"So you're saying that at this stage, it would not be a baby?" said Ryan to Canada's most prominent abortionist.
"Oh no, that there looks like a baby," Morgentaler replied.
Surprised at the response, Ryan pressed further. "You realize that this is of 11 or 12 weeks' gestation?"
Incredulous at the claim, Morgentaler took the model from Ryan's hand. "No," he said. "Give me that."
Morgentaler eyed the model for a moment and turned it over in his hand, before handing it back to Ryan without saying anything further. Ryan was again met with silence when he pointed out that abortions are committed at Morgentaler's abortuary past that point of fetal development.
And so concluded one of many remarkable exchanges as Ryan, executive director of New Brunswick Right to Life and president of Campaign Life Coalition New Brunswick, went tete a tete on Oct. 23 with a man regarded by both friend and foe alike as Mr. Abortion in Canada.
As someone who has studied history, and know that two people can have completely different perceptions of the same event or conversation, I really wish I could have Morgentaler's take on this.
Morgentaler appeared pleased about the meeting and was telling people about the encounter. He also sought someone to take a picture of he and Ryan together.
Oh, what I would give to get my hands on that picture.
I would love to have more input on this encounter.
Actually, this is not the first time I've heard of Morgentaler speaking to pro-lifers. I know he's on speaking terms with Jim Hughes of Campaign Life Coalition. I've heard Jim Hughes speak of meeting Morgentaler, and now I have this little tidbit.
I wonder what Morgentaler's reaction is.
It wouldn't surprise me if he had no recollection of these conversations. It's like when you're in high school, and you're the guy with the crush on the cheerleader, and you have a conversation, and you remember every word you had with that girl, but to the girl, it's ho-hum just another day at school, and by next week she forgets she ever spoke to you.
This is just interesting. That's all. I came upon it as a I was doing some research.
UPDATE:
I was wondering about Morgentaler's reaction to Peter Ryan's description of the unborn child. It seemed unfathomable to me that Morgentaler was that ignorant of fetal development. The information is available in any obstetric textbook (and on the internet).
I found this quote from Morgentaler on the Human Life International website:
"People who say that the heart starts beating 18 days after conception are crazy. At 10 weeks, the embryo still only weighs one ounce, so how could it have a fully formed heart?"
— Canadian abortionist Henry Morgentaler.[5]
The citation is:
[5] Canadian abortionist Henry Morgentaler, quoted in Lynda Hurst. "Pro-Abortionist: Decision is Woman's, Abortion Doctor Says." The Toronto Star, November 29, 1973, page E1.
That is an astonishing quote.
