MORAL CONSISTENCY AND THE ABORTION ISSUE:

...Moreover, the multiple levels on which children were slaughtered, which elicited no discernible the film is attempting to work don't always enhance response from the anti-abortion forces despite the close- each other...

...It also moral solidarity with Richard Nixon-participating in would have had to be changed in any case as a result prayer meetings at the White House, giving the invo- of the Supreme Court decision of January 1973, accordcation at the Republican Convention of 1972, inviting ing to which most legal restrictions on abortions up to the President to address the National Catholic Education the sixth month of pregnancy would be unconstitutional...

...innocence and defenselessness of pre-birth humanity, in contrast with the greater complexity of the situation in D° This is based on religious affiliations listed in the Pennsylvania Manual, 1973...

...The final free-for-all with the railroad had been cut from an original two hours plus to its gang takes place on a replica of Rocky Ridge's main Commonweal: 61...

...Information was also gathered on was statistically significant and "pro-life," in contrast the political party, religion, age, and rural or urban constituency of each legislator...

...A similar lack of communication and under- abortion and the "right to life" in other contexts-and standing is found in the reverse direction as well, but the hypothesiss that these positions tend to reflect tradimost peace activists have not rested their case on the tional values and attitudes rather than any belief in the general principle of the "right to life...

...This might conceivably has been prepared by the authors...

...19174...

...But in nation that this film is usually working full tilt on three truth I think it is a weakness in the social satire, not different levels at once: social satire, straight, old- its strength, that interferes with the total effect of the fashioned slapstick comedy, and parody of various film at these moments...

...Out of congrabbing railroad men with the aid of an unwilling and sideration for our touchy sensibilities, Brooks shies away unwelcome sheriff...

...There was also tures over those with constructive social content...

...tend to be middle-class, middle-of-the-road, respectable, The precise extent of overlap and inconsistency between 'law-and-order' oriented people," seldom "see the con- the anti-abortion and pro-war (etc...

...800) was introduced existence-is sacred and inviolable" (Philadelphia In- by Representative Martin Mullen (Republican and Cathquirer, January 22, 1974...

...our prejudices seem so apparent and inept that we might Unhappily, that's often all it is: a sketch...

...Catholic legislators' votes recorded in favor of the antiThere is also a statistically significant relationship abortion bill, 97 (or 84 percent) voted for the rebetween the Catholic affiliation of Pennsylvania legis- institution of capital punishment and 88 (76 percent) lators and opposition to the Good Time bill, which, as voted against the anti-war Vietnam motion...

...The almost indulgent reaction to them...

...positions has rarely nections between what they are doing and what the been examined or explored in any detail...

...What is more, there have 22 March 1974: 60 been large scale massacres in Hiroshima and Nagasaki present ninety-three minutes...

...This supports the hypothesis that attitudes and Catholicism is positively related to support of the wel- votes on abortion are connected with underlying tradifare deficiency bill, but the relationship is too weak tional attitudes that have little connection with any to be statistically significant, although the anti-abortion general pro-life sentiments...

...To tive traditional values and attitudes, including an ele- escap...

...As a paro- him to be tolerant of white society rather than vice versa...

...Further, anti- simultaneously opposing abortion and liberalization of abortion campaigners in Great Britain, who he believes abortion laws on the basis of a "right to life" principle...

...An extremely rematter is simply "that human life-at every stage of its strictive anti-abortion bill (H.B...

...Any interested reader may obtain it by writing to Dr...

...Nixon In the same session of the legislature a bill was introhas dropped more bombs than any man in history and duced that would have reinstituted capital punishment has been quite open in his preference for arms expendi- in the state of Pennsylvania (H.B...

...As a social satire, it has this sheriff from any really acerbic visions of race relations...

...and at once shrugs off these gullible yokels with an unconcerned air...

...The trouble enough to make up a whole movie...

...For instance, when motivating forces that can explain such a dichotomy he first arrives in Rocky Ridge, the town where he's seem to derive from a complex melange of conserva- to be sheriff, the entire population draws on him...

...MARY W. HERMAN is a mem- human life...

...Association, etc.-undeterred by the fact that Mr...

...Like All in the Family, Brooks' film makes a sketch...

...The fact is that Brooks is letting other Hollywood genres, most notably, of course, the us off easily, and by us I mean the audience for whom Western...

...Of the 39 noted, is of arguable value but is, on balance, regarded legislators voting against the original abortion bill only by Pennsylvania progressives as a positive piece of pri- 20 (51 percent) voted for a reinstatement of capital son reform legislation...

...especially where Bart is concerned...

...Martin Mullen, author of the anti-abortion significant...

...Bart pulls out his own gun as if he too were ment of nationalism, of religious belief, and of puri- getting the drop on himself...

...between the concern over pre-birth life and a too fre- In Brooks' view the former requires that, as a black quent better-than-average willingness to see it extin- man, Bart see through the bigotries, hypocrisies and guished thereafter is incompatible with any real ad- illusions of the whites...

...He must be capable of a knowing, herence to a general principle of "right to life...

...680, the "Good abortion laws...

...by our statistical procedures, a very important necesThese provided the material for analyzing together sity since party affiliation is probably the main dethe votes by members of the Pennsylvania House on the terminant of most votes in the Pennsylvania legislature...

...Yet the Cardinal, despite a olic), passed by the House, reconsidered, vetoed by number of general statements in recent years denouncing Democratic Governor Shapp, and then passed over his inflated arms budgets and war as detrimental to the in- veto...

...This is because the It is hard to avoid the conclusion that for a substan- social satire and the slapstick comedy make contrary tial number of anti-abortion proponents the dichotomy demands on his role...

...Analysis of this information shows, not surprisingly, that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between Catholicism among Pennsylvania legislators** and voting for an anti-abortion position, with an overwhelming 38 of 39 Catholic legislators (97 percent) voting for the original anti-abortion bill...

...884...

...The analysis also shows that there was a significant "antilife" relationship between Catholic affiliation and support for the reinstitution of capital punishment and a with the Catholicism effect...

...They may also be a reflection of the in- refuge of the jail...

...The anti-abortion bill Catholics punishment and 21 (55 percent) against the Kaufman voted 21 to 17 (55 percent) against the Good Time bill...

...bill Catholic legislators voted for it by 33 to 5. To summarize and conclude, then, there would seem to be a serious inconsistency in the attitudes of many ° The standard regression analysis employed is too compli- anti-abortion legislators, probably similar to that of the cated and cumbersome to describe in this article, but a short anti-abortion constituency at large, between the "right technical summary of the methods and main resultant equations to life" before and after birth...

...The first two votes provide measures of legislaROBERT EDELSTEIN and EDWARD S. HERMAN teach in the Wharton tors' reactions to the direct termination of post-fetal School, University of Pennsylvania...

...Specifically, he ing-class people, and middle-aged or older members of points out the inconsistency between "the rejection of the population-the "hard hat" and "silent majority" abortion, on the grounds of protecting innocent human constituencies-have taken essentially "right to death" life," and the failure to reject "indiscriminate violence positions on war, welfare and "law and order," while or the threat of it in `defense' policy...

...10], there seems to be a basic contra- that Cardinal Krol is far from exceptional, and that disdiction in the position many people take on abortion and proportionate numbers of Catholics, low-income workon the "right to life" in other contexts...

...which Miss Kahn warbles complainingly about how tired Blazing Saddles is thus careful-too careful-not to she is `from the waist down...

...The pa- ward the Vietnam conflict...

...This listing may well be incomplete, so post-birth life...

...MORAL CONSISTENCY AND THE ABORTION ISSUE ROBERT EDELSTEIN, EDWARD S. HERMAN and MARY W. HERMAN Protecting human life before and after birth As Brian Wicker indicated in his "Angola Comes to Casual familiarity with the American scene suggests Britain" [Aug...

...For example, of the 116 nonman motion...

...Bart supplied by the corrupt state government turn out to takes whitey's abuse in stride as if the problem were for be a black man, Black Bart (Cleavon Little...

...The Senate, however, failed to override the Goverterests of the world's poor, has manifested a steadfast nor's veto, so that this bill did not become law...

...abortion bills and on the set of bills and motion that A majority of Pennsylvania House Catholics are Demowere related to the preservation and enhancement of crats...

...And a motion introduced by Representative Gerald Kaufman while the Cardinal did speak out against the bombing of that would have given the House an opportunity to exHanoi in 1972, he had been conspicuously silent on the press its views on the Vietnam war-a motion that was savageries and violations of the sacredness of human recognized as itself representing a negative attitude tolife in Indochina for the previous seven years...

...The Democratic party variable showed no signifilife after birth...

...bill, and one who, like Cardinal Krol, defends it on It should be noted that support for the restrictive the grounds of the sanctity of all human life, voted for original anti-abortion bill was correlated with "antithe return of capital punishment in Pennsylvania and life" positions on the part of non-Catholic legislators in favor of the Vietnam war (i.e., against the Kauf- as well as Catholics...

...Such an It might seem that Brooks has just decided he must eccentric wealth of material comes out of his imagi- ultimately sacrifice the slapstick to the satire...

...Before the comedy has successfully run its course, such a gesture of bemusement, repeated at BLACK COMEDY the conclusion of skit after skit, kills the laugh every time...

...But there are still dead (1945), Indonesia (1965-1966), Indochina (1965- spots where Brooks can't think of anything genuinely 1973) and Burundi (1972-1973), to name only a few, funny to do, so he has the school marm, or whoever, where very large numbers of babes in arms and small say a dirty word...

...indicators of concern with human welfare, despite the Commonweal: 59 fact that the prison reform bill was considered by some In determining "significant relationship" the "Catholicto be a flawed piece of legislation on its own liberal ism effect" has been separated from the "party effect" premises...

...dy it begins with a spoof on "Ghost Riders in the Sky" He can even manipulate the white man and avoid the sung by Frankie Lane, and includes a Madeline Kahn consequences of his malice so handily, that malice need take-off of Marlene Dietrich's Descry Rides Again in not be thought of as a legitimate problem anyway...

...Whatever the gesture might do for the social satire, 00000000000000 it is a wet blanket on the slapstick...

...As a slapstick comedy it deals with the plight the film was made, the white middle-class audience with of a frontier town that has to defend itself from land- whom the film will have to make its nut...

...motion...

...The last two bills may be regarded as crude ber of the staff of Thomas Jefferson University...

...The Catholic legislators who variable was significant and progressive on prison revoted for the anti-abortion bill, voted 34 to 4 (90 per- form (in contrast with the Catholicism vote) and sigcent) for the reinstitution of capital punishment and 30 nificantly in favor of the welfare deficiency bill (whereas to 8 (80 percent) against the anti-war Kaufman motion the Catholic variable was positive but not statistically on Vietnam...

...These data were then analyzed to test the statistical significance of the relevant relationships...

...Despite generating with Blazing Saddles is that it's a comedy not black some material that works on all three levels, Brooks enough...

...securities, fears and difficulties of people trying to adapt This is a funny bit too, until Bart makes it to safety in a rapidly changing and confusing world...

...sanctity of human life per se-was presented by legisJohn Cardinal Krol, however, to take a recent and lation acted upon in the Pennsylvania House of Repretypical illustration, states that as regards abortion the sentatives in the 1971-1972 session...

...long-haired, disheveled, free-wheeling `peace' people are An opportunity to test consistency in attitudes toward up to...

...In addition, a deficiency rochial school children of Philadelphia were never bussed appropriation needed to continue payments to welfare during school hours to a demonstration against the Viet- recipients and a prison reform bill which would have nam war, or inflation of the arms budget, or cutbacks allowed the parole board to exercise greater discretion in social services, as they were recently to protest liberal over prison time to be served (H.B...

...Having thus taken himself tanical attitudes toward work, vice, sin and proper hostage, he edges himself through the crowd toward the retribution...

...applicable to human beings...

...Time" prison reform bill), were considered by the legislature...

...In the end, however, it's the Hollywood parody that On the program notes distributed at the press screening, comes to the top and dominates both -the social satire a correction inserted by hand suggested that the film and the slapstick...

...But this distinction automatically comthat some, but probably not many, with a Catholic affiliation prises "right to life" as a general and sacred principle show up in our data as non-Catholic...

...It is, as the saying goes, offend us...

...At times, in fact, they cancel each other out, ness of many of the victims to fetal innocence...

...Robert Edelstein, W-125 Dietrich be explained and justified on the grounds of the utter Hall, University of Pennsylvania, Phila...

...Data was collected on the votes of each cant relationships in the voting on two of the three member of the House on the two versions of the anti- abortion votes, although for the third the party vote abortion bill (plus the vote for overriding Shapp's veto) itself was anti-abortion...

...But on the capital punishment and on the four pieces of legislation pertaining to post- and Vietnam war issues the Democratic party effect fetal life and welfare...

...It's not conclude they must be harmless as well...

...doesn't always have what he needs to keep the film going...

...and the Democratic party pro-Vietnam war stance...

...his new film, Blazing Saddles, demonstrates...

...The mice en scene of slapstick is destroyed when the protagonist suddenly THE SCREEN switches from being the hapless victim of society to being a wry, ironic observer of it-when he unexpectedly turns out to be not so much the butt of the joke as the Mel Brooks has a truly baroque sense of humor, as practical joker himself...