. Yet the leadership of America’s Catholic bishops was rightfully more comfortable with President Gerald Ford’s position on protection for pre-born humans than Carter’s pro-abortion position (cf, Associated Press, 9/10/76).
In 1977, I attended my first March for Life in Washington, DC. As I was leaving the mall that day, I recall thinking that it would likely not be long until pro-life Americans gave up on abortion. Thank God I was wrong! We must hold strong to pro-life convictions on other topics such as the determination of death and end of life care.
“Don’t Worry, Be Happy”; Macarena; “What a Girl Wants”; “Happy”
Despite the early pontificate of Pope Saint John Paul II, the national prominence of John Cardinal O’Connor, and the growth of EWTN, numerous Catholics preferred not to worry too much about abortion in the 1980s and to just pursue a false happiness.
The most popular tunes of the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s were odes to hedonism, to which people could dance without even knowing the words. Most Catholics were oblivious to abortion as a heinous crime against humanity.
‘‘Time to Say Good-Bye’’
I thank God that I have lived long enough to be a grandparent and to see the likely end of Roe v Wade. I am praying that the Court holds fast to its intent to throw this unjust decision into the dustbin of history. The justices will need our prayers!
14 thoughts on “Time to Say Goodbye to Roe”
Great article with some interesting popular historical facts, thanks for the reminders.
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While there were some “Catholics” who supported abortion early on, it seems to me that the vast majority of priests and bishops were simply MUTE. Their silence spoke volumes, however. And it seems to me that our current clergy is no different. “Not to speak is to speak.”
Leonard, i believe that you are tragically right about that silence.
Guy,
Thanks for your obvious passion for the sanctity of human life.
Joe
“pro-life people are suspected of being insincere, and are more motivated by loyalty to the Republican Part or culture war values”
Ah, the old “pro lifers are all hypocrites” argument. I am not offended by your questions, but they reveal you have actually met very few of us.
I am proud to be considered among the “pro life people.” I am NOT a registered Republican NOR am I an advocate of the death penalty for anyone. I absolutely believe that society has a duty and a vested interest in supporting marriage/families.
Problems cannot be addressed by getting rid of the victims.
So — am I correct in that you really haven’t thought about these issues? If I’m wrong, and if you have in fact considered them, tell me your thoughts.
Captain, I already responded. Thank you.
No you have not responded. The truth is, you haven’t thought even superficially about the issues I posed, issues which will suddenly become relevant and sometimes life or death matters the minute Roe is overruled.
Pro-lifers have had decades to think about these things. By now there should have been a “Model Pro-Life Code” worked out, to be put in place (or at least proposed) in states which will outlaw abortion. But no.
Captain, while I will not allow myself to be baited, you may have missed my comment: “Problems cannot be addressed by getting rid of the victims.”
You have not responded. I’m afraid my point has been made and this will be the end of the conversation.
One reason pro-life people are suspected of being insincere, and are more motivated by loyalty to the Republican Part or culture war values than by actual concern for the unborn child, is that up until now they have not been playing with real bullets. They’ve been able to jump up and down and shout without any real world consequences.
That will soon change, and pro-lifers are unprepared for the real world.
What should abortion penalties be?
If it’s really “murder”, shouldn’t there be capital punishment?
What if a woman, unable to get a (legal) abortion, acts in such a way so that the fetus is aborted? Will late miscarriages be presumed to be “innocent” or “guilty”? What about the tragic situation of late fetal unviability? Will doctors, afraid of being prosecuted, allow women to die a horrible death so that she can deliver a stillborn fetus?
Some states will outlaw abortion and some won’t. What if a women goes out of state to get an abortion? Will she be prosecuted in her home state? (It’s not debatable that the home state would have jurisdiction.)
Will there be real attempts to reduce the incidence of women seeking illegal abortions? Will there be improvements to the social safety net? Will there be better access for low income women to prenatal and postnatal care? Will you support paid family leave (like every other advanced democracy has)? National health insurance?
Bring these questions up with pro-lifers and they get offended, as if the questions are somehow unfair. But folks, this will be real life very soon and you are not prepared for it. The result will be an inhuman, confusing, disaster, and as usual liberals be left to pick up the pieces to the extent they’re allowed to.
Capt C, Thanks primarily to the Party of Death democrats, I make this reply to everything you have said: over 63,000,000 murdered babies in the USA since Roe. You talk about “real life”- this was and is REAL DEATH. No situation, no circumstances – nothing you talk about- can change the fact that getting an abortion or facilitating one is intrinsically evil – always was, always will be. And then there are the over 200,000,000 murdered little girls, worldwide, killed because their mamas found out they were girls while they were still living inside them. Nothing you say Capt changes this. Nothing you say matters in the face of these intrinsic evils – unless of course you reject this teaching of Holy Mother Church. And nothing to which you refer changes the racist eugenic abortion policies of the democrats: of the 63,000,000 murdered, about 40% are minority babies, while their mamas account for only about 15% of the crimes with 70% of its enforcement arm’s, Planned Parenthood, business locations in or near minority neighborhoods. Capt C, you sound like a proponent of lauding trains on time while millions are being killed, every day. Can you not smell the demonic stench coming from the abortion businesses? from the Party of Death? Nothing you say has a fragrance that can overcome or mask the deathly smell. Guy, Texas
@ CaptCrisis, King of the Canards. Never saw so many in one short response to an article. My goodness.