News briefs: China’s one child policy
Bad News
Pro-lifers were right to be skeptical of claims that China had stopped using abortion to enforce its one child policy. Reports have surfaced that Song Ping’an, six months pregnant, was kidnapped by the Family Planning Police, who killed her unborn child. Song has suffered severe mental trauma (no kidding) that has made it impossible for her to care for herself and for her older children.
Good News
Chinese one child policy opponent Chen Guangcheng, who made a daring escape from house arrest in May, was presented with an award for his courageous human rights advocacy. The award was presented by Batman actor Christian Bale; Bale had attempted to visit Chen while Chen was still under house arrest, and was beaten by Chinese government thugs for his trouble. With the pro-abortion philosophy dominating Hollywood, it’s great to see an actor standing up for life.
Not that it matters what a particular person's views are (celebrity or not)… but I find it odd that you're lauding Bale as if he's on your anti-choice side. I don't happen to know and I don't think you do, either. In fact, I'd be willing to bet that he's NOT on your side.
You see, he's against *forced* abortion – just as I am and just any decent human being is. His statements in opposition to forced abortion mirror my own reasoning and his specific comments convey this message (and not the anti-choice message you'd like to saddle him with):
"He [Chen] had exposed a program of forced abortion and sterilization in Shandong. A program of forced abortion means that women are being dragged from their homes against their will. They are being forced to have abortions, sometimes late-term—imagine that—with some women reportedly dying in the process. Now this is true horror. And in this insane world, this man, Chen, who was helping these women…"
His statement is entirely about women, their will, their bodily rights and the state taking away their choice. You see, pro-choice means that it's the woman's choice – not the state's choice. He mentions late-term abortions but specifically refers to the health risk of the woman, not the fetus.
Now, maybe Bale is anti-choice and maybe he's pro-choice…but I don't see how you can justify attempting to paint him without knowing – especially when his words don't support your case.
I'm opposed to force abortions, too – does that mean I'm on your side? Keep painting with that broad-brush, though…don't worry about credibility or reason or the facts.
I'm very glad that there are pro-choice people who are supporting us in the fight against China's one-child policy. Frankly, though, Hollywood's big "pro-choice" messengers have given this zero attention. I gave Bale credit for "standing up for life" in this case, which he clearly did. Whatever his views on other life issues, I welcome his support on this one– just as I welcome yours.
First, I just want to say that I'm feeling unprepared for this. I don't wear briefs.
Second, I do agree with Matt that just because Christian Bale honors a man who is fighting against China's one-child policy doesn't necessarily mean he is pro-life. Most pro-choice people don't believe in forcing abortions on women (I say most because obviously some do, such as the people who instituted the one-child policy).
Third, Kelsey is right that pro-choice people don't tend to give things like this any attention. Pro-choice people claim they support choice, but it often seems the only choice they really support is the choice to abort. I remember that there was a teenage girl whose mom was trying to force her to abort and she sued the mom to keep the child (and there was an on-going legal battle over that). Pro-choice bloggers didn't give that any attention; I only read about it on pro-life blogs. It does often seem that they'll fight for a woman's right to abort, but not for her right to keep her child.
So what should China do about its population?