Abortion: A right that's wrong

Even as the abortion culture sinks itself deeper into the fabric of American life—pro-lifers are preparing to mourn the 26th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade decision—several factors continue to chip away at its acceptability. Political challenges, cultural argument, and compassionate alternatives are slowly but surely helping to form the consensus that abortion is wrong. A look back at abortion in America since the last dark Roe anniversary. | Roy Maynard

Although the murder of abortionist Barnett Slepian hoarded the headlines, many abortion stories were of greater significance throughout the year.

The pro-life movement will likely remember 1998 as the year when an American consensus began to emerge: The sexual revolution is over, and its deadly attendant, unrestricted abortion, is wrong, even if it's a right. Partial-birth abortion was the wedge issue that worked. Even the pro-aborts acknowledge this.

"The strategy of the anti-choice movement to shift from broad public attempts to overturn Roe in favor of a more incremental approach is working," National Abortion Rights Action League president Kate Michelman said—and the key technique was "graphic publicity" about the procedure. What works in the public mind and what works in the courts, however, are two different things.