Value in abortion film, says Abbott (leftist admits, "society will be sickened by it")

It would not hurt Australians to understand the "brutal business" of abortion by watching the abortion of a four-week-old foetus on television, the federal Health Minister, Tony Abbott, said yesterday.

The ABC's Compass program will show the graphic BBC documentary My Foetus on Sunday, August 8. The program caused enormous public debate when it was screened in Britain in April.

It shows an abortion procedure at four weeks of pregnancy using a "vacuum pump".

It also shows an inspection of a foetus aborted at seven weeks of pregnancy and images of 10-, 11- and 21-week aborted foetuses.

Mr Abbott - a public critic of abortion who described it as a "national tragedy" - said he could imagine many people would be troubled by the ABC's decision to broadcast My Foetus.

"But the fact is there are a lot of abortions taking place in Australia, up to 100,000 a year," Mr Abbott said. "It is an ugly business and it probably doesn't hurt for the Australian people to understand just what is going on in clinics all around Australia right now."

The Prime Minister, John Howard, said he had "some concern" about the ABC's decision to screen the program, but confessed he could see arguments for and against it.

"I'm not somebody who believes in too much censorship, but some people will find it disturbing and distressing; although others will argue that it presents, in a very disturbing and graphic way, what is involved in abortion."

The Labor Leader, Mark Latham, said he would not watch the program, as he would probably be sound asleep by the time it aired at 10.30pm that Sunday.

"I haven't got any interest in the subject matter," Mr Latham said. "I'm sure other Australians will make their own judgement about the particular program."

The president of the Australian Medical Association, Bill Glasson, said the program was "voyeurism at its worst".

"I really wonder what they're trying to achieve here ... the fact that we now have to see a baby being sucked out at the time of abortion achieves very little, so I would be very much against it," Dr Glasson said. "I think that society will be sickened by it."

A spokeswoman for the Communications Minister, Daryl Williams, said that programming was subject to the ABC's charter and guidelines.

Mr Latham said politicians should not "micro-manage" ABC programming but he hoped the ABC was abiding by its charter.

"It needs to act in the public interest. It is funded publicly. I would hope in this instance it is following its charter and all the appropriate guidelines," he said.

The Australian Family Association supported the ABC's decision to show the program.

"We think it is proper to show the documentary as part of the educative effect relating to abortion in Australia," its spokesman, Damien Tudehope, said. "It certainly has the potential to create enormous debate about the ethics of abortions."

A spokesman for the ABC said My Foetus met the national broadcaster's editorial policies and guidelines.

"The program considers both sides of the debate," the spokesman said. "Its broadcast will be in the public interest."

Dr Glasson said. "I think that society will be sickened by it."

Quite likely.

I don't need to see a film like this to know abortion is horrid. But I do think it should be required viewing for all women considering an abortion.

2 posted on 07/09/2004 10:15:48 AM PDT by MEGoody (Kerry - isn't that a girl's name? (Conan O'Brian))

I think all politicians who vote on the subject ought to be required to view it first.

3 posted on 07/09/2004 10:19:17 AM PDT by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Legislatures are so outdated. If you want real political victory, take your issue to court.)

I love the "censorship" comment. How will the Left handle THIS one? I mean, Mikey Moore and his cronies screamed censorship when Disney wouldn't distribute F9/11--I wonder how they will feel about this "freedom of speech" issue... I mean, they are obviously calling the people who want it on the air monsters or sick or disgusting, but that doesn't change the fact that they want them SILENCED....

Yes, when I read this yesterday, my opinion wasn't shock or disdain. I think it will only help the pro-life cause.

Gum

WANTED:

Christians to show up (in numbers) to pray at local abortion mills.
(Abortion will end in America when the church of Jesus Christ wants it to end).

7 posted on 07/09/2004 11:25:45 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)

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