“I Was Wrong”

This half-hour documentary profiles two women and their “amazing stories from the world of abortion.” The first, Norma McCorvey, who was the “Jane Roe” of Roe v. Wade, became an icon of the pro-life movement after the 1973 Supreme Court case that legalized abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy. The decision came too late for McCorvey, who surrendered her child for adoption, and later worked for the cause in abortion clinics. Now, she talks about her problems with alcohol, drugs, and depression, before her subsequent conversion to Christianity. The second woman, Joyce Zounis, who feels remorse over her seven abortions (beginning at the age of 15), experienced healing she has experienced after discovering God's love. Abortion continues to be a polarizing issue, with a good deal of simplistic thinking on either side. Unfortunately, “I Was Wrong”—which features the Operation Rescue activist organization, but downplays their excesses—only adds to the negative image that pro-life sometimes projects. With its fuzzy pictures of fetuses and dire predictions for those who have abortions of permanent physical injury, emotional torment, and substance abuse, this program seems designed to frighten young women—teenagers in particular—rather than educate them about making informed decisions. Not recommended. H, P. (J. Reed)