Late last month, the internet descended into justified outrage over the launch of a “spa-like” abortion clinic located in Friendship Heights, just outside of Washington, D.C. Carafem’s approach to the business of abortion is made clear in one of their many flippant, casual slogans: Abortion. Yeah, we do that.
In my head, I always follow it up with, You got a PROBLEM with that? Yes, yes I do.
The clinic’s founders are loud and proud about what they do, and they want to make sure that their patients feel comfortable with their choice to end the life of the tiny human incubating peacefully within. Carafem’s new ad campaign, however, goes one step further, and challenges the existence itself of rightful opposition to abortion.
Watch:
It’s clever, really. The judgment of middle class America vs. the right of a woman to choose abortion. Not only does the ad shame today’s pro-life community, it compares today’s debate on abortion with the 60’s- and 70’s-era debates over things that are perfectly mainstream today, like contraception and the working mom.
Carafem isn’t just selling their services; they’re selling an ad-by-ad, “an idea whose time has come”-type moral cop-out.
I know that. You know that. You know who doesn’t know that? The men and women who will see Carafem’s banner ads in metro stations around the DC area—and that’s the real problem here.
A few years ago, Stephen Crowder put out a great parody ad nailing the abortion industry over their efforts to normalize their services. He compared their tactics to those of a used car salesmen—and he was absolutely right. This ad, although slick and polished-looking, uses the same strategy.
Some Conservatives were offended at that video 6 years ago. You should be. Because killing a baby and sucking it down a tube is offensive. But if you compare the two videos, mine, which was designed as over-the-top satire, is now actually quite tame compared to the real thing. Abortion clinics are now calling themselves “spas” and putting out comedy commercials. That’s how far we’ve come.Conservatives need to address this head-on, and stop playing nice. Stop being polite, stop fading into the night in the name of “civility.” Get angry, get loud, get offensive and go save some damn babies.
This is the war. “Feminism” isn’t going to let abortion go without a fight, and the strategy they’re using isn’t one that depends on the country’s acceptance of abortion or feminism itself. All they need to do is convince enough people that those who oppose abortion are doing so from a place of judgment and snark, and not a place of wanting to save lives.
The scariest part? It’ll work, unless conservatives fight tooth and nail against this message. Right now.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL VERSION OF THIS STORY