bad confusion or bad conscience?

By Diogenes ( articles ) | Mar 13, 2006

Abortion is murder. Abortion is a woman's right. Roe v. Wade is a horrible decision. Roe v. Wade must be upheld. Restrictions on abortion are necessary. But there shouldn't be any restrictions.

Who holds these mixed-up views? The American public, according to the latest survey information-- which is consistent with other polls taken over the last 20 years.

"Rock solid in its absolutely contradictory opinions" is how public opinion expert Karlyn Bowman describes the nation's mind-set.

There is a way to reconcile the confusion. The poll figures all make sense if you figure that most Americans recognize abortion as a terrible thing-- which they are prepared to do, if necessary, to avoid severe inconvenience in their own lives.

James Hitchcock had it right years ago, when he said that Americans generally oppose abortion "except for the cases of rape, incest, and me."