Organization: Ryerson Polytechnical Institute
Date: Tuesday, 14 Apr 1992 15:44:00 EST
From: Linda Birmingham <ADMN8647@RyeVm.Ryerson.Ca>
Newsgroups: talk.abortion
Subject: Re: Oh Steve! Oh Canada!
Distribution: na
 <1992Apr12.161004.18631@cs.dal.ca>

In article  <1992Apr12.161004.18631@cs.dal.ca> Steve Franklin says:

>In <92101.130850ADMN8647@RyeVm.Ryerson.Ca> Linda Birmingham writes:

>>Sources please.  The last Canadian Gallop poll on abortion showed
>>that over 60% of the Canadian population agreed with the right of
>>women to obtain abortions, over 80% agreed she had a right in
>>certain situations.  Considering women make up half of the
>>population it is debatable that more women than men are pro-life.
>   Okay - you know the answers to this, but did you read the questions?

You posed no question Mr. Franklin, you stated that more
women than men populated the prolife movement in Canada.
I asked you a question - provide the sources for this
statement.  Did you read the question?

>>REAL Women, a major female prolife organization in Canada, has a
>>membership far lower than the membership registered in NAC.
>>Considering the Canadian apathy to become politically involved,
>>the number differences are seen to be significant to the point
>>that the Federal government agreed that funding REAL Women is not
>>required because they do not sufficiently reflect the attitudes
>>of Canadian women.
>   I've liked to term REAL women as "feminists with morals". Seems
>rather fitting don't you think? The reason that REAL women is
>so diminished financially is because of it's lack of federal financial
>support. Also it is a relatively new concept but has has lots of success
>in recent years. I stand behin the group faithfully for their intelligence
>and persistence.

The leadership of REAL Women would be offended by your
combining the term feminist with their organization.  They
have been very clear about their antifeminist beliefs.  I
find it hard to ascribe "morals" to a group that would deny
a sizeable number of women with the resources to support
themselves and their children.

Nor is REAL Women a new concept.  The organization has
existed for a number of years and has been publicised
extensively over the past 10.  The federal government
reviewed REAL Women's charter and deemed it an organization
not suitable for federal funding.  Part of this could have
been due to REAL Women's stand on homosexuality and services
such as welfare and day care.

>>The leaders of two leading antiabortion organizations are men.
>>Reverend Campbell (I've forgotten the name of his group) was a
>>frequent demonstrator and spokesperson for the Right to Life
>>movement until he was arrested and jailed for violating a court
>>against protesting outside of a Toronto Morgentaler clinic
>>The leader of the Canadian Operation Rescue is a man.  The
>>politicians who have tabled prolife policies have all been
>>men.
>   And your point is? There are thousands of women who are proud to have
>these men as their spokesperson.

Your point was that women are leading the prolife movement
in Canada.  This is not borne out in the organizations
listed.

>>I never march in demonstrations
>> I hold my breath for arbitration
>>     I am far too Canadian
>>Spirit of the West
>huh?

I see you are as familiar with Canadian music as you are
with politics.



Linda
--
Pulling figures from your sleeve
          slight of hand
           twist of fact
 One last request, a final trick
Let's see the disappearing act
Let's give him a miss this time
   give him a miss this time
Spirit of the West