Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: AFA-Michigan
About six months ago, I searched old LA Times articles from the 1960s about the legislation Reagan signed. Below are my notes, and some quotes. (somewhat plagiarized--so credit to LAT)
In 1967, a democrat state lawmaker (Beilenson) pushed to liberalize the laws for just three reasons: to allow abortion in the case of rape, incest, or where the baby might be deformed. ...

Governor Ronald Reagan's first response was "Here's an emotional problem that has so many facets of consideration. It is not only spiritual, but also legal... when does life begin? What right does the unborn life have? What legal right? I'm not prepared to answer now."

In subsequent statements, Reagan took great exception to the portion of the law addressing the possibilty of deformity. "I am satisfied in my own mind we can morally and logically justify liberalized abortions to protect the health of a mother. I cannot justify the taking of an unborn life simply on the supposition that the baby may be born less than a perfect human being... [this kind of thing] wouldn't be much different from what Hitler tried to do."

The deformity provision was dropped shortly thereafter. The final statute permitted abortions in the case of forcible rape, incest, statutory rape if the victim was under 15 years old or if there was a "substantial risk" that continued pregnancy would "gravely impair" the "physical or mental health" of the mother.

Several months before Reagan signed the final bill, Colorado passed similar legislation (thus, California was not "the first" as some have asserted.)


12 posted on 12/21/2007 1:11:31 PM PST by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: calcowgirl

This Reagan as pro choice attack by Romney’s people has resurfaced here as recently as a few days ago.


14 posted on 12/21/2007 1:21:52 PM PST by ansel12
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies ]

To: calcowgirl; ElkGroveDan

Hey! Rollins was Ross Peeerots “crazy ain’t in da basemint,” too!!! (talk about sabotoge that gave us the Clintons)(ew! That almost sounds like an STD!!!)


20 posted on 12/21/2007 1:53:31 PM PST by SierraWasp (Too much religion mixed with politics just leads the participants into too much hate & discontent!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies ]

To: calcowgirl
Several months before Reagan signed the final bill, Colorado passed similar legislation (thus, California was not "the first" as some have asserted.)

I guess for a lot a people who strive to be hagiographers of certain figures in history, that is a great consolation for the millions upon millions who were slaughtered because they belong to the wrong category of human species.
34 posted on 12/21/2007 4:07:06 PM PST by red flanker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson