The war is far from over.

IN HER REVIEW OF BEARING Right: How Conservatives Won the Abortion War, (Winter 2003-4), Cecile Richards describes how the antiabortion movement has made significant political gains over the years by concentrating on organizing and training its grassroots activists. She is also encouraged that the prochoice forces have responded in kind by increasing their own organizing activities.

Unfortunately, abortion has become a political issue in this country, therefore any increase in prochoice, political activity is always welcome. These efforts could he even more successful if they were accompanied by a dynamic, new message. Tiffs is where the prochoice movement has fallen short over the last decade.

The fact is, as the horrors of illegal abortion have become a distant memory, the focus of the general public has turned more towards the complex moral issues associated with abortion. In response, antiabortion forces have promoted debates on "partial-birth abortion," fetal pain, repeat abortions and "post-abortion stress syndrome" while they paint an unflattering picture of abortion, abortion patients and abortion providers. This strategy has been particularly effective with younger generations who have grown up with legal abortion and take its availability for granted. Supporters of abortion rights, meanwhile, generally continue to avoid discussing abortion and instead emphasize "choice."

The result has been that abortion remains a highly stigmatized procedure.

For women, the stigma can confuse and delay an already challenging decision-making process. It can cause unnecessary guilt or remorse, it can lead to a feeling of alienation and isolation, and it can hinder emotional healing after the abortion procedure. For abortion providers, the stigma has made physicians and clinic staff the targets of violence, sometimes with deadly ramifications, and it has hampered the recruitment of younger physicians. Politically, the stigma has no doubt contributed to the decline in overall support for legal abortion.

For approximately 1 million women a year, "choice" ultimately results in abortion and it may be an emotionally challenging, yet ultimately positive, experience. It is time for the prochoice movement to start talking about abortion and how it has benefited millions of women over the years. It is time to stop apologizing, to stop looking for the "tough" cases and to stop hiding behind meaningless buzz-words that most women do not relate to. We trust women--and it is time to challenge the notion that abortion is immoral.

It is time to re-energize the prochoice movement. It is also time for a new rallying cry.

RON FITZSIMMONS

Alexandria, VA

The author is the executive director of the National Coalition of Abortion Providers.