The Silent Scream

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'''''The Silent Scream''''' is an [[anti-abortion]] [[propaganda]] video which allegedly depicts an actual [[abortion]] via ultrasound. Produced in 1984, it has been used to scare the bejesus out of generations of people, including [[children]]. 

In 1985, a panel of medical experts convened by [[Planned Parenthood]] declared that the video was "riddled with scientific, medical, and legal inaccuracies, misleading statements, and exaggerations".<ref>Planned Parenthood. [https://www.scribd.com/document/96958198/Facts-Speak-Louder-Than-the-Silent-Scream-03-02 Facts Speak Louder Than The Silent Scream 03-02.] Scribd.</ref> The film is shown frequently at [[crisis pregnancy center]]s, which are not abortion clinics but deceptive anti-abortion establishments.

Dr. Edwin Myer, chairman of the department of pediatric neurology at the Medical College of Virginia, says ''"that the fetus feels pain is a totally ridiculous statement. Pain implies cognition. There is no brain to receive the information."''<ref>Ladin, Kim. [https://www.thecrimson.com/article/1985/3/11/manipulative-silent-scream-pbto-the-editors/ Manipulative 'Silent Scream'.] ''The Mail''. The Harvard Crimson. March 11, 1985.</ref>

Of course, nothing of the above stopped the film from being shown in the [[White House]] to President [[Ronald Reagan]],<ref>DeParle, Jason.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120717082326/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_n3_v21/ai_7537791/ Beyond the legal right; why liberals and feminists don't like to talk about the morality of abortion.] Business Library. April 1989. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.</ref> who claimed that "if every member of [[Congress]] could see that film, they would move quickly to end the tragedy of abortion."<ref>Zintl, Robert T. et al. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110124043051/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959882,00.html Abortion: New Heat Over an Old Issue.] Time. February 4, 1985. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011.</ref>

==Five physicians review the film==
Five physicians were invited by CBS Morning News to see the film and analyze it.

Dr. Niebyl pointed out, "right before (Dr. Nathanson) says the fetus is reacting and fighting aggressively, he has the film in very slow motion. Then, as the suction catheter's placed, he turns it on to regular speed. It's really very misleading."<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/11/opinion/a-false-scream.html "A False 'Scream'"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 11 March 1985</ref>

Oh, well. At least this garbage film inspired a pretty cool [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toMmX0OAm4E Slayer song].

==Watch!==
[[File:The Silent Scream (1984).ogg|center|thumb|500px|You can watch the whole film right here and now, if you want to.]]

== External links ==
*[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1218041/ ''The Silent Scream'' on IMDb]
* {{wpa|The Silent Scream|''The Silent Scream''}}
*[[wikisource:en:The Silent Scream|Transcript of ''The Silent Scream'' on Wikisource]]
==References==
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[[Category:Propaganda]]
[[Category:films]]

Categories: Propaganda, films