Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pro-Life Democrats Keep Fighting Despite Presidential Candidates
LifeNews.com ^ | 26 January 2004 | Steven Ertelt

Posted on 01/26/2004 5:40:48 PM PST by MegaSilver

WASHINGTON, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Pro-life Democrats always seem to be fighting an uphill battle. That all of the Democratic presidential candidates are pro-abortion -- including one, Dennis Kucinich, who flip-flopped on abortion shortly before declaring his candidacy -- only makes matters worse.

But that hasn't stopped Democrats for Life of America from being a pro-life voice in the wilderness and rallying pro-life party faithful to keep up the good fight.

Representatives of the pro-life group took to the streets last week to participate in the March for Life and then they held their own rally to encourage each other.

"Our message is clear," explains Kristen Day, director of Democrats for Life. "We want people to know that there are pro-life Democrats and we want pro-life Democrats to know that they don't have to be silent anymore."

Day's group is working to expand its reach and develop local organizations that can mobilize pro-life Democrats on the state and county level. Some twenty-seven states currently either have state chapters or forming chapters.

"And, we want to dispel the myth that only Republicans are pro-life," Day said.

She's right. A recent poll found that forty-three percent of Democrats identify themselves as pro-life.

Despite that, Catholic League president William Donohue says pro-life Democrats continue to be "shunned -- even mocked -- by the Democratic National Committee."

The goal of Democrats for Life, Donohue says is to move the party in a pro-life direction and to help it become more tolerant of the pro-life perspective.

"In vain have they tried to get the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to provide a link on its website to their organization," Donohue explained. "But the DNC has no problem providing a link to a notoriously anti-Catholic group, Catholics for a Free Choice. The passion for abortion rights is so extreme in the Democratic Party that it will bond with bigots who share its position before ever working with decent men and women of their party who differ with them on this issue."

This has left pro-life Democrats "politically homeless," Donohue says.

Bill Samuel, of Maryland, attended the Democrats for Life luncheon and said he came away encouraged "with a number of other Democrats who share the pro-life conviction."

At the luncheon, Dr. James Zogby, founder and president of the Arab-American Institute, and a pro-life Democrat, addressed the organization. During the speech, Zogby, a member of the DNC's executive committee, admitted publicly for the first time that he is pro-life.

Ray Flynn, former mayor of Boston and Ambassador to the Vatican, and Rep. Jim Oberstar, a Minnesota congressman and co-founder of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, also spoke to those gathered.

"So many politicians disappoint us, so it was very uplifting to hear from these political activists who are so principled and willing to suffer for their convictions," Samuel said. "All of them encouraged us to speak out and not to hide our pro-life convictions."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: 2004; democrat; democratic; democrats; democratsforlife; dnc; jameszogby; kucinich; prolife; prolifedemocrats; prolifedems

1 posted on 01/26/2004 5:40:50 PM PST by MegaSilver
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: MegaSilver
Good to see this.

I'll work with people of any party who support the pro-life position.

2 posted on 01/26/2004 5:50:40 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Freep this poll until it glows!!!!!
3 posted on 01/26/2004 5:51:12 PM PST by ConservativeMan55 (You...You sit down! You've had your say and now I'll have mine!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMan55
Hee Hee.

I've been against this Iraqi adventure from the start. Do ya really want me to "freep" it?

4 posted on 01/26/2004 5:53:18 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Not if you are against it. No.
5 posted on 01/26/2004 5:53:47 PM PST by ConservativeMan55 (You...You sit down! You've had your say and now I'll have mine!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeMan55
Too late.

But thanks for the heads up.

6 posted on 01/26/2004 5:57:48 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Oh Well. I'm not here to tell anybody how to vote.

But I make no bones about how I voted.

7 posted on 01/26/2004 5:59:20 PM PST by ConservativeMan55 (You...You sit down! You've had your say and now I'll have mine!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
LOL, I too will "work" with all anti-abortionists, that is, to get them to vote Republican. I'm not sure why anyone who is anti-abortion is still hanging around the Dem campfire at this late date. When are Christians, and their allies, going to wake up and realize that the Democrat Party is a total waste of time for the Christian?!? Talk about beating a dead horse. There was a Jew in Mississippis a while back who joined the Klan. Like him, I just want to scream in the ear of any person who is pro-life, DON'T YOU KNOW???

If you vote for pro-life Dems, they go to DC and vote along with the other Dems, almost all of whom are pro-abortion, to place Senators on the Judiciary Committee, who thwart conservative appointments, that hinder and delay the enevitable day when abortion will be overturned. If after the above, clear-as-day explanation, you STILL don't understand, heaven help you.....

8 posted on 01/26/2004 6:25:23 PM PST by Malcolm (not on the bandwagon, but not contrary for contrary's sake either)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: MegaSilver
It's simply not possible to be a Democrat and be Pro-life. It's the party of death. Every solution they come up with for anything involves somebody else dieing, or, alternatively, using jackbooted federal thugs to hold down the victims while their wallets are looted.
9 posted on 01/26/2004 6:33:36 PM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MegaSilver
Work within the Dem Party for change, but vote Republican in the elections. Great way to go. My wife, a life long Democrat, voted for Bush, the first Republican for President vote she ever cast. As we live in Florida, she was wowed that her vote really counted. Why the change? She strongly believes that abortion is murder and partial birth abortion is barbaric. Sooo... there is hope.
10 posted on 01/26/2004 6:42:40 PM PST by Henchman (I Hench, therefore I am!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah
"Every solution they come up with for anything involves somebody else dieing, or, alternatively, using jackbooted federal thugs to hold down the victims while their wallets are looted."

Sounds a lot like the Republicans, too.

11 posted on 01/26/2004 6:57:01 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Then you haven't been paying much attention have you?
12 posted on 01/26/2004 7:01:15 PM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah
"Then you haven't been paying much attention have you?"

Actually, I have been paying attention.

Who holds Congress and the White House?
Who is presiding over the largest federal budget in the history of our country?
Who proposes and/or passes things that would have this site screaming from the rafters if a Democrat did it?

The Republican Party is all about the preservation of the party. It does not hold to principle, it strives for power. Nothing more.

13 posted on 01/26/2004 7:07:36 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
I have yet to hear the Republican party cry out for the death of babies.

You really must learn to read between the lines to find the reality. I am not speaking metaphorically here!

The Dems are quite consistent in their demands for death for the innocent.

14 posted on 01/26/2004 7:12:33 PM PST by muawiyah
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Well Tony, the RNC called me the other day for money and I told them I would (and do) give my money to CONSERVATIVE Republican's vs RINO's.

The hogs are feeding at the trough, and fighting for the pork. It is an epidemic, and I get kind of frustrated at the POTUS for not excerising his veto power because he wants to be a good guy, and try to make Ted Kennedy et pukes a friend.

Government spending is at an all time high, so the rats can blame it on the POTUS, but Sen. Harry Byrd has set the mark in pork over the years.

I see that besides being a lib, I pray that you find Our Holy Father one of these days.

15 posted on 01/26/2004 7:17:20 PM PST by oldtimer (t)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: muawiyah
I'll grant you that the Republican Party is a far better vehicle for the pro-life movement than the Democrats.

Still, abortion is one important issue out of many. Most people are not single issue voters.

16 posted on 01/26/2004 7:25:27 PM PST by TonyBanks (To you I'm an atheist; to God, I'm the loyal opposition.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: MegaSilver
I went to a Pro-Life Rally in Austin on Saturday. There was a guy from democRATS for Life who spoke. I agreed with what he had to say until he started talking about "pro-life minority leader Tom Daschle".

I kid you not!!!

Totally destroying any credibility this group might have had.

17 posted on 01/26/2004 9:39:57 PM PST by rhinohunter (Toomey for Senate!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TonyBanks
Pro life whats?
18 posted on 01/27/2004 10:06:27 AM PST by jmaroneps37 ( lurch and teddy perfect together!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Malcolm
LOL, I too will "work" with all anti-abortionists, that is, to get them to vote Republican. I'm not sure why anyone who is anti-abortion is still hanging around the Dem campfire at this late date. When are Christians, and their allies, going to wake up and realize that the Democrat Party is a total waste of time for the Christian?!? Talk about beating a dead horse. There was a Jew in Mississippis a while back who joined the Klan. Like him, I just want to scream in the ear of any person who is pro-life, DON'T YOU KNOW???

NIXON: "... the party of amnesty, acid, and abortion."

19 posted on 01/27/2004 10:45:18 AM PST by MegaSilver
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Malcolm
Tell all of this to our resident Libertarians.
20 posted on 02/12/2004 11:29:12 AM PST by presidio9 (as far as the unborn are concerned, Libertarianism=Liberalism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson