In Context: 5 Web Perspectives On A Story In The News

Anti-abortion movement

(CBC) Students at the University of Calgary have been charged with trespassing at an anti-abortion event. The event inspired some students to protest. The Calgary Campus Pro Life group is expected to enter a plea by the end of the month. A university lawyer has said that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, regarding freedom of expression does not apply to university students. The pro-life group was taking part in a nation-wide campaign, the Genocide Awareness Project that compares abortion to the holocaust. The school threatened legal action against the group last November for putting graphic posters up where they were highly visible.

1.

Conservatives look at re-opening debate

CBC
Last December, a conservative MP began to talk of reopening the debate to make abortiion illegal again in Canada, after 20 years. The article quotes Joyce Arthur as saying anti-abortionists are getting more energized because the majority of the conservative cabinet are openly against abortion. It's good to see some of the Canadian political angle behind the issue. The site contains links to related articles through CBC and has an in-depth feature on the abortion debate in Canada.

2.

Where should you stand?

National Post
This is a good read if you want to hear from a woman who is pro-choice but supports the right to be anti-abortion. It's a direct transcript of one of Barbara Kay's speeches. She calls out the Genocide Awareness Project for being melodramatic and not looking at any other part of the comparison but numbers. The piece is editorial and open to comments. It‘s a good chance to engage in debate with other readers.

3.

What pro-choice is saying

Blog of Choice
This is a site that offers readers a wide variety of pro-choice blog entries. It also has a few links to YouTube videos that show women giving their opinions on the issue. Most of the front page entries are about hope that Obama will introduce some kind of pro-choice legislation in the United States. The Blog is run by NARAL pro-choice America, out of Washington D.C. Many of the bloggers have spent time working for the government, and a few have YouTube videos of themselves in their biographies.

4.

Where does abortion stand in the big picture?

rhrealitycheck.org
This is a blog that focuses on debates surrounding reproductive health. It takes into account not just abortion, but quite a few other ethical issues. On Emily Douglass's page, abortion seems to be the front page issues though. It's updated frequently. The whole front page is covered with articles and opinions that have appeared within the past 48 hours regarding abortion, both for and against it. There is a sidebar to blogs on several other topics on everything from human rights to Shakespeare.

5.

Even the doughnut shop has an opinion

Miami New Times
And now for something completely different. Krispy Kreme took a political stance last January and offered Freedom of Choice doughnuts to celebrate Obama's inauguration. Patrons could choose whatever doughnut they wanted, for free. A Catholic anti-abortion group went into full uproar mode over the press release for the event. They argued that using the word "choice" was a blatant pro-choice ploy to seduce Americans into accepting abortion. The American League for Life warned that sinister motives could be seen on the conveyor belt of doughnuts on inauguration day.