Changing attitudes on abortion(?)

Here are a few bits from Steve Chapman’s op-ed , “Drop in abortion rate shows society changing, not the law,” in today’s Chicago Tribune:

The abortion debate has raged since 1973, when the U.S. Supreme Court gave abortion constitutional protection, but the basic law of the land has proved immutable. Abortion is legal, and it’s going to remain legal for a long time.

Laws often alter attitudes, inducing people to accept things—such as racial integration—they once rejected. But sometimes, attitudes move in the opposite direction, as people see the consequences of the change. That’s the case with abortion.

The news that the abortion rate has fallen to its lowest level in 30 years elicits various explanations, from increased use of contraceptives to lack of access to abortion clinics. But maybe the chief reason is that the great majority of Americans, even many who see themselves as pro-choice, are deeply uncomfortable with it. . . .

This growing aversion to abortion may be traced to better information. When the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, most people had little understanding of fetal development. But the proliferation of ultrasound images from the womb, combined with the dissemination of facts by pro-life groups, has lifted the veil. . . .

The prevailing view used to be: Abortion may be evil, but it’s necessary. Increasingly, the sentiment is: Abortion may be necessary, but it’s evil.

Thoughts?