In the week that followed our posting the news that Morgentaler was named to the Order of Canada, the Shameless blog has seen its share of commentary from anti-choice camps (comments we put in moderation while we discussed whether or not Shameless was the right place to be having these kinds of discussions,) and we’ve also seen a fair amount of anti-choice activity aiming to strip Morgentaler of the honor. We’ve seen letters to the editor printed in major newspapers, like this (“…they’re aborting purely for convenience…these women are callously using abortion as birth control.”) and this (“…the smug, self-serving, “progressive” political, legal, academic, and media elites, including the prime example at Rideau Hall — belong to some other world than the one from which they suck taxes…”)
Do a Google News search of Morgentaler’s name and post after post is letters to the editor of every major Canadian newspaper, each one a platform for anti-choice rhetoric and ranting about sin and murder. I am all for free speech and believe the abortion debate is an important one to have openly in our major publications, but where are the pro-choice sentiments and the fundamental belief in a woman’s right to control her own body?
I am now convinced that it is not that the anti-choice side of the debate is larger in number, it is that they are simply louder and more active in their criticism. Paul Russell at the National Post has written a small piece today regarding who was doing the largest share of letter-writing and commenting when the news hit:
The next day a handful of readers pointed out that all but one of the writers in the anti-Morgentaler camp were males, compared to six of the seven Morgentaler supporters being females.
Incidentally, I was among the handful of readers who sent Paul an email:
I’m very curious to understand why all of your commentary coverage of Morgentaler receiving the Order of Canada is skewed towards those who either believe he doesn’t deserve it, or that he mostly doesn’t deserve it, or that he sort-of doesn’t deserve it. I find it infuriating that you’ve refused to post the opinion of someone who believes this to be a most-deserved honor, and that you haven’t even managed to post the opinion of an individual in a position to ever need an abortion, i.e. a woman of child-bearing age.
It seems I was wrong in criticizing the National Post (I know, can you believe it?) Although I am not naive in assuming their coverage would be balanced, it seems that anti-choice opinions are higher in number and yes, mostly male. Russell neatly breaks down the numbers:
As of 4 p.m. last Friday, 163 e-mails and faxes have been received on the Morgentaler decision. Thirty-nine voice support for the Morgentaler’s Order of Canada, with the other 124 voicing various degrees of disgust with the honour… Interestingly, this dissenting group comprises 92 men and just 32 women. Conversely, of the 39 pro-Morgentaler letters, the 26 female contributors exactly double the 13 men.
I realize that this is a small sampling, but in a country that overwhelmingly favours a woman’s right to choose (49% believe abortion should be legal under ANY circumstances, while only 5% would outlaw abortion altogether, meaning everyone else falls in a “somewhere inbetween” that believes it should be legal - only 19% would would subject abortion to greater restrictions than now), it seems strange that the loudest voices are those in that small 5%.
On that note, I’d be remiss in not posting this message that’s been making the rounds. I feel it’s important that we let everyone know how we feel about Morgentaler’s honour, especially the very person who publicly honoured him:
The Governor General is getting a flood of mail and calls from anti-choice forces. Please tell her how much you appreciate the courageous decision by her and the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada to award Dr. Henry Morgentaler the Order of Canada. Here is the contact information:E-mail: info@gg.ca
Phone: 613-993-8200
Toll-free: 1-800-465-6890
Fax: 613-998-8760Mail: Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean
Governor General of Canada
Rideau Hall
1 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A1Thank you very much!
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five comments
I don't think it's strange that that 5% are loudest; those who support a status quo are often quiet, especially when they have (in this case, due to bullying propaganda) been exposed to the case against the status quo, perhaps have some sympathies to it...but dearly love their status quo.
This is especially so when it comes to civil liberties; civil liberties are always bloody nasty topics. No one is going to threaten your right to do nice things that everyone approves of - it's only if there's some circumstance involved that you'd rather not think about that something becomes a question of civil liberties, whether it's the right of terrorist mass-murder suspects to not be imprisoned without charge, the right for people to view extremely violent pornography, or play videogames you wish had never been made - or to abort a conception. It's a matter of civil rights because it is not an easy topic, so no wonder people who support that right wholeheartedly do not always feel able to stand up and say so.
I'm just a reader, but while I think abortion is worth discussing - not least to unlock its taboo status - imo the non-feminist naysayers are not entitled to use a feminist platform to have their say in the discussion, any more than I'm entitled to use a fundamentalist Christian website as a platform for a feminist pro-choice rant. (Pro-life feminists are a rarity, but I would be interested in their feminist point of view on abortion; but if you don't have a feminist point of view, why the heck would you want to talk about it on a feminist blog?)
Btw, have you read this before?
Posted by Thene
July 7, 2008, 6:44 PM
Awesome. Thank you for the information. I'll be emailing her now.
Posted by Catherine
July 8, 2008, 9:16 AM
ditto to what catherine said.
Posted by fireeyedgirl
July 8, 2008, 11:37 AM
I sent off a letter last week and now I've blogged about it. Let's hope the pro-choice letters and faxes start to amass.
Posted by C.K.
July 8, 2008, 11:59 AM
Just wrote an email. Thanks for the heads up.
Posted by duckie
July 9, 2008, 12:05 AM
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