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The Nation's Pulse
NYC: The Statue of Liberty or The Grim Reaper?
Abortions at twice the national average.
“I’m frankly embarrassed to be a member of a community where 41 percent of pregnancies are terminated,” said Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan of New York at an ecumenical news conference with other church leaders at the Penn Club last week.
As reported by the New York Times, “The annual figure has averaged 90,000 in recent years, or about 40 percent of all pregnancies, twice the national rate.”
Archbishop Dolan called these numbers “downright chilling.” Indeed, African-Americans might find them especially ominous since the 2009 data reveal “a rate close to 60 percent for black women,” according to the Times.
The relevant statistics are to be found in the December 2010 report of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene which, as described by the New York Post’s Andy Soltis (“NYers twice as likely to abort”), “that of all viable pregnancies here, 87,272 were terminated, compared with 126,774 live births.”
“New York does not deserve the gravestone ‘Abortion capital of the world.’ Our boast is the Statue of Liberty, not the Grim Reaper,” said the Archbishop. “I re-affirm [the late] Cardinal John O’Connor’s promise of a quarter-century ago that every woman facing a difficult pregnancy will be provided with free, confidential help of the highest quality from the Archdiocese of New York.”
“We are prepared to do everything in our power to help you and your unborn baby to make absolutely certain that you need never feel that you have no choice but an abortion,” said the prelate.
This commitment to the people of New York City, and the ongoing work of Catholic Charities, will be bolstered by a pledge from Sean Fieler, an investment banker and philanthropist, and his nonprofit Chiaroscuro Foundation to spend approximately $1 million to open counseling centers and provide help to pregnant women in need.
Mr. Fieler’s stark assessment of the recent New York abortion statistics: “These numbers represent a failure,” he said.
That they are. The progressive vision of making abortion safe, legal, and rare seems to be falling short in the big Apple and for most of the nation for that matter.
For those who love New York and New Yorkers, these statistics bring a profound sense of sadness. It is a town one normally associates with energy, opportunity and purposeful striving. That Gotham is now destroying its young contradicts all that New York means to the imagination of America and the whole world. It is along way from Ellis Island to the abattoir.
All of the usual suspects, of course, have raised the cry for even more sex education and contraception without any sense of irony that these value-free approaches to human sexuality merely propel a self-defeating treadmill of more promiscuity, more out-of-wedlock births, more social and marital breakdown, more deaths of unborn children, more male irresponsibility, and the denigration of women and mothers.
At last week’s press conference, Archbishop Dolan was joined by Bishop Nicholas A. DiMarzio of Brooklyn; the Rev. Michel Faulkner, pastor of the New Horizon Church in Harlem; Rabbi David Zwiebel, vice president of Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox Jewish community service organization; and Leslie Diaz, a spokeswoman for Democrats for Life of New York.
These church leaders, as well as Mr. Fieler are brave and intrepid souls, patriots all, who continue to stand up for life, liberty and America’s greatest city.
About the Author
G. Tracy Mehan, III served at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in the administrations of both Presidents Bush. He is a consultant in Arlington, Virginia, and an adjunct professor at George Mason University School of Law.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (46) | Leave a comment
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Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.10.11 @ 6:37AM
When the government is open for business who can hold the gullible liable for taking advantage of a product?
From Social Security, to Aid for Dependent Children, to health care for children, to death for the unborn, the government hosts and encourages a smorgasbord of products.
And now that health care has passed it's only question of time before the living get excised from the political process called justice in the USA.
So your point is well taken but who will take it up? Too many people have fallen into the trap of believing they are empowered and no one can tell them what to do.
In fact, what they fail to realize is that there are many people telling them what to do, from local to state to federal governments the little dictators grow and spread, and all the while basic freedoms continue to shrink.
Thanks for a wonderful article. It will be read by too few and reacted to by an ever growing number of the gullible.
Alan brooks| 1.10.11 @ 9:37AM
"Indeed, African-Americans might find them especially ominous since the 2009 data reveal 'a rate close to 60 percent for black women,' according to the Times."
But you wish Obama's mom had aborted him- you cry crocodile tears a bit too much.
KyMouse| 1.10.11 @ 11:17AM
Mr. Brooks, I do not wish that Obama's mother had aborted him. Every child deserves the chance to live the life he/she has begun.
I do wish, however, that his worldview and his political beliefs weren't causing so much damage to our culture and our country.
Patrick| 1.10.11 @ 11:46AM
President Obama's mother was white, so the quote doesn't even match. Should we consider that someone is in need of some Thorazine?
Negro X| 1.10.11 @ 7:00PM
Brooks,
Once again you show yourself to be nothing more than a hate mongering racist troll. You of course are a perefect poster-child for the peremanent institutionalizing of insane. The recent tragedy in AZ no doubt drove you into an orgasmic frenzy.
Byzcat| 1.11.11 @ 1:25PM
It that the best you can do? Ad hominem attacks?
Phil Steinacker| 1.10.11 @ 10:21PM
Alan,
A more foolish comment I don't believe I've ever seen. You purport to read minds by claiming to know others wish Obama had been aborted? Or perhaps you suffer from an acid reflux attack from the poisonous bile backed up into your heart!
Alice Moore| 1.10.11 @ 9:42AM
You forget, Comrade O'Stalin. The so called self empowered are like those denizens in Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World". For them, freedom is defined as having a ready source of physical gratification without interference or rebuke. I'm rereading it now. In the novel there is an abortion crematoria as a national shrine; prophetic and chilling.
Many have asserted that Huxley was a Leftist. I find this hard to believe.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.10.11 @ 5:41PM
That is one great comment Alice!
Intelligent Design| 1.10.11 @ 6:54AM
By promoting abortion-on-demand and federal dollars to pay for it, Obama and his fellow Demo-Socialists are racists. In particular, the black population is not growing as fast as it might. Blacks should realize that conservative, pro-life politicians are their friends.
Alan Brooks| 1.10.11 @ 9:46AM
" 'I'm frankly embarrassed to be a member of a community where 41 percent of pregnancies are terminated,' said Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan"
That's it, no mention of slums, crime, white indifference?
KyMouse| 1.10.11 @ 11:18AM
The topic of the article, and of the archbishop's comments, was abortion. No doubt that he would express additional views if the topic were broader.
NoUtopia| 1.10.11 @ 12:05PM
I agree with KyMouse that there is would be another forum to discuss those issues. On another note 87,272 terminated pregnancies or deaths in one year is a far more grave issue to those you mention and requires earnest response.
Clint| 1.10.11 @ 2:05PM
Typical AgnosticBoy Brooks Votes For Partial Birth Abortion Obama & Then Bitches About The Archbishop.
Archbishop Dolan,
"New York does not deserve the gravestone 'Abortion capital of the world.' Our boast is the Statue of Liberty, not the Grim Reaper," said the Archbishop. "I re-affirm [the late] Cardinal John O'Connor's promise of a quarter-century ago that every woman facing a difficult pregnancy will be provided with free, confidential help of the highest quality from the Archdiocese of New York."
"We are prepared to do everything in our power to help you and your unborn baby to make absolutely certain that you need never feel that you have no choice but an abortion," said the prelate.
Phil Steinacker| 1.10.11 @ 10:28PM
White indifference is a fiction (as is white privilege). Crime is predominately black on black and black on white.
All three are irrelevent to this discussion, except to point out that if your mother aborts you then you won't have to worry about any one of them, will you?
In case you're as obtuse as your pointless remarks indicate, that means dead people have no cares and advocates of social justice for the dead who can't make it outside the womb are just whistling into the wind (past the proverbial graveyard).
Appleby| 1.10.11 @ 7:26AM
The Sisters of Life, founded by Cardinal Newman, have a large presence in New York City and will help any woman, of any race, creed, age, colour, social background, nationality or previous line of work, who comes to them for an option other than abortion. They will get you every sort of help you need, from a place to live, to a job, to maternity clothes and a crib, to a sympathetic friend who will share a cup of tea and listen to you. Google them and go to them.
Oh, and they will also aid the father of a baby who wants to take responsibility or is wavering -- there are male volunteers from every walk of life that will talk to you man to man and help you sort out your options and what to do.
Go there this morning. They are there for you.
PJ| 1.10.11 @ 5:24PM
1 small correction, only because I still miss him very much, the Sisters of Life religious order was started by Cardinal O'Connor.
Appleby| 1.11.11 @ 11:44AM
Sorry -- I am reading Newman's "The Idea of a University" and got them mixed up.
Richard Baker| 1.10.11 @ 10:02AM
Margaret Sanger and Heinrich Himmler would be so proud of New York City, wouldn't they?
Dixie Pixie| 1.10.11 @ 10:41AM
It is a tragedy of epic proportions that the most dangerous place in America is in the womb of a Liberal or Minority.
Observer| 1.10.11 @ 10:54AM
Liberal hedonists in New York are eliminating themselves from the population, No crocodile tea for me!! Amoral New York's libs and their democrat tools have been on a century long crusade to establish hedonistic narcissism and eliminate Judaeo-Christian values, morals, and values in all America The godless cult of liberl progressivism has made made abortion on demand their cult's first sacrament.
The NYC far left has succeeded and is by its revered rite of abortion on denand thrown themselves into a death spiral of their own making. Who would have thunk!! Hedonism, Molock and Gaia as any Old Testament prophet new are the false gods of a death cult.
Patrick| 1.10.11 @ 11:50AM
You forget, they favor the use of Janissaries to do all their work for them. That is, they rely upon our children to be programmed by their hideous ways too join them.
NoUtopia| 1.10.11 @ 11:56AM
Check out the website NY41percent.com which is a site that directly brings awareness to this horrific infanticide happening in the Big Apple. Margaret Sanger is probably rolling around gleefully in her grave at this news. Please continue to pray for the unborn and for their parents.
Frank Drackman| 1.10.11 @ 11:56AM
Do you really wanta live in a country with 60 million more Blacks? Or look at it like this, instead of 13 hard working million Mexicans/Nicaraguans/etc with there awesume Taquerias you get the entire population of Kenya & Uganda with there genital mutilation and..OK, thats not fair.
There not as bad as American Blacks.
Frank
NoUtopia| 1.10.11 @ 12:08PM
Frank, seriously? Please don't play in to the left's stereotypes. That doesn't help anyone.
Poof| 1.10.11 @ 2:18PM
@Frank Drackman. This is such an awful thing to say. You can't be and won't be taken seriously here. Go find somewhere else to spew this garbage.
PCP Smoker| 1.10.11 @ 10:17PM
I would be happy with 30 million Thomas Sowells, 15 millions Walter Williams, 5 million Ward Connerly, and 10 million Stark Parkers.
Fuck you for your racism, scumbag. Your whore mother should have aborted you. Fuckwad
Phil Steinacker| 1.10.11 @ 10:32PM
I think Frank is really Alan Brooks. It is a common left-wing tactic to play the racist incognito when trolling on conservative and/or pro-life comboxes.
Margie| 1.10.11 @ 4:58PM
Jesus wasn't embarrassed by the condition of mankind for He knew what was in man. He came to die for their sins. Feigning "emabarrassment" is as phony as a three dollar bill.
And I am sure that the number of abortions is far more than this percentage of reported or known abortions.
Even people who don't have abortions are sinners.. is he embarrassed by them, too? Then he will have to be embarrassed for the whole world.
Please do your work but don't forget to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to them, He isn't embarrassed to be their Savior.
Clint| 1.10.11 @ 7:06PM
God's not even "embarrassed" when American Spectator's Resident Fanatic Anti-Catholic White Trash Joisey Bigot attempts to sneak in her shot at Catholic Archbishop Dolan's quote.
Margie| 1.10.11 @ 7:45PM
How do you know what color I am, Tim*/Clint?
Does your pope approve of your foul mouthed name calling?
If he does then the both of you need to repent, so that would make 2 of you.
Now go say 10,000 Hail Marys... to a dead woman who can't hear you.
You may be a Catholic, but you're no Christian.
Clint| 1.10.11 @ 9:18PM
Your Soul Is Black .
And Once Again I've Just Allowed You To Expose What A Nasty Ass Fanatic Anti-Catholic White Trash Joisey Bigot You Are.
Tony in Central PA| 1.10.11 @ 9:29PM
As far as I know, the Catholic Church has consistently taught that abortion is a grave evil since the first century ( Didache ). How about your church, Margie ?
Margie| 1.10.11 @ 11:16PM
What I spoke is God's truth.
I call them as I see them.
And Tony, my church is the body of Bible believing Christians the world over. You might want to read the Bible for a change instead of listening to liars who teach that to be saved you have to belong to a certain church or denomination, and teaches dead works apart from being saved by Grace.
"Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands; as the prophet says, 'Heaven is My throne, and earth my footstool. What house will you build for Me, says the Lord, or what is the place of My rest? Did not My Hand make all these things?' "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you." Acts 7:48-51.
Now, curse on please. You prove what you are by so doing.
Tony in Central PA| 1.12.11 @ 9:53PM
One quick question, Margie. How was it decided which books would be in the Bible and by what authority did they decide ?
Frank Drackman | 1.10.11 @ 5:01PM
Poof/No Utopia,
I was bein Ironic, or is it Sarcastic? Damn your English language with its lack of umlauts and too many vowels that arent pronounced consistantly.
and I'm against killin fetuses BTW, and even if one of my own daughters got knocked up, I'd be against killin my future grandson/daughter, cause if he/she can make it despite Medroxyprogesterone/Single Sex Schooling/ 18 years of subliminal indoctrination that Men Suck,that kid's gonna be a friggin Superman/Woman..
But just running the numbers, there's been 50+million abortions since Roe V Wade, roughly 1/3 African-Americans, 1/2 of those Males, being nice and only assuming a 5% incarceration rate(its higher) you'll need....hommina hommina
416,666 extra prison beds.
The largest Prison in the US is the Lousiana State Prison at Angola(thats the Angola in Louisiana, not Africa) with aprox 5,000 prisoners.
So you'll need 80 of those, and then you've gotta put the women somewhere...
The Truth is often Ugly, like Helen Thomas.
Frank "You Can't Handle the Truth" Drackman
PJ| 1.10.11 @ 5:14PM
Why are these NYC abortion statistics a surprise to anyone? Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, started her work in NYC. She was a big believer of eugenics. She thought minorities & the poor should not procreate & should be bred out of existence.
Most of the PP clinics are located in poor neighborhoods. It is cheaper, quicker, & easy to kill an unborn child than to bring her/him to full term and nurture him/her to adulthood. The poor unfortunately are easily persuadable. And NYC is full of poor neighborhoods.
Tony in Central PA| 1.10.11 @ 9:33PM
I have heard that in the days and weeks after 9/11 Planned Parenthood couldn't give away abortions in the greater New York area. They were offering " specials " trying to entice " business ". The horror of 9/11 awakened some people to the sanctity and fragility of human life. Sadly, this has worn off, especially for those who make money off the killing of unborn children and the brutalization of their mothers.
PCP Smoker| 1.10.11 @ 10:12PM
As much as I abhor abortion and its supporters, especially those in the GOP, I must confess to a guilty pleasure at seeing the core and future of the Democrat party suction itself out of the womb and into the trash bin.
San Francisco has the lowest number of families. NYC aborts nearly 40% of its members. In a few generations, there will be nothing but angry, old, white, single females. All I can say is, there's hope for America.
Appleby| 1.11.11 @ 11:48AM
Not to mention, of course, as always, the men who got them pregnant and, too frequently, dismiss the pregnancy as "her problem" or threaten, cajole and urge her to abort, or even offer to pay for the abortion.
For some reason, some types of men seem to think every pregnancy is a virgin birth.
Adidas | 8.11.11 @ 5:52AM
is good
العاب | 4.10.12 @ 1:03PM
thank you