Syracuse resident Joan Basile had an abortion before Roe v. Wade was decided.

Basile recently released an autobiography titled ‘You Made Your Bed,’ which details her life and the struggles she went through after having an illegal abortion, performed at what was called Hotel Syracuse.

‘She finally told the baby’s father with whom she had fallen irretrievably in love, and because he was married, they decided their only recourse, however horrifying, was abortion,’ Basile wrote in her book of herself. ‘Surreptitious, terrifying phone arrangements were made. Anonymous instructions were given.’

One of Basile’s intentions behind writing the book, she said, was to inform women who didn’t have to go through illegal abortions what the process was like. Basile said she wanted women to appreciate and understand the rights they have.

The presidential candidates have completely opposite positions on these rights. Much of the country is also split on the issue. In a 2008 NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, 49 percent of Americans surveyed said abortion should be legal always or most of the time while 47 percent said abortion should be illegal or illegal with a few exceptions, such as incest or rape.

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois supports a woman’s right to abortion and the Supreme Court case that gives women that freedom, Roe v. Wade. Obama’s opponent, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona wishes to overturn Roe v. Wade and let states decide.

In the Democratic primary debate on April 26, Obama said he feels women do not make the decision to have an abortion without deep consideration.

‘This is a profoundly difficult issue for the women and families who make these decisions,’ he said. ‘They don’t make them casually. And I trust women to make these decisions, in conjunction with their doctors and their families and their clergy, and I think that’s where most Americans are.’

McCain has switched his position on abortion during the years.In 1999, McCain told The San Francisco Chronicle he did not support the repeal of Roe v. Wade. But he currently supports overturning Roe v. Wade, according to his Web site.

‘Constitutional balance would be restored by the reversal of Roe v. Wade, returning the abortion question to the individual states,’ he said on the Web site. ‘The difficult issue of abortion should not be decided by judicial fiat.’

Pro-life groups such as National Right to Life often argue there are alternatives to abortion such as adoption. In August, the organization called McCain’s platform ‘the strongest and most explicit support of life ever expressed by a major political party. We applaud the Republican Party … for making such a strong and unequivocal stand supporting life at all stages.’

The candidates’ stances also differ on the April 2007 Supreme Court decision upholding a law that banned a type of late-term abortion. The court ruled 5-4 to uphold the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003.

McCain supports the ban.

‘The ruling ensures that an unacceptable and unjustifiable practice will not be carried out on our innocent children … as we move forward, it is critically important that our party continues to stand on the side of life,’ McCain said in an April 2007 statement.

Obama does not support the decision.

‘This ruling signals an alarming willingness on the part of the conservative majority to disregard its prior rulings respecting a woman’s medical concerns and the very personal decisions between a doctor and patient,’ Obama said in a statement in the days after the decision.

Syracuse University students weighed the issue of abortion in different ways.

‘I wouldn’t say it plays an important role, but it’s among the issues I consider,’ said Scott Forgit, sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Sophomore Laura Fischer regards the issue with more importance.

‘I’m voting for Obama partly because he’s pro-choice,’ said Fischer, a student in the College of Arts and Sciences. ‘I believe in a woman’s right to choose, and I think it’s important for the next president to share these views.’

Betty DeFazio is the corporate director for communication affairs and public policy at Planned Parenthood of the Rochester and Syracuse regions. Planned Parenthood does not engage in electoral politics, but it is the largest organization in the nation working to prevent unintended pregnancies. DeFazio said she recognizes women’s health is a critical element voters take into consideration.

She said she views Planned Parenthood as an important place women can turn to when they need help.

‘Women trust our organization at times when they sort through complex situations,’ DeFazio said. ‘We are non-judgmental, and we are here to help women.’

Making abortion illegal would not decrease the number of abortions, she said. Making abortion illegal will make them unsafe, because women will no longer have a safe way to get the procedure, she said.

Though abortion has not been a major issue during the presidential campaigns, when Republican vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska announced her daughter was pregnant, the media rushed to focus on her. Palin is on record as choosing life for ultimately every situation a woman faces with regard to pregnancy.

Two years ago during the Alaskan governor debate, Palin was asked several questions about abortion. To each question Palin responded, ‘I would choose life.’

On Sept. 30, Katie Couric interviewed Palin on CBS and fleshed out more of Palin’s viewpoints.

‘I am pro-life,’ Palin said. ‘And I’m unapologetic in my position that I am pro-life.’

Nancy Snow, associate professor of public diplomacy in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, said she thinks it is not appropriate how the media is focusing on Palin’s daughter, Bristol. She said she sees the election as a cultural battle.

‘The media is determining the election,’ Snow said. ‘Most people get their information from the media.’

mggallag@syr.edu

Published on October 14, 2008 at 12:00 pm