We have seen how cloaked science has become another tool of abortion disinformation, and a variety of examples. In this Diary we will come to the point. What do these Pro-Liars want? What is the plan? Then what? What can we do about it, and what are we doing about it?
TL;DR The plan is for the usual suspects on SCOTUS to overturn Roe v. Wade, and have dozens of already-passed state trigger laws spring into effect banning all or nearly all abortions unconscionably early, long before fetal viability, the previous Supreme Court standard. Girls will have to bear the children of pedophile rapists, including family members, and share legal parentage. Miscarriages will be criminalized in some places. And so on. Women will die, poisoned by dying fetuses, as has happened in Ireland and Poland, with no possibility of a safe, lifesaving operation.
‘Her Heart Was Beating Too’: The Women Who Died After Abortion Bans
That case in Ireland roused the public against the Catholic Church hierarchy there and led to significant abortion rights legislation. The question is live right now in Poland.
This could be truly horrible for us. However, this is classic hater overreach. If they get that far the entire country, women and men alike, will rise in righteous wrath, with the newest martyrs to this hatred front and center in our protests and demonstrations.
SAY THEIR NAMES
We have the numbers from Gallup and elsewhere.
Do you think abortions should be legal under any circumstances, legal only under certain circumstances or illegal in all circumstances?
| Legal under any circumstances | Legal only under certain circumstances | Illegal in all circumstances | No opinion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 May 3-18 | 32% | 48% | 19% | 2% |
Expect new numbers in May, a month before SCOTUS is expected to rule.
Assuming, then, that we get two more Democrats in the Senate, so that Manchin and Sinema cannot filibuster about the filibuster, we can pass a law to make abortions legal in all cases that prior SCOTUS decisions allowed, at least, and also outlaw TRAP laws (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) that pretend to be for protecting women’s health, but are really about onerous and totally unnecessary regulation of abortion clinics and doctors.
And more.
So that’s where our side starts.
The House Passes A Bill Meant To Counter Texas-Style Abortion Bans
The Women's Health Protection Act would protect a person's ability to decide to continue or end a pregnancy and would enshrine into law health care providers' ability to offer abortion services "prior to fetal viability" without restrictions imposed by individual states, like requiring special admitting privileges for providers or imposing waiting periods.
It also would prohibit restrictions on abortion after fetal viability "when, in the good-faith medical judgment of the treating health care provider, continuation of the pregnancy would pose a risk to the pregnant patient's life or health."
Republicans argued that the bill goes too far, essentially limiting a state's ability to regulate or restrict abortions.
Genius! Congratulations! You figured it out, but you say that like it’s a baaad thing that will bring down the Republic!
The following sections come from a Truth Brigade campaign explainer.
Our Messaging
We are taking on abortion rights in this campaign, and, by extension, the disinformation tactic of using fake science to infiltrate minds across the board. Of course it's unlikely we can influence SCOTUS, but anti-reproductive choice propaganda poisons minds against all humans; and influences key local legislative decisions. Right now, Anti-choice networks are taking advantage of the legal landscape to try mobilizing and persuading people in support of overturning Roe. We can’t let these misleading and dangerous arguments go unchallenged, so it’s important we get ahead of these arguments to stand up for reproductive rights and verifiable science!
WHAT WE KNOW
With all the crises currently facing our country, protections of the reproductive freedom enshrined by the Supreme Court in 1973 can get lost in the mix. If the Court overturns Roe (which 69% of Americans oppose), at least 26 states and 20 court cases are next in line to potentially restrict abortion access further. More than 900 anti-choice measures have been passed in states in the last two decades.
In addition to peddling false narratives about reproductive health, anti-choice disinformers are latching on to a new lie – claiming overturning Roe would update laws in line with “modern science.” This might include scientific-sounding claims about when a fetus is viable or when “life begins.” It also often involves a tactic of using scientific-sounding references to hide ideology-driven misinformation, called “cloaked science,” Within these references to “science” are often misleading images or graphic descriptions that are meant to tug at our emotions.
By claiming to stand for “science,” anti-choice networks try to give their arguments a false sense of credibility - but scientists have said repeatedly that these portrayals of abortion are dangerous and false.
Those pushing dangerous messages about reproductive health are also often the same few mega bad-acting networks and accounts pushing other problematic narratives, including misinformation regarding COVID vaccines and white nationalism.
WHAT WE CAN DO
Pick your first platform for disinfo disruption
Decide where you will share your message. Will it be on Twitter? Facebook? In an Indivisible meeting? In a blog? The place you share will determine the length of your message. We recommend you start where you’re most comfortable and post most frequently.We know that in-network messages from peer to peer are trusted and shared most often!
Draft your message using the “Truth Sandwich” frame
Quick start: Copy and personalize this suggested Truth Sandwich message.
There’s nothing more personal than pregnancy. Anyone using one study or “science” to support restricting abortion is giving a misleading picture for their own agenda. My mantra: more support for pregnant people, less disinformation about people's private health!
#TruthBrigade
Here’s the shorthand version of the Truth Brigade-style Truth Sandwich description to use online and offline–remember, the order matters:
TRUTH: State personal and truthful shared values
OPEN MINDS: Question the motives of the messenger to encourage critical thought
TRUTH: State the truth again, in a way that gets you to shared benefits or positive actions
Truth Sandwich details: Research suggests humans tend to remember what they hear first, last and most often, so we recommend creating your message to counter disinformation in the form of a “Truth Sandwich,” in which the truth is shared to start and end your message.
Our Truth Brigade system goes even further in our messaging to positively influence the reader or listener. We know that humans lower defenses and form relationships when values are shared–so that first declaration should not only be truthful, but an expression of commonly held beliefs.
Next, rather than repeat the lie or the disinformation language, disrupt the disinformation and encourage critical thinking by questioning disinformers’ motives or the veracity of the source. Why? It works. Arguing usually closes minds, gentle questioning opens them.
Close your message with a truthful and inspiring statement about the benefits that arise from this shared truth, or with a proactive related action.
Here are some ways to personalize this message–and do experiment with “I” messages:
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Tips
Abortion is hard to talk about! This is a really tough topic, but part of the reason abortion extremists are effective is because they are loud about an issue many people avoid. Remember not to get drawn into any arguments. Most importantly, do not argue with someone as though false and misleading claims have valid standing - don’t accept their premise! Instead, don’t engage where it isn’t valuable, and do focus on standing up for our values instead.
But what about the media? You may be tempted to tag media outlets that share cloaked science. Yes! And…no. If a mainstream media outlet shares cloaked science, by all means tag that outlet (not the individual journalist) in your posts, especially on Twitter. But do so cautiously–make sure the outlet sharing the false info is a real news site, and not a right-wing propaganda site in disguise (which would be a waste of time to tag).
By the way, if you are interested in media accountability, Media Matters published research today showing the Washington Post and its sister publication The Lily have given a spotlight to anti-abortion activists. You can also consider sharing this article and tagging these publications (WaPo Facebook, WaPo Twitter, Lily Facebook, Lily Twitter) asking them to do better!
Include a link to a trustworthy article and/or a graphic to get attention.
We’ve seen debate about whether a personal, no-graphics post is most effective, or whether visuals are most sticky. Most research supports that powerful graphics in posts do help spur social engagement, and of course some platforms (TikTok, Instagram) require graphics or videos.
Our take: use common sense. If you have a super-pithy message and lots of followers looking for your catchy comments, go for it. If you don’t have a ton of followers, a visual can draw more attention.
Tailor this message to make it personal to you. We’ve written the sample Truth Brigade sandwich to be short enough for Twitter, but you can use it as is or lengthen it for a Facebook post, or turn it into a blog or an in-person discussion.
Share on multiple platforms. Share first on the platform where you spend the most time—then expand your reach! Facebook is often used first by Brigaders, but Twitter is also valuable as many journalists and politicians get and share their information there. Share on any other platforms, too—even on social communities like NextDoor!
Share your Truth Sandwich offline. Consider letters to the editor, blogs and even in conversation. Would you like to hold an educational event for your Indivisible group? Let us help! Write to us at TruthBrigade@Indivisible.org.
Always use this Hashtag on Twitter and public Facebook posts: #TruthBrigade
3. Amplify others’ messages once you’re done with yours!
Search for #TruthBrigade on Twitter and Facebook to find other posts. Like, comment, and share to help amplify and boost those posts as well! (On Twitter, remember to click on “Latest” instead of “Top” Posts to see everyone.)
This campaign has been written to be 501(c)(3) compliant with the sole purpose of educating the public on issues. It is not intended to influence or make reference to any candidate, campaign, political party or election.
RESOURCES
Trustworthy articles to pull from and/or link to:
NARAL Pro-Choice America: Anti-Choice Movement Doubles Down on “Pro-Science” Narratives and Disinformation
NARAL Pro-Choice America: Overlap Between Supreme Court Justices and Anti-Choice Talking Points During Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization Arguments
NARAL Pro-Choice America: What anti-choice measures are in place in your state?
Brennan Center: The ‘Invent-Your-Own-Facts Approach’: Many Abortion Laws Use Medically Incorrect Language
Nature: Why hundreds of scientists are weighing in on a high-stakes US abortion case
Scientific American: Abortion Bans Based on So-Called “Science” Are Fraudulent
The Cut: Fact-checking the Arguments That Could Overturn Roe v. Wade
Closing Thoughts from Other Sources
7 maps and charts that show what could happen if Roe v. Wade fell
A scientist weighs up the five main anti-abortion arguments
or rather, myths.
No, abortion does not lead to depression and suicide
No, abortion does not cause cancer
No, abortion does not reduce fertility
No, the foetus cannot feel pain before 26 weeks
No, reducing access to abortion does not decrease demand for abortion
And we can add that there is no fetal heartbeat at the stage of development where there is no heart, just random electrical signals.
And further, life does not begin at conception. The egg and sperm cells are alive before that, and have ancestors in the parents going back to their conceptions and beyond for more than four billion years, just as with every lifeform, whether it consists of multiple cells or a single cell.