Internet Shock: Couple Lets You Vote on Whether They Get an Abortion
- Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:45am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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Pete and Alisha Arnold of MN, who are letting people vote on whether they should get an abortion. (Photo: Gawker)
He voted for George W. Bush in 2000. She “likes” Glenn Beck on Facebook. They are having a baby. You get to vote on whether they have an abortion.
Pete and Alisha Arnold, from the Minneapolis suburb of Apple Valley, have been married for 10 years and are pregnant for the fourth time. While the previous pregnancies ended in miscarriages, the Arnolds are hoping this one ends differently. They’re just unsure what “differently” will look like: a birth or an abortion.
So in September, they created the website birthornot.com and have posted about their unborn baby boy, providing health updates, ultrasound pictures, and even videos. They’ve also provided readers with a choice via a poll on the upper right of the site: “Should We Give Birth or Have an Abortion?” As of publication, the “Give Birth” option leads the “Have an Abortion” 54.54% to 45.46%.
“The whole point here is to let people have a real way to voice your opinion on the topic of abortion and have it actually make a difference in the real world,” Pete writes on the site. “By voting on whether to continue or abort an actual pregnancy, you are doing so much more then simply telling an elected representative your feelings. You are actually changing something in the real world.”
“We invite you take this journey with us as we contemplate our own options and encourage you to utilize this site to vote and voice your opinion in a way that will have a real consequence… in a way that truly matters.”
According to the website Gawker, Pete is a libertarian — a political ideology that generally embraces the pro-choice idea. On the “about” section of the couple’s site, Pete talks about the importance of voting and calls the couple’s poll an “effective outlet” for people to voice their opinions on abortion.
Whoever decides to do so has until December 7 — the couple will then take two days to decide on the abortion, as December 9 is the last day they can legally get one in Minnesota.
The poll’s results, the couple told Gawker, will weigh heavily on that decision but won’t be the only factor. “It’s kind of like Congress,” Pete said. “They might vote for something, but the president has the final veto. If it’s overwhelming one way or the other, that will carry a lot more weight.”
And they said it’s definitely not a hoax:
That someone would do this is almost impossible to believe, of course. We asked the Arnolds if this was some sort of a prank. “No, it’s not. We are taking this very seriously,” Pete replied. We then asked if this was some sort of convoluted pro-life stunt. Alisha laughed. “It’s definitely not a pro-life campaign,” she said. “I believe in a woman’s right to choose.”
Despite interviewing the couple, Gawker is still skeptical. It lays out three possibilities:
- It’s is an idiotic prank. Pete and Alisha are intent on becoming famous any way they can, and they’ve hit on an outrageous way to get media coverage. But if this all was a prank, wouldn’t they have gotten the word out before now? They’ve been blogging since September.
- This is a pro-life stunt. Pete said he’s a non-practicing Catholic, while Alisha is a Methodist. Although the Arnolds describe themselves as political independents with Libertarian leanings, Alisha likes Glenn Beck on Facebook, and a Google search turns up an old pro-Bush comment Pete made on CNN. (Pete said he voted for Bush in 2000, but not in 2004.) Could this site be a confused parable to illustrate the peril of putting an unborn baby’s life in the hands of voters?
- It’s true. Pete and Alisha are actually going to choose to have an abortion based on an Internet poll.
It ends its story with this thought: “Regardless of your position on abortion, all of these possibilities suggest these people should never, ever raise a kid.”
Readers can vote at the couple’s website, and have 19 days to do so.





















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Comments (215)
dkhartman
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:20amI’m just about speechless! Lord please help our country! The value of life is ceasing to exist as we know it. If life isn’t important at the first stage of development, what is to stop other stages from being important. It started with ‘balls of cells’ being less importnat and it‘s turning into the older generation being ’useless’… Next is what, two year olds? No body has the right to determine what stages of life should be considered valuable. It’s all stages of development are meaningful or it will soon be, none, sadly. Wake up America!
Report Post »Jack Rackham
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:17amAn ugly reflection of the legalized murder of our most precious resource. Abortion is easily the greatest evil ever propagated by mankind.
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:15amWell, here’s to their five minutes of fame. Let’s move on now…..
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:14amThis is sicker than sick. Yes they should have the baby but then they should adopt it out.
Report Post »bookofwisdom
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:45pmMaryLou7, that is exactly what I was thinking. Have the baby and give it up, because you don’t deserve to have a child. While the doctor is there he needs to tie your tubes so you cannot have any more children. These people are Godless morons. May God Bless.
Report Post »Mike
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:13amThese people are sick.
Regardless of whether or not this is a stunt, I hope their child learns about this website once it’s able to fully understand the moral and ethical implications of abortion, along with the medical ramifications of such a “procedure.”
Report Post »The Bushmaster
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:10amDo people have NO SOUL? I say force the woman into supervised pregnancy. After birth sterilize both her and her husband and put the child in foster care. Say they decide to keep the child. What kind of life will he/she have when he/she finds out the parents let a bunch of morons on the internet decide life or the incinerator?? So so loving.
Report Post »This is depressing and I’d like to abort both parents from the life cycle.
mike_trivisonno
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:07amStunning!
Two “people” plot murder on the internet for all to see and nothing is done?
This is murder. The two need to be arrested.
Report Post »ablaze
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 1:27pmI agree. This is the lowest of the low. Life doesn’t matter to some people. Don’t want a baby, throw it away, kill it. I’m fed up with abortion on demand… It’s Murder !!!! THIS IS DISGUSTING !!!
Report Post »krenshau
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:07amAnyone who can see this childs growth and follow it through the stages of development and still has no problem killing this child, either by cutting off it’s arms and legs and injecting the womb with acid or by stabing it in the back of the head with scissors and sucking the brains out or any other method, is totally void of a conscience. That person is a murderer.
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:50amWow, you make a great point – the fact there are 45.46 percent advocating abortion is rather sick.
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 12:22pmThey advocate the abortion knowing what kind of parents this child will have and believe it’s best the child never have to grow up in that environment.
Again, I’m pro-life, so in this case, I wish there was a 3rd option. The 3rd option would be have the baby and have it immediately taken from the parents and given to parents who would actually cherish the life of the child, not use it for a publicity stunt.
Report Post »al_fallujah
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:06amThis is a stunt.
They have ads on the page. Everytime they get a click on the page, they are making money.
But as someone else said before, based soley on the notion that they could put together such a site, these people should not have children.
I will not give them the dignity of returning in to the site, nor participating in such a sick poll.
It is too much like a the SS Officer standing at the gate telling people getting off the train to go to slavery or death.
Report Post »cgbs6183
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:05amFirst of all this is horrible! I am in complete shock this couple would do this, even after all thier difficulties in the past with trying to have a baby. They know it is a boy, my goodness this is insane. Have they no morals.
Secondly I am a Libertarian and the Libertarian din this article oes not speak for all Libertarians. We are split just as much as the general public on this. I am a PRO-LIFE Libertarian. It almost seems that when the Libertarin thought process against the R and D system someone tries to paint us into a corner as completely one thing or another.
Yes I understand the 3rd party fears and they are valid to a degree but as we have seen this election a so-called Republican have costed or tried to cost a Constitution and Libertarin or other Conservative candidates an election.
The RIGHT to LIFE , LIBERTY, and the Pursuit of HAPPINESS. You get all 3 not 1 or 2..
Report Post »Okpulot Taha
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:05amA more revealing poll and a more appropriate poll would be to ask people if these parents should be euthanized, after this baby is born.
Okpulot Taha
Report Post »Choctaw Nation
untameable-kate
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:19amOr sterilized.
Report Post »TylerD
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:13pm@OKPULOT TAHA
It would certainly be revealing to see how people would vote on whether or not they should be euthanized. Of course, it would probably yield some scary results and anyone who actually valued the freedom we have in America would be hypocritical if they voted yes. Luckily we can still make bad choices and not be executed. It’s certainly unfortunate when bad choices like this end can lead to ending a life.
Also, I wanted to let you know about a reply I posted to you just recently in another thread. It was an article posted back on November 2. I tried signing up for The Blaze on that day, but it wouldn’t let me sign up until today. If you’re interested in reading my response, I’d love to hear your response. Here’s the link:
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/unbelieveable-paris-baby-falls-seven-stories-and-bounces-into-drs-arms/#comment-276586
Report Post »GrumpyCat
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:05amThis couple presents the best argument for abortion that I’ve seen. They *need* to be excised from the gene pool.
Report Post »givemelibertyorgivemedeath
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:03amIf my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and HEAL their land.
Report Post »@leftfighter
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:02amDisgusting. Just disgusting.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:36amIt is beyond disgusting.
Report Post »BuckwheatA2
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amCan only pray they see the pregnancy through, give birth to a healthy baby and are inspired to put the baby up for adoption to a responsible loving and stable couple.
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amBrutish animals.
Just wait, in a year or two they’ll have a page up with a vote button, regarding putting their grandmother to death.
Just animals.
aquariaqueen
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amAdoption!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »Matt Marshall
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:28amExactly right Aquariaqueen! My wife and I are the proud parents of two adopted boys, and probably will adopt a couple children moving forward. For those of us unable to have children of our own, seeing people, like the couple in this story, treat this issue so loosely is crushing.
Report Post »KE_in_IA
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:45am@ Aquariaqueen — Amen!
I don’t understand why abortion is considered far more often than adoption.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:48amI went to the comments section and offered to give the baby a home. I’m sure many others did too.
Report Post »aquariaqueen
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:36amLife is Sacred “†”
Report Post »txflmaca
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:00pmKE_in_IA, The answer is simple. Abortion is an extremely selfish act while giving a child to adoption is a selfless act. Choose birth and give the child up for adoption.
Report Post »NC
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amThey’ll not abort (murder) the baby, regardless of the voting outcome.
I’d vote that this is a publicity stunt.
NC (they should have a vote on the name, and rule out the first name of Benedict))_
Report Post »Country
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amI’m sure it is about money, these people are sick.
Report Post »Bauervision
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:58amThe fact that anyone even responds to this website by adding their vote shows the inept political agenda being forced on Americans, putting a human life in the hands of the public–remotely or otherwise, is exactly what our government is trying to get us used to. I hope no one else goes to this site and votes. It doesn’t matter what your view is, by participating in it, you only encourage it.
Are we so desensitized that we can no longer make big decisions for ourselves? That is exactly what our government thinks and here is a couple who is basically advocating for it.
Report Post »MattyFos
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:34amIf you are pro-life and do not vote, it’ll be the same as if you voted for the abortion. If their decision is based on this poll I will vote. If it is as close as reported on TheBlaze (it’s not anymore) then you have to vote or else this child will be murdered.. You may not agree with it, but I‘m not letting my inaction result in this child’s death.
Report Post »neverending
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:57amThis is just another prime example of how low things have become in this country. Life is just nothing – don’t want it for any reason just destroy it. AND then we say GOD Bless America?????
Report Post »Waggedy Wabbit
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:26amAbsolutely right NEVERENDING. Can we sink any lower? If I were to vote, I’d vote have the baby~abort the parents!
Report Post »pap pap
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:56amIf you have to ask someone else if you should give birth or have an abortion you should never, ever be parents.
Report Post »Matt Marshall
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:26amAmen!
Report Post »gr8ful1
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:40amI agree Pap Pap. Prank or not if this child is allowed to live(and I pray that it is) he should immediatly be removed from these peoples care and placed in a home where it will be cherished for being the beautiful human life that it is. If they would do this stunt, who knows what kind of values they would instill in this child as they raise him. My feeling is that if these two raise this child they will raise some one with a distorted value system and quite possibly a bit maladjusted. If this is the case and he finds out about what his parents are doing prior to his birth, at, some time in the future we may be hearing in the news how another person has murdered his parents. I’m not sayin, I’m just sayin….
Report Post »grandmommie
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:11amDo you think God was trying to get a message across with the previous miscarrages? He doesn’t even think these people would be good parents.
Report Post »TylerD
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:25pm@GRANDMOMMIE
That‘s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever heard. My mother-in-law had multiple miscarriages before she finally had her two daughters, one of which is my amazing wife. To imply that people who have had a miscarriage are being judged by God and should not be parents is absurd. It’s a painful experience, but it’s capable of building character in the individuals it happens to. Apparently it didn’t build much in these parents. If you’re having trouble understanding why there is pain in the world, I‘d suggest ’The Problem of Pain’ by C.S. Lewis.
Report Post »Neesey
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:52amThere is no response for this. It reminds me of the woman who Twittered her abortion. WTH is wrong with people?
Report Post »smorningstar
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:24pmsomeone twittered her abortion?! Oh My Goodness! People are sick!
Report Post »RobertCA
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:25pmThis is so sick an innocent life will depend on votes .
Report Post »Great parenting , let voters decide if we kill our child or not .
john seven eighteen
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:51amWhat some people will do for attention. This is just disgusting and deserves NO publicity!!!!!
Report Post »NoName22
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:44amI must say I’ve changed my stance to Pro-Life as of late……..but this makes me wonder.
If they abort, that’s not pro-life……but if they have the child, what kind of parents will they be? Will they put an internet poll up for whether public, private, homeschool the child? What sport the child will play?
This is almost an LOL moment, like if I voted, I’d choose the option between life and choice.
Wendy in FL
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:18pmIt’s got to be a pro-life stunt. They’ve been pregnant 3 times before but they all ended in miscarriage. This tells me they are actively trying to have a baby. No couple that has suffered 3 miscarriages and gets pregnant a 4th time is going to abort, they are going to hope and pray that baby stays in there til term.
TheGoverness
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:49pm@Wendy in FL
Report Post »You just saved me time. I was thinking EXACTLY what you typed. No one who goes through 3 miscarriages thinks about aborting a seemingly healthy child. How old will the child be before the “deadline”? Most people don’t find out the sex until 5 months- I have to assume they had an amnio done and knew sooner…
walkwithme1966
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 4:44pmThis has got to be a publicity stunt – I can’t believe that parents would treat their baby this way – or am I just being naive. If this is for real – the baby should be taken away from then when it is born and put with some real adults to raise the child. I still have a hard time believing this is for real!! http://wp.me/pYLB7-m2
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:51amIf that child is born, and grows up, how will he feel about this awful website? Things posted on the internet do not go away! Not worthy to be parents, shame on you both!
sweetbees
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:01amMy thoughts exactly!! I am all about free speech in this country but this is ridiculous!! Let’s ask total strangers if they think we should KILL our unborn child who is completely innocent and can not defend his position on this!! I can tell you how the baby would vote……….I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:05amIs this what we’ve come to? A life hangs in the balance as an internet poll decides his fate? I pray that if this baby gets to live he never hears of this filthy stunt, it will scar him deeply. I hope his parents come to thier senses before it is too late.
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:18amI thought the same thing – can you imagine a child learning his parents thought so little of his life that they would let strangers decide if he lived or died. That when they found out they were pregnant it wasn‘t joy at the prospect of bringing in a life to add to their home but ’gee, if people think we should keep it then I guess we will – if not, oh well – bye-bye’. My vote – give the child to a family that actually would love it and doesn’t need a majority of votes to tell them to. If this is a stunt of some kind I believe the only person it is hurting is this poor unborn child.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:23amUnbelievable! It’s almost as if some people have nothing better to do than obsess over a website all day. They should be ASHAMED! Not like the fine, upstanding, real-world folks here on The Blaze.
MattyFos
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:26am“Give Birth” is pulling away. After I voted the totals stood at 3,124- 1,950 (61.57- 38.43%)
Report Post »TexasHillsPatriot
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:29amHow will he feel about his own parents, knowing that basically a flip of the coin decided whether he lived or died? Really would give me warm fuzzies knowing that my fate was decided by strangers and not my own parents. I vote for them never having sex again, to prevent this from being repeated.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:30amI would take the baby and will make an offer to do it, unfortunately I don’t think these animals want that option; it doesn’t play into thier media whore plans.
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:39amBroker – you seemed obsessed with people who post on the Blaze yet you post on the Blaze how obsessed people who post here are. Just a little hypocritical wouldn’t you say? If you would actually read some of the posts you might learn something because I believe there are a lot of intelligent thinkers who find time during their day to read the Blaze and comment on the various stories with facts and various view points. I personally enjoy stopping in when I have the chance to see what others are saying. It doesn’t mean, as you so often try to imply, we don’t have lives. I suggest Broker analyze your obsession before you accuse others of theirs.
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 10:40amBroker, I don‘t think it’s any of your darn business what I do with my time.
Report Post »LuvThisCntry
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:01amThis is MURDER in my view.
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:12amThese two individuals are pathetic! What kind of parents will these two losers be if they are willing to play games with their child’s life on the internet? This is perhaps the most immoral thing that I have seen on the web for quite some time. She obviously was not raped or became pregnant because of incest….so that means that the whole idea of an abortion being an option is totally elective…..like the other 90% of abortions that happen in this country.
Report Post »Progressives be proud…..your ideology has reduced the meaning and value of life to the results of any on-line poll…..“Death Panel” by internet…..how disgusting.
paperpushermj
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:27amHave the kid. Abort the parents.
Report Post »independentvoteril
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 11:29amIf you know the sex of the child it IS A CHILD.. not tissue.. a late cycle.. or anything but a child.. IF you have seen an ultrasound and watched your child HOW could you even CONSIDER an abortion?? You both are two SICK PUPPIES for even putting this on a website.. fact is you both are not SMART enough to even raise a puppy.. We can tell our congressmen/women how we feel without this so it’s a serious call for HELP from both of you..
Report Post »romi
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 12:12pmThis is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard of. If someone is going to let everyone else decide whether or not you are going to have a baby, stop getting pregnant. Fix yourselves and be done with it. Unborn children are not a leveling field or something to make a point about. Maybe, if you choose the abortion, they should just take the uterus out while they are sucking the life out of and tearing your baby apart. Disgusting.
Report Post »godlovinmom
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 12:13pmI know what…lets have them have the baby and as soon as it comes out…America will vote on whether pete or alisha should die…..
Report Post »biggreenboo
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 12:38pmBroker0101… I got you… You live in the DC metro area… You work or know the people working for DC101 radio… YOU CAN NOT HIDE FROM US!!!! Every time you troll it brings you one step closer to us. See you in 2 weeks!
Report Post »TylerD
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:19pmThis is beyond disgusting. The issue of abortion is revolting enough, but to leave it up to a vote is completely irresponsible. One of the “arguments” for those who support abortion is that it is up to the woman/family to make the best decision for them. While I think ending a pregnancy is never the right choice, this is in no way a responsible decision being made by the family. If anything, we’ve now resulted in playing a game, even gambling, to determine whether or not a life is ended or not.
Report Post »mimitweetin
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 2:43pmCopy that!
Report Post »spurjimmy
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:02pmI’d be happy to vote to lobotomize both of them.
Report Post »Ivey123
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:43pmWhat maggots ! Obviously, these carcasses are trying to get publicity by leaving the fate of their unborn child to the PUBLIC ! I should hope they die a horrible death ! And, I truly feel for their other children for having parents like these animals.
Report Post »Ivey123
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 3:48pmWhat maggots ! Obviously, these carcasses are trying to get publicity by leaving the fate of their unborn child to the PUBLIC ! I should hope they die a horrible death ! And, I truly feel for their other children for having parents like these animals.
Report Post »Panda26
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 6:06pmI think it’s awesome that we live in an open society that gives us the freedom to do this. I don’t see the problem, they say that they will make the ultimate decision, you guys need to relax.
Report Post »Doc_Slammin
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 7:13pmIrregardless of how you feel about abortion, you should know the facts.
http://theindependentrant.blogspot.com/2010/11/what-is-wrong-with-abortion.html
Report Post »russmack
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 7:45pmThis is just a battle between light and darkness! These people live in the dark,but the light always wins!
Report Post »mensaman62
Posted on November 18, 2010 at 9:04pmI initially was going to vote but these two are Pinheads and don’t deserve the attention they are getting…won‘t even go to their site because I’m sure they would profit from hits.
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