American comedian and talk show host Bill Maher has said that abortion is a kind of “murder” and that he is “okay with that”.
During a segment on his show Real Time with Bill Maher last Friday, the pro-abortion host was discussing the issue of abortion with the British talk show host and journalist, Piers Morgan.
“I scold the left when they say ‘Oh you know what, they just hate women, people who aren’t pro-choice’. They [pro-lifers] don’t hate women. They [pro-choicers] just made that up”.
“[Pro-lifers] think it’s murder and… it kind of is. I’m just okay with that. I am. I mean, there’s eight billion people in the world. I’m sorry, we won’t miss you. That’s my position on it”.
After a moment of silence, Piers Morgan says “That’s quite harsh Bill”, to which Maher replied “Is that not your position if you’re pro-choice?”. Morgan indicated that this was his position.
Christopher Reid, a radio host in Huntsville, Alabama, said Maher’s comments were “the only honest pro-choice argument I have ever heard in my entire life!” adding “It’s remarkable that he is admitting what everyone who supports abortion realizes deep down, but so few will ever say it”.
“Bill Maher says the quiet part out loud”, wrote March for Life on X.
Maher’s comments took place after Piers Morgan explained that the current situation in the USA, in which abortion law varies from state to state, is not dissimilar to the situation in Europe where some countries have more pro-life laws than others.
A contradiction at the heart of the UK abortion law
Originally set at 28 weeks, the abortion limit was lowered in 1990 to 24 weeks gestation. Improved survival rates for extremely premature babies between 24 and 28 weeks was one of the key considerations that motivated this change.
By the same logic, and informed by the improved survival rates for babies born at 22 and 23 weeks gestation, MPs are now calling for the abortion time limit to be updated.
Research published in November 2023 by academics at the University of Leicester and Imperial College London indicates that a significant number of babies born at 22 and 23 weeks gestation can now survive outside the womb. According to this research, there were a total of 261 babies born alive at 22 and 23 weeks, before the abortion limit, who survived to discharge from hospital in 2020 and 2021.
This is compared to the Government abortion statistics, which show that in 2021 alone, 755 ‘ground C’ abortions were performed when the baby was at 22 or 23 weeks gestation (ground C is the statutory ground under which the vast majority of abortions are permitted and there is currently a 24-week time limit for abortions performed under this statutory ground).
This leaves a real contradiction in British law. In one room of a hospital, doctors could be working to save a baby born alive at 23 weeks whilst, in another room of that same hospital, a doctor could perform an abortion that would end the life of a baby at the same age.
Spokesperson for Right To Life UK, Catherine Robinson, said “Maher’s comments are horrific and unusually candid for a supporter of abortion. Abortion involves the intentional ending of the life of an innocent human being in the womb, and unborn babies at any gestational age should be entitled to protection under the law”.
