News from Member Groups
Democrats for Life of America has set up a Legal Committee to participate in court cases. As they said in an email announcement, “Our voice is unique and truly adds a Consistent Ethic of Life.” If you are an attorney, paralegal, or know any who would be interested in joining DFLA's Legal Committee, please contact Christian at cmatozzo@democratsforlife.org.
From our member groups Feminists Choosing Life of New York and Secular Prolife – this is tomorrow, so register right away if interested:
Letter to the Editor
Responding to last week’s issue: "All Shall Live" makes a good argument as far as it goes but does not look enough at the social context of abortion.
Both sides of the debate are liable to argue for the mother versus the child or the child versus the mother. This is as if babies dropped from the sky. There is a man involved who, undergoing no medical procedure himself, may find abortion works for him.
If there were laws passed removing limits to working hours many people would spot that this would tend to extend not individual liberty but the power of employers. But fewer see similar effects from abortion. A woman's right to choose can also mean an employer, a landlord, or a boyfriend demanding "No babies." As the powerful video you supply shows, it can also aid criminals.
Diana E Forrest
Protesting Violence Gets Violent Reaction
On July 21st, Terrisa Bukovinac, Founder and Executive Director of Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU), and Michael Gribbin were assaulted outside the Washington DC Planned Parenthood.
Despite video evidence of the assault, the DC police have refused to press charges against either assailant. This is customary – there are many issues where those who protest violence get no police protection when violence is inflicted on them.
Bukovinac commented: "Even as a progressive anti-abortion atheist I understand that the abortion industrial complex is responsible for a mass genocide which will require immense bravery to dismantle. Pro-lifers must be committed to total non-violence to effectively challenge the institution of legal child killing around the globe."
Our Latest Blog Post
Rachel MacNair gives her take in Movie Review: Oppenheimer. The movie is of course providing a prime teachable moment for the anti-nuclear movement. Check your own locale for local activities that take advantage of this educational opportunity. A couple of discussions of interest:
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and The Elders offer a webinar: "Beyond Oppenheimer: Building a safer future from our nuclear past." Aug 3, 2023 06:00 PM Central Time Webinar Registration
Stephen Schmidt offers a commentary on the movie that points out something crucial: it’s a reminder that giving any president, and especially someone like Donald Trump, the authority to launch a nuclear strike is a horrifyingly bad idea.
Quotation of the Week
Rosemary Bottcher
Free Choice Can Cost Others
From the Tallahassee Democrat, August 8, 1982
Republished in ProLife Feminism: Yesterday and Today
Years ago, when I still suffered from acute idealism and spent most of my waking hours fretting over some injustice or other, my mother counseled me about how to decide if a particular situation was worth all the worry. “Will little children die from it?” she asked. “If not, it’s not worth working yourself into such a snit.”
I still apply that test when deciding whether an issue is snit-worthy, and the answer to her question is what compels me to be especially intolerant and anti-choice on the issues of child abuse, infanticide, and abortion.
Editor’s note: this test obviously also makes war and poverty especially snit-worthy.