#343 Nat Hentoff RIP, Women's March - January 13, 2017
Event Reminders: January 16-17 Death penalty abolition actions at US Supreme Court January: CLN at the Roe anniversary events (and see Democrats for Life below) See also January 21 Women’s March below Our 30th anniversary conference: August 4-6, Eastern University near Philadelphia (mark your calendars, details to come).
Nat Hentoff, Rest in Peace
Nat Hentoff, one of our earliest supporters, and a person we used as one of four interviewees in an early video, passed away January 7 at the age of 91. He was a well-known progressive journalist, so it startled other progressives when he became pro-life. It happened because of the Baby Doe cases involving infanticide of babies with disabilities. He finally decided feticide for the same reason was also outrageous. And then feticide for other reasons wasn’t acceptable either. He described himself as “a Jewish, atheist, civil libertarian, left-wing pro-lifer,” and wrote about his experience in “Pro-Choice Bigots: A View from the Pro-life Left.” In October of 1986 he gave an excellent speech explaining his views, now a consistent-life classic, called The Indivisible Fight for Life. See also the quotation below. Our latest blog is a longer memory.
Appealing to Consciences in the Democratic Party
Long-time consistent-lifer Mary Meehan has an excellent blog post with Human Life Review entitled “The Democratic Party v. Children.”
Our member group Democrats for Life will host a Roe anniversary event, a breakfast with Guest Speaker Alex Schadenberg. Alex is the foremost expert on euthanasia and is the executive director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition and chair of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition International. January 27, 2017, 8:30 am - 10:30 am, in the Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th St NW, Washington, DC.
January 21 Women’s March in Washington, DC
Life Matters Journal and New Wave Feminists are intending to have a consistent-life ethic/pro-life feminist contingent in the Women's March, set the day after the inauguration to protest many of Donald Trump's more harmful policy proposals.
It’s not expected to be a sympathetic crowd, since there's been abortion-defending rhetoric, but then, that's exactly the kind of crowd we need to reach.
First Papal Document Focused on Nonviolence has Diverse, Broad Consistent Life Message In the 50th annual papal World Day of Peace message, Nonviolence: a Style of Politics for Peace, dated January 1st, 2017, Pope Francis hopes we all recognize the immense dignity of each other and talks about defending human life over a dozen diverse issues. Francis notes examples ranging from Jesus to nonviolent achievements of modern Hindu, Muslim, and Christian men and women on three continents. He urges us all to cultivate nonviolence in ourselves and to use it in both ordinary and international situations.
Quotation of the Week Nat Hentoff A primary objection, I was told, to the seamless-garment approach was that it would dilute the anti-abortion message, and that was more important than any other because the unborn were being killed right now . . . I understand the point, but the anti-abortion movement would be stronger if it had more members — members across the spectrum of American politics, religion, and no religion . . . It's worth remembering that even if the Supreme Court does in the years ahead add more restrictions to abortion and even if it were to reverse Roe v. Wade, the abortion battle would continue. All the more so if Roe v. Wade were overturned because then each state would have to decide whether or not it would permit abortion."?
Responses/News tips/Questions to share are all welcome.
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