Why next time I'll just turn on America's Funniest Home Videos...
I don't usually scream at the TV, but last night was an exception. Apparently I was very bored, or stupid, or both, and I was watching CBS news' '60 Minutes'. The subject was an interesting one, the gender imbalance in China as a result of their strict "one child" policy, but it was only a little while before I was furious at the hypocrisy.You see, in China, boys are far preferred over girls. Add the "one child" policy, the availability of ultrasounds and abortions, and there you have it. Today in China, there are approx. 120 males born out of every 100 females.
Lesley Stahl interviewed Zhao Baige, Vice Minister of the Family Planning Commission:
From the article:
Ultrasound machines are inexpensive in China; they cost about $360 and, as
60 Minutes saw, they are small enough to be hidden in a closet or even in the
trunk of a car to do scans on the run.
And that's made it difficult to crack down.
We showed the minister some Chinese newspaper photos of a van parked in a
Beijing suburb doing ultrasounds in the back.
"We need a more enforcement," Zhao said.
"Well, one of the ways that this imbalance came about is through abortion. Millions and millions and millions of abortions. Why didn't the government clamp down on that?"
Stahl asked.
"Let me go to another point," the vice minister replied.
Her "other point" was that China’s abortion rate is going down, but she didn't explain why abortions are still free and legal right up to
the ninth month, even as the boy-girl imbalance grows.
Am I here right now?? Abortion can be used for gender selection in America, too, and we have millions of abortions every year.
Yet, when Roberts and Alito were nominated, even though they don't make five votes, CBS was one of the networks greatly concerned about their "respect of precedent", and how they would protect "woman's rights."
So, is abortion only a "woman's right" and "precedent" in America? Or is Life only important for economic reasons?
Maybe CB.S. is just plain hypocritical.
posted by Rebekah @ 1:31 PM
