Posted on 12/14/2009 3:47:51 PM PST by NYer
.- A new independent film explores the issue of a woman's ability to chose to have an abortion, using a blend of the drama and documentary genres. “South Dakota: A woman's right to chose” isn't in theaters yet, but it has riveted audiences at a series of screenings in California.
Bruce Isacson, director of “South Dakota,” began with the idea of making a documentary on the subject of abortion.” However, Isacson knew that he couldn't reach large numbers of people with the documentary genre. Historically, he notes on the movie's website, “documentaries draw small audiences, so my passion to bring clear understanding of the subject stirred me to dramatize two personal true-life stories from the documentary that would represent both sides of the issue.”
The result is a movie that dramatizes the stories of two teenage girls who become pregnant unexpectedly. Interspersed with the action are interviews and sound clips of various pro-abortion and pro-life advocates. Featured pro-abortion figures are: Gloria Allred, Alexander Sanger, Peter Singer, Lee Silver and Dr. Wendy Savage. Pro-life commentary is offered by Prof. Robert George, Bill Hurlbut, the former abortion doctor Bernard Nathanson and Michael Schwartz.
“People haven't been discussing this issue properly," Director Bruce Isacson told the LA Times. “Both sides don't express themselves well. Where is the information? Where is the intelligent discussion?”
The movie was produced by Howard Kazanjian, (Star Wars Return of the Jedi, Indiana Jones Raiders of the Lost Ark.) It will be marketed by Motive Entertainment (The Passion of the Christ, The Polar Express, The Chronicles of Narnia, Expelled).
The film isn't in theaters yet, but it drew an impressive reaction from a screening in front of nearly 1,000 Los Angeles high school girls. After the screening, Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Cranberries moderated a town-hall discussion with the girls, the LA Times reports.
Motive Entertainment Chief Executive Paul Lauer told the Times that this screening and discussion is “a guinea pig for something we may do all across the country.” “In each market where we do the town-hall screenings we will be inviting leaders, organizations and individuals who represent both sides of the debate."
However, there are some who think that the film leans toward the pro-life side. Lori Meeks, USC associate professor of religion, wondered if the producers of the film “may be trying to attract anti-abortion audiences who will like the film because it allows them to feel good about reaching out to the other side without forcing them to challenge their beliefs in a serious way.” “It'll be interesting to see how the pro-choice advocates interviewed in the film react,” she said.
At this stage of the film, the producers are not giving further comment, Lauer told CNA. However, he noted that readers can view the remarks made at the LA screening for high school girls by visiting, http://www.southdakotathemovie.com/teen_scren.php.
Hollyweird’s version of a trial balloon?
>> “South Dakota: A woman’s right to chose”
Choose?
An idiot. How did she ever become a professor of "religion"? There is no discussion with these people.
"Both sides"? What about the side of the unborn baby that's about to be murdered by his mother? What about God's side? Yeesh!
Good question.
Are there no women in this movie commenting for the pro-life side? The pro-abortion folks already push the notion that men run the pro-life movement in order to keep women barefoot and pregnant. We in the movement, know this could not be further from the truth, so I hope this movie doesn’t tend to give weight to that lie.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why the drop after 1960? (in deaths of women from illegal abortions)
The reasons were new and better antibiotics, better surgery and the establishment of intensive care units in hospitals. This was in the face of a rising population. Between 1967 and 1970 sixteen states legalized abortion. In most it was limited, only for rape, incest and severe fetal handicap (life of mother was legal in all states). There were two big exceptions — California in 1967, and New York in 1970 allowed abortion on demand. Now look at the chart carefully.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Abortion Statistics - Decision to Have an Abortion (U.S.)
· 25.5% of women deciding to have an abortion want to postpone childbearing
· 21.3% of women cannot afford a baby
· 14.1% of women have a relationship issue or their partner does not want a child
· 12.2% of women are too young (their parents or others object to the pregnancy)
· 10.8% of women feel a child will disrupt their education or career
· 7.9% of women want no (more) children
· 3.3% of women have an abortion due to a risk to fetal health
2.8% of women have an abortion due to a risk to maternal health
----------------------------------------------------------------------
So how many women’s lives have been saved by abortion?
Less than 3% of abortions since 1972 were reported to be “due to a risk to maternal health.” A reasonable person would recognize that not all of those cases represent a lethal risk. But let’s say they did. That means that nearly 45 million fetuses were butchered to save the lives of about 1.3 million women. Or put another way; 35 babies are killed to save each woman.
Abortion was legal in all 50 states prior to Roe v. Wade in cases of danger to the life of the woman.
Roe v Wade: FULL Text (The Decision that wiped out an entire Generation 33 years ago today)
Excellent post! Thanks for all the info.
Pro-Life bump
Thank you. You’re welcome.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.