ABC and Abortion (1 Viewer)

[steph@nie]

For those of you who haven't heard already, ABC is showing the abortion of a 4 week old foetus and its caused a bit of a ruckus.

Is anyone planning on watching it? I think its this Sunday at 10:30pm or something, but I could be wrong...

This is probably a question for politics, but does anyone object to the showing of the abortion? and if so, why?

 

[neo o]

Keep up the political grandstanding ABC.

Unlike the gayschool scenario, which i objected to because of the inappropriateness of where the ABC were actually placing their poltical messages, this seems fine, from what I know about it (which is not much mind you).

 

[Ziff]

The ABC should present anything and everything (within reasonable limits of audience and intelligent discource) because the commercial channels sure as hell won't.

 

[Beaky]

The ABC should present anything and everything (within reasonable limits of audience and intelligent discource) because the commercial channels sure as hell won't.

I totally agree

 

[Loz#1]

The ABC should present anything and everything (within reasonable limits of audience and intelligent discource) because the commercial channels sure as hell won't.

I agree too. But I don't know if I, personally, can stomach it.

 

[steph@nie]

I know that my gay school will tape it and show it to impressionable young girls though, thats one of the reasons why I'm opposed to it.

 

[SmokedSalmon]

The ABC should present anything and everything (within reasonable limits of audience and intelligent discource) because the commercial channels sure as hell won't.

yeah I agree with you as well.

 

[breaking]

The ABC should present anything and everything (within reasonable limits of audience and intelligent discource) because the commercial channels sure as hell won't.

i would agree, but johnny howard's kinda against it so therefore i am too

 

[Nick]

if it was on commercial channels itd be hosted by eddie maguire

and you'd vote out the foetus you didnt like

1 uterus, 20 foeti, 14 cameras.. 1 million dollars prize money

 

[neo o]

shoudnt this be in politics?


object to the showing of an abortion...probably not. If you think an abortion is nasty how bout having the kid grow up without support of a family that never wanted him or her, or without adequate money to afford schooling, healthcare of university.

Not to mention rights of the mother to choose. After a certain period abotion should be ilegal - should not be allowed to terminate 2 weeks before delivery date.

If there is going to be a abortion it must be early.

That's why third trimester abortions are illegal except in extrenuous circumstances (ie : the mother's life is at risk etc)

 

[nerd2die4]

Is it 'educational', or is it simply trying to satisfy our apparent appetite for 'reality television'???

We've all become a bit too obsessed with reality, I think. I note tonight that a group of Doctors have spoken out against the screening - These are people who, in their words, 'have to perform these medical procedures using suction for a variety of reasons'.

I don't think they want the procedure to become coffee table conversation!

But, perhaps it should be compulsory viewing for anyone considering an abortion. Apparently it is extremely graphic, they basically suck the placenta out.

Do we NEED to see this, or do we WANT to see it?

 

[nick1048]

if it was on commercial channels itd be hosted by eddie maguire

and you'd vote out the foetus you didnt like

1 uterus, 20 foeti, 14 cameras.. 1 million dollars prize money

How true is that... I'm fine with the ABC program... however they should prolli not encourage abortions for people who just couldn't care less about safe sex... :\

 

[Auto Wah]

i would agree, but johnny howard's kinda against it so therefore i am too

well i got news for you, John Howard's going down cuz everyone's so sick and tired of his lies, and so sick of seening his face so far up George W.Bush's butthole. Which is his only way to maintain Australia from terrorism.

Think i'll watch the Abortion

 

[Ziff]

It's probably hyped up like the Latham profile on Nine's Sunday programme the other week. My bet it will be a big nothing but the anti-Abortionists and the hardline religious (especially in the Liberal party) will seize on it and try and force everyone to watch it or something.

Are prospective mothers shown videos of a woman having a child? Or subsequently, that woman and child living in poverty for the rest of their lives as their child takes up a life of crime and is found dead in a gutter after a heroin overdose? Should then footage be shown of a rich family whose child attends Kings College and becomes a doctor?

Then why should footage of an abortion be shown? Why shouldn't then a stillbirth or the death of a mother in labour from not having an abortion also be shown? Or the mental agony that a woman has to live with if she's been raped and has a child as a result of that? Or the child is born deformed, with a horrible genetic disease or disabled?

On one hand some people say "err no bias, NO BIAS!!!" but when it comes down to it, they can't even see past their own biases. If they really wanted to be "objective" and "unbiased" (which, is impossible) at least offer a counter-balance to staunch assertions like "this should be shown to all people seeking to undertake abortion" etc etc.

Anyway, I'll be interested to see what the documentry is like and if it's another hyped-up media event with a massive anti-climax or how well the relgious hardliners will latch on and milk this.

 

[neo o]

Ziff, Liberals are just that - liberals.

Apart from that entire gay marriage debacle, usually liberal social policy is not conservative but well, liberal. The only liberal I can think of who spoke out against abortion is Tony Abbot - and he's a hardline conservative.

 

[steph@nie]

That's why third trimester abortions are illegal except in extrenuous circumstances (ie : the mother's life is at risk etc)

In some abortion clinics in America, third trimester abortions can and will be performed regardless of the state of the mothers health.

I don't know much about the context of the abortion, I just heard on the radio yesterday that ABC was showing it and that certain people were against it and pro-lifers were having a party. It's the ABC so I doubt that its going to be highly commercialised.

 

[neo o]

Its a ratings grab and a little political grandstanding. Nothing less, nothing more.

There's no real reason to complain however, since its in a decent time slot etc etc.

 

[Rorix]

As long as there are warnings before the scene, then I have no problem with it.

object to the showing of an abortion...probably not. If you think an abortion is nasty how bout having the kid grow up without support of a family that never wanted him or her, or without adequate money to afford schooling, healthcare of university.

While I agree with (early) abortions, I don't really like this reason. This seems to be saying that 'killing a baby is better than letting it live a life of misery'. If we apply this logic, surely we should kill the hanicapped, the disadvantaged, the homeless etc., provided we had a painless way of doing it (assuming abortion to be painless for the baby here). Now, I'm not really comfortable with that suggestion.

Right to choose I agree with though. Personal liberty is very important.

 

[santaslayer]

I don't have a problem with it being aired. Might watch it if I'm free too.

 

[braindrainedAsh]

Ziff, applause for you, I totally agree with what you said.

The fact that the ABC (and SBS) is not dominated by commercial interests means that they can show things that may not be mainstream and are a bit controversial. And that is why I would love to work for them someday. Liberals with their conservative values and knee jerk reactions hate the ABC because it is not afraid to show these things that are outside the "mainstream" paradigm of contemporary society.

The showing of an abortion (I expect it is in something which has a pro-life slant...) is one example of why we need media outlets who are not bound by reactionary politics. You can't censor life in the real world, so why does the media need to be so censored? Bleeping out the f word is one thing, but why can CNN show graphic pictures of the war in iraq but the ABC can't show abortion? I think it is fine that they show it... as long as it is accompanied by a warning, which I am certain it will be. BTW, I am pro-choice, and I have no problems with it.