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“Now the baby is very clear, distinct” Improved ultrasound technology credited for pro-life shift
calcatholic.com ^ | May 21, 2009

Posted on 05/21/2009 5:35:08 AM PDT by GonzoII

Washington, D.C., May 20, 2009 (CNA) -- Some doctors and pro-life leaders now say modern ultrasound technology is partly responsible for Americans’ gradual shift to identifying themselves as pro-life.

Nebraskan legislators are now considering joining other states that require that a woman considering an abortion be provided an ultrasound of her baby.

A recent Gallup poll showed 51 percent of Americans now self-identify as pro-life, composing a majority for the first time. The change has led to speculation that improved ultrasound technology has helped change minds.

(Excerpt) Read more at calcatholic.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: prolife; ultrasound
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 Who is like unto God?........ Lk:10:18:
 And he said to them: I saw Satan like lightning falling from heaven.

Full headline: “Now the baby is very clear, very distinct” Improved ultrasound technology credited for pro-life shift

1 posted on 05/21/2009 5:35:09 AM PDT by GonzoII
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To: wagglebee; narses; little jeremiah; DirtyHarryY2K

Ping.


2 posted on 05/21/2009 5:37:02 AM PDT by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: GonzoII

I’ll take it! It is a sad commentary on the state of faith in this nation though, that seeing is believing. I think Jesus addressed this issue when he chastised Thomas. Interestingly, He did invite him to come and put his finger in His hand and his hand in His side.

I can only compare the ultrasound to that same doubting Thomas invitation. After Thomas saw, he did believe.

Sure will be great to see a decline for those of us who believed without seeing :)


3 posted on 05/21/2009 5:40:46 AM PDT by wombtotomb
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To: GonzoII

For all its faults, I give GE a HUGE kudos for their 3D Ultrasound Imaging commercial. The one showing the estatic face of a mom-to-be in tears with “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” as a background song.


4 posted on 05/21/2009 5:46:43 AM PDT by Kieri (The Conservatrarian)
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To: wombtotomb
"It is a sad commentary on the state of faith in this nation though, that seeing is believing."

Also on the state of reason.

5 posted on 05/21/2009 5:47:05 AM PDT by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: GonzoII

I would say that seeing my daughters’ hearts beating at 7 weeks on an ultrasound machine left little doubt of what I was looking at.


6 posted on 05/21/2009 5:51:13 AM PDT by Question_Assumptions
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To: Question_Assumptions

A sales guy at Elscint told me a long time ago that Planned Parenthood used to worst resolution machines possible to make the baby all fuzzy.


7 posted on 05/21/2009 5:56:19 AM PDT by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: wombtotomb
I think it's less a matter of "seeing is believing" than about "out of sight, out of mind". It's easier to rationalize and fool yourself when you can't see the baby than when you can because we're more emotionally distant from strangers and people we've never seen than people we know and have seen. The ultrasound turns an anonymous stranger into a person you've seen and know exists.

It's not a bad thing that we care more about people we know than strangers that we've never met because we'd go insane if we cared about several billion people with the same intensity with which we care about our own families and friends, but that emotional distancing can be abused to allow people to do terrible things, which is why almost every large scale atrocity involves dehumanizing the enemy.

You can find a good article about how emotional attachment and closeness changes the way people make moral decisions in this article. Basically, see an ultrasound changes an abortion from a utilitarian decision about the fate of an anonymous stranger into an emotional decisions about the life of a person you've seen and know about. It shifts the decision from abstract to personal.

8 posted on 05/21/2009 6:02:03 AM PDT by Question_Assumptions
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To: GonzoII

I was fortunate enough to have worked on designing a small piece of the original GE 3-D unit several years ago. At the time I thought it was just another program. I couldn’t have been more wrong.


9 posted on 05/21/2009 6:04:09 AM PDT by Damifino (The true measure of a man is found in what he would do if he knew no one would ever find out.)
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To: GonzoII

This was my newest grandson at 28 weeks.

He was born last Friday. 8 lbs. 21" tall.

10 posted on 05/21/2009 6:04:40 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't fly, can't ski, can't drive, can't skipper a boat, but they know what's best.)
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To: Question_Assumptions

Never forget that the current pro-abortion issue isn’t about keeping future occurrences of abortion legal,

it’s totally about keeping past decisions guilt-free.


11 posted on 05/21/2009 6:05:22 AM PDT by MrB (Go Galt now, Bowman later)
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To: N. Theknow

Congratulations.


12 posted on 05/21/2009 6:06:31 AM PDT by TheRake
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To: N. Theknow

Beautiful pics!


13 posted on 05/21/2009 6:07:30 AM PDT by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: MrB

I agree that’s a big part of it, too. It also usually has little to do with the woman’s use of her body and is all about killing the baby (go down the list of common reasons for having an abortion and ask yourself if the woman would be happy if she left without the baby being killed).


14 posted on 05/21/2009 6:13:44 AM PDT by Question_Assumptions
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To: Question_Assumptions

Another factor is determining gender early coupled with cultural linguistics: once you can start using “he” or “she” instead of “it”, the reality of the fetus as a true person comes sharply into focus. This is even more so when you can pick and apply a name.


15 posted on 05/21/2009 6:15:03 AM PDT by ctdonath2 (John Galt was exiled.)
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To: Question_Assumptions
"Basically, see an ultrasound changes an abortion from a utilitarian decision about the fate of an anonymous stranger into an emotional decisions about the life of a person you've seen and know about."

I think It should be added that regardless of the emotional aspect of the decision making progress, ultimately a decision is made be the "will" although it is influenced by the emotions. I think the ultrasound pics enable one make a "reasonable" choice.

Regards

Gonzo

16 posted on 05/21/2009 6:15:34 AM PDT by GonzoII ("That they may be one...Father")
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To: GonzoII

17 posted on 05/21/2009 6:16:57 AM PDT by Lizavetta (Politicians: When they're not lying, they're stealing.)
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To: GonzoII; TheRake
Thank you!

He, along with my other two grandsons, completes my golfing foursome.

18 posted on 05/21/2009 6:20:09 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't fly, can't ski, can't drive, can't skipper a boat, but they know what's best.)
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To: GonzoII

“Now the baby is very clear, distinct” Improved ultrasound technology credited for pro-life shift

"Houston, we have a problem!"


19 posted on 05/21/2009 6:20:23 AM PDT by COBOL2Java (Obamanation: an imploding administration headed by a clueless schmuck, with McCain as his Kowakian)
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To: GonzoII

I guess we’ll be hearing that ultrasound causes breast cancer or autism next, but no matter, it’ll be rationed out.


20 posted on 05/21/2009 6:24:06 AM PDT by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, that's how you sell clothing.)
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