Francis Chartrand for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

The column I wrote on Henry Morgentaler, Monday, has earned a tsunami of reactions - some fairly virulent, thank you.

Several readers have told me that, contrary to what I said, the theory of Dr. Morgentaler (namely that the legalization of abortion reduces crime rates) is nothing ridiculous.

A WAR OF FIGURES

I do not want to enter a war of figures rising 25 feet over the head of everyone, but if the question you want, do searches, you will see: several renowned economists and statisticians RÉFUTENT these studies. For every study saying that there is a link between abortion and crime rates, there is a study that proves the contrary.

Some statisticians even claim that, contrary to what was written Levitt, the crime rate has increased since the legalization of abortion!

Should we conclude that abortion INCREASES the crime rate? "Of course not" meet the pro-choice. "It does absolutely nothing to say ..." It's bizarre, is not it?

When the figures support our position, the figures are right. But when the numbers run counter to our position, the figures are wrong and studies are worth nothing.

AN PRETENTIUS AFFIRMATION

You know Malcolm Gladwell? He wrote the bestseller The Tipping Point and Blink.

In his blog, Gladwell refutes the theory of Levitt saying that the drop in crime observable across West can be explained by several factors: an increase in the number of police in the streets, increasing the overall standard of living of citizens , The change of values, adopting a more severe sentence, and so on.

Confirming, as did Henry Morgentaler, that abortion reduces crime rates does not stand two seconds.

Besides, everyone knows we can say anything to the figures. Do you know that there are studies saying that the legalization of abortion has reduced the number of smokers?

I am sure we could establish a link between the legalization of abortion and the increase in cases of death by cholesterol.

LET'S STERILYSE THE POOR!

Despite what some readers wrote me, I persist and sign: I think the statement of Dr. Morgentaler extremely doubtful.

In the USA, a study by the National Center for Health Statistics says that these are mostly the poor who are aborted. Is this because there is LESS than poor that crime decline?

In this case, stérilisons the poor, there will be more problem!

When a study establishing a link between the increase in the number of homosexuals in a city and the increase of cases of STDs? Or between the increase in the number of blacks and the growing crime rate?

Commentators on the American far right have délectés the study of Steven Levitt. For them, this is proof by A + B that there are fewer blacks and poor in a society, the more crime declines.

For me, these studies are also doubtful and as dangerous as those establishing a link between race and intelligence quotient.

Link

Labels: Abortion, Richard Martineau

# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 10:29 AM