Left’s Extremism Drives Abortion Debate [OPINION]

The left has hated on Donald Trump from day one because it feared what a Trump presidency might mean for Roe v. Wade and a woman's so-called right to choose.

Radical women's groups and their supporters took to the streets wearing vagina hats on Inauguration Day and launched a full-scale assault on then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh for fear he might be confirmed and vote to overturn Roe.

It is always Roe. Roe and the fervent drive to protect the right to murder the unborn has steered political discussion and policy in this country for decades. All political debate begins and ends with Roe. Even when it is not obvious, it is right there beneath the surface.

In response to Trump's win and his reshaping of the Supreme Court, the left has attempted to protect access to abortion on demand in those states they control. The mistake is that they went overboard with absurd, extreme laws and proposals that permit abortion up to the moment of dilation. The discussion has even involved killing a fetus that survives an abortion attempt.

Such cruel, heartless images have filled the minds of many who have sat passively on the sidelines of the abortion debate for years and have mobilized those who have fought tirelessly to end the barbaric practice of snuffing out an innocent life.

It is the extremists, and not Trump, that have tilted the debate. As a result, tough new abortion laws are advancing in Alabama and other states. The emergence of the new "Pro-Life Generation" is the result of the left wing vastly overplaying its hand while exposing the ugly face of abortion on demand.

Abortion on demand is not a women's health issue, nor is it guaranteed under the Constitution. The argument that because a woman carries the unborn child that men have no say in the abortion discussion is totally absurd on many levels. That's like suggesting that only bank robbers can discuss whether bank robberies should be illegal. Besides, men play an essential role in creating life. There are not many immaculate conceptions occurring that I am aware of.

This debate is far from over and should feature prominently in the upcoming presidential debates.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.