Media, Abortion Establishment Silence on Chen and Forced Abortions in China

Chen Guangcheng, the blind Chinese human rights activist who was imprisoned and brutally beaten for exposing forced abortions in China, is now safely in the United States with his family.  Chen’s story is a major media sensation and was a diplomacy nightmare for the United States and China.  A media sensation except for one thing.  The media in general when reporting on Chen’s plight leave out the part about forced abortions in China — virtual silence in most major news stories.

But, even more appalling is the silence of the Abortion Establishment.   Where are the champions of choice?  Planned Parenthoood?   NARAL?  NOW?  The Obama administration?  They have ignored the atrocities committed by the Chinese government and cannot bring themselves to denounce the brutality visited upon Chinese women who dare to try to have a second child.  In fact, they routinely support taxpayer funding to the UNFPA which supports China’s one-child policy.

A beautiful exception to the silent treatment is Melinda Henneberger, a columnist for the Washington Post, who wrote a compelling article about a Chinese woman who testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, and Human Rights last week.   Henneberger tells the story of Mei Shunping who, according to her testimony, was forced into five abortions.  “That fifth was the saddest day of my life,” Mei told the subcommittee.   According to Henneberger, “Mei was alone — her husband had been tossed in jail — and there was no one to lean on as she collapsed in pain after the ‘procedure.’”    “My young son didn’t know what was happening and kept crying for his father.   I didn’t know what to do and could only hold my son and cry with him.   Even now, when I think of all this, my heart shudders and the pain throbs.”

Henneberger zeroes in on the silence of the Obama administration and pro-abortion groups by pointing to pro-lifers “who’ve provided most of Chen’s support.”  “But if the brutal oppression of women robbed of any semblance of ‘choice’ isn’t something we can all agree on, I don’t know what would be.”  Good question, Melinda.

Barbara Lyons