In the next two days, more Black people will die in America than during the 100 years of lynching recorded after 1865. Quietly claiming almost 1500 Black lives every day, a vicious killer is working systematically through our families and communities, attracting very little attention while claiming enough lives to now boast of being the number one cause of death among Black people. Do you know what this killer is?

 You might think of AIDS. Or, even cancer and heart disease. Drugs and violence may even come as possibilities. But, the number one killer of African Americans today is abortion— the silent killer that we don’t talk about, publicly or in private. We do know about it though, because the statistics are almost overwhelming as Black women, in disproportionate numbers, are selecting this option to resolve their issues with unwanted pregnancies.

Statistics released in November 2005 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveal over 13 million Black babies have been killed through the process of abortion since 1973—that is 1/3 of our present population, and more than double the number killed during the Jewish holocaust of the 20^th century.  Of  the estimated 4000 abortions performed in the U.S. daily, Black women receive nearly 1500 of the total—about 37%.  This number is highly disproportionate when you consider Black women only comprise about 12% of the population. These figures may come as a shock to you, but it is a reality in Black America today.

Data collected from Planned Parenthood, the number one abortion provider in the nation, through its affiliate the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI), provides greater insight to this situation. From AGI, we learn that most Black women having abortions today are over 25 years of age (49%) and over three-fourths of the women are unmarried. Almost half of all these pregnancies are unplanned, half of which are terminated by abortion, and this number continues to grow.  Reasons most often given by women seeking abortion are the desire to postpone childbearing, lack of financial resources, or relationship issues with partner. Other reasons noted include too young, fear of disruption in education or career, or do not want the child.

In choosing to abort the child, women expose themselves to issues much greater than the reasons given for the abortion. Much attention today is being given to the physical and psychological consequences brought to bear upon the woman who chooses to terminate her pregnancy by abortion. In a study conducted in 1994 on post-abortion Black women, responses to a questionnaire indicated 81% of the women experienced one or more psychological complaints, ranging from feelings of guilt, to regret and often times deep depression. Other complaints revealed feelings of low self-esteem, anger, despair and even suicidal tendencies. Only one percent said they would recommend abortion to others.

Breast Cancer link

Much of the health concern today for women who have had an abortion centers on the increased risk of developing breast cancer. Although no one is saying abortion causes breast cancer, the statistics reflect a trend that cannot be ignored.  Since the legalization of abortion in 1973 (and the subsequent increase in abortions), the incidence of breast cancer in women has increased by more than 40%, and according to recent data released by the American Cancer Society, this cancer now ranks as a leading cause of death in African American women.

Similarly, information obtained from the Johns Hopkins Breast Center medical research website (Feb. 2003), states that African American women under age 35 are disproportionately affected by breast cancer, lending support to a study from 10 years prior by Howard University which found African American women at increased odds for the disease if they had a history of induced abortions. Could there be a connection between the incidence of abortion and the development of this disease?

Though many will argue the validity of this claim, medical / research groups such as the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, The Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, the National Physicians Center for Family Resources and others substantiate the claim as medically sound and documented by in-depth research results.

When abortion on demand was legalized in 1973, the general opinion was that abortion would serve as a harmless and effective means for a woman to control her rights to reproduction, and women have been encouraged to use this alternative when faced with the challenges of an unwanted pregnancy. New information obtained from the post-abortive studies tell us, to the contrary, that this is in fact a harmful and extremely costly alternative when we consider the psychological and physical risks involved with receiving an induced abortion. As these studies reveal, abortion is not only a matter of life or death for the unborn child, but quite possibly also for the mother. And the numbers, as they continue to multiply ever so quietly, sounds the alarm of a holocaust in Black America.

And we’re not talking about it…

Sources:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAlynching.htm

Laing et al, "Breast cancer risk factors in African-American women: the Howard University tumor registry experience," Journal of the National Medical Association 85:931, 12/9

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr//preview/mmwrhtml/ss5407a1.htm

Author's Biograpyhy
Brenda Rucker (B.A., M.A.) is a freelance writer, with particular interest in social issues and Black culture.