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The Silent Scream
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The Silent Scream is a anti-abortion propaganda video which allegedly depicts an actual abortion via ultrasound. Produced in 1984, it has been used to scare the bejesus out of generations of people, including children.
In 1985, a panel of medical experts convened by Planned Parenthood declared that the video was "riddled with scientific, medical, and legal inaccuracies, misleading statements, and exaggerations".[1] The film is shown frequently at crisis pregnancy centers, which are not abortion clinics but deceptive anti-abortion establishments.
Dr. Edwin Myer, chairman of the department of pediatric neurology at the Medical College of Virginia, says "that the fetus feels pain is a totally ridiculous statement. Pain implies cognition. There is no brain to receive the information."[2]
Of course, nothing of the above stopped the film from being shown in the White House to President Ronald Reagan,[3] who claimed that "if every member of Congress could see that film, they would move quickly to end the tragedy of abortion."[4]
Five physicians review the film[edit]
Five physicians were invited by CBS Morning News to see the film and analyze it.
Dr. Niebyl pointed out, "right before (Dr. Nathanson) says the fetus is reacting and fighting aggressively, he has the film in very slow motion. Then, as the suction catheter's placed, he turns it on to regular speed. It's really very misleading."[5]
Oh, well. At least this garbage film inspired a pretty cool Slayer song.
Watch![edit]
External links[edit]
- The Silent Scream on IMDb
- See the Wikipedia article on The Silent Scream.
- Transcript of The Silent Scream on Wikisource
References[edit]
- ↑ Planned Parenthood. Facts Speak Louder Than The Silent Scream 03-02. Scribd.
- ↑ Ladin, Kim. Manipulative 'Silent Scream'. The Mail. The Harvard Crimson. March 11, 1985.
- ↑ DeParle, Jason.Beyond the legal right; why liberals and feminists don't like to talk about the morality of abortion. Business Library. April 1989. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012.
- ↑ Zintl, Robert T. et al. Abortion: New Heat Over an Old Issue. Time. February 4, 1985. Archived from the original on January 24, 2011.
- ↑ "A False 'Scream'", The New York Times, 11 March 1985