eats to abortion rights began to subside. Peoplefelt that the issue had been settled so they backed away. Luckily, for the movement,national organizations like NARAL had professional leaders who helped sustain themomentum and continue movement activities despite the changes in the politicalenvironment. Informally organized groups, such as the Reproductive Rights National Network,began to dissolve as they were running out of funding. The severe financial problems thatthese small groups faced began after the 1983 Supreme Court ruling. Even though therewas activity and support for the regaining of Medicaid funding and the providing ofabortion services to teenagers, momentum was being lost because the new issues at handheld less appeal than the original legality issues.The survival of the movement during this time, when no victories were being wonand when the constituents felt nothing more could be done, was due largely to theReagan-Bush Administrations continued attack on abortion rights and the continuedthreats to the victories that had been won.The countermovement responded to its losses by changing the arena. The newarena was public relations. The centerpiece of the new anti-abortion strategy was the filmThe Silent Scream, which was produced by the former NARAL activist turnedanti-abortionist, Dr. Nathanson. This film was released in late 1984 and used sonographyin an attempt to make its case that the fetus suffers pain in an abortion. The idea was toshift the debate on abortion to “scientific” issues. The film was issued to members ofCongress and received a great deal of media attention, including network news coveragearound the time of the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in January 1985.Pro-choice movements were forced to respond to this public relations threat. Thecountermovement tactic was beneficial to the pro-choice movement in that it arousedsupporters and created opportunities for local and national pro-choice m...
