Why Does an Irish Writer/Scholar Call Roe Overturn a Pyrrhic Victory


If ever there was a world-wide picture of abortion politics it is Ireland. The Catholic Church and elected government held the country's "morals" with an iron grip for decades. A majority of the public came to believe this view was the "right" view. Abortion was flat out against the law. They could be obtained in England, however. Many thousands of women got abortions. For decades it seemed logical and reasonable that abortion was against the law but mostly women got them anyway in England. That seemed a rational was to run things until there was an opportunity to vote on legalizing abortion. Abortion rights won by a huge margin. The role of the Catholic Church and its favorite politicians on most any moral issue is now in the dust bin. Previous victories by the church and its flock of yes men had been pyrrhic--victories so costly they exacted a cost greater than ever was the benefit.

I was reminded of this reading an article by a conservative Baptist writer, Karen Swallow Prior. In the article Swallow Prior discussed the likelihood abortions will continue even though Roe has been overturned. She justified the existence of ignored laws by saying laws are also "instructive." I suppose she means having a law against something makes it appear as if it is something bad.  In Ireland anti-abortion law "instructed" voters in a different way, a way Prior might not have in mind. They were instructed it was more important than ever to toss out the law along with the church and politicians who support religion in laws. The church and politicians successfully fought to outlaw abortion for years all the while making enemies. When the issue was finally voted on they lost not only the issue but their ability to influence events as they had in the past. 

 Pyrrhic Victory refers to an ancient leader who won a battle but lost so many troops he was left in a weaker position than he was before. The Irish writer reviews experiences in resistance to abortion laws in his and other countries. He concludes to determination of women to acquire abortion services is stronger than the religious resolve that tries to eliminate them. Do anti-abortion operatives and politicians think there is not the same resolve in the U.S. that exists in other countries? 

We can't predict the future. Yet, history suggests the resolve of women to slip out of the rule of men is powerful.

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