Dems, abortion, and the Wisdom of Solomon
Tuesday August 12, 2008
Categories: Abortion, Catholics, Christians, Election '08, Evangelicals, Religion in the Public Square, U.S. Constitution
CBN's David Brody has the proposed language for the Democrats platform plank on abortion, and contrary to some expectations, it appears the voices for "change"--such as Democrats for Life and Feminists for Life--have made important headway. TNR had a good piece...
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Diana Butler Bass and Paul Raushenbush both stand firmly within the Mainline Protestant tradition and, along with guest bloggers of all religious backgrounds are dedicated to the revival of religious progressivism and its influence in American politics.
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Diana Butler BassDiana Butler Bass is a commentator and scholar in American religion. She is the author of seven books including A People's History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story (HarperOne, 2009).
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Paul RaushenbushModerator of the Progressive Revival blog and the Associate Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University.
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I am a pro-life democrat, I support this plank although I would rather see the word "unequivocal" removed but beggars can't be choosy. As more pro-life people come to the Democratic Party because of other issues the strength of the pro-choice will weaken.
Abortion will never be outlawed again, I'm afraid, but we can weaken it so much with a pro-live love that will win over the majority. But to do this we must offer spiritual, domestic and practical aid to those who find themselves pregnant. This platform is a good first step.
This should also be an interfaith issue. All people who proclaim to believe in a Loving God need to take part in preserving life from the womb to the grave.
The proposed plank is a good start. Empowering women to be able to make choices that help them avoid abortion is a good counter to the abolitionist approach offered by the far right. Their alternative disempowers women. The proposed language empowers them.
There are many women for whom abortion is a choice they would rather not make, and would not make if other alternatives were available to them. The proposed plank acknowledges these women without devaluing the right to choose.
We can only hope that policies will come forward which will turn this plank into a reality.
Another pro-life Democrat here. Sorry, but after reading the new language several times I really don't see meaningful progress. What we need is a formal recognition that abortion is a tragedy, and that we all need to pull together to reduce the number of such tragedies (even though we may disagree over when abortion may be morally justified or when it should be prohibited or limited by law). Instead, we get "strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion...."
I really don't think that the statement's recognition of alternatives to abortion is of much value. That seems like an easy concession by the pro-choice side. What we need is some recognition that abortion is tragic, and that people of goodwill should work together to avoid such tragedies.
As much as I respect and admire Mr. Kmiec, I am mystified by his statement that the new platform language includes "a full-throated call for efforts to address the irresponsibility of kids having kids." I sure don't see that in the paragraph quoted in this post. All I see is the usual rhetoric about "empower[ing] people to make informed choices and live healthy lives." Nothing about responsibility, restraint or commitment. And certainly no mention of the epidemic of births outside marriage.
Please don't get me wrong. For years, I've been looking for a way to get enthusiastic about my party again. Its going to take more than this language. (And no, I'm not voting Republican, either. Their warmongering puts the lie to their "culture of life" rhetoric).
Umm, hate to break it to you, but all the fixing poverty and providing good adoption services stuff have been part of the Democratic party's goals for decades.
How about, say, letting gay and lesbian couples adopt? That would sure provide a lot more loving homes. McCain was for that, and now is against it, or for it, or something.
Ummm, as a pro-choice Dem I can tell you there's nothing new here. Health care, support for mothers, parenting skills, those have always been part of Democrats' core values.
This isn't a "moral shift." A fundamental part of being a Democrat is supporting your fellow man, or woman. What actually *is* immoral, is a view that attempts to outlaw abortion without providing any substantive sex education or birth control information and then essentially tells women they're on their own once a baby is born.
I will continue to vote Democrat as long as the party remains committed to Roe v. Wade. The option of abortion rights should never be undermined for women.
There is no fundamental shift, as long as the Democrats support Roe v. Wade. Abortion is a right that should never be undermined.
As a pro-life Republican, I would be more impressed with Obama's clarion call for reducing abortions if he had even once supported parental notification, studies for the effects of abortion on women, waiting periods for abortions, alternative counselling and funding for pregnant women and girls in crisis, required information on the risks of abortion before performing abortions, a ban on the heinous practice of partial birth abortion (which is "too violent" for our righteous TV networks to air), or if he had supported the infants born alive act.
Birth control, sex education, and abortion have given us over 40,000,000 humans that heve never gotten a fighting chance to choose to see the light of day. That's a poor record, and more of the same will not improve it, nor give the dignity and freedom we seek.
Given his rhetoric is empty, and worse, it's deceitful.
Beth
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