Letter to the N.C. Democratic Party
July 20, 2005
Platform and Resolutions Committee of the NCDP
Representative Wayne Goodwin, Chair
Dear Committee Members,
Thank you on behalf of North Carolina Democrats for Life for giving us this opportunity to share in the formation of our party platform. North Carolina Democrats for Life is a state chapter of Democrats for Life of America.We are a sincere group of Democrats who believe in the sacredness of human life and the responsibility of humanity to protect it.We also believe that the ideals put forward by the Democratic Party of inclusion, equality, and environmental protection are too important to abandon.However, many of us feel that we have been marginalized and ignored by our party due to our pro-life beliefs.We are sincerely hopeful that this process will remedy that and we offer the following suggestions to that end.
It is relevant to note that there is not a unanimous national precedent for including pro-choice language in a party platform.Eleven diverse states including Alabama, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and South Dakota do not include pro-choice language.Why should we?
A careful consideration of our present state party platform shows a great respect and concern for women’s welfare.We concur with such statements as“Children should not have children... We call for special efforts to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy in our state, through education and counseling programs in our schools and by helping other agencies… Child care should provide a safe and stable environment for children. We urge the continuous, vigorous enforcement of existing rules and regulations related to the child care industry… We support the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program and other efforts to reduce infant death rates and low birth-weight babies. Teenage mothers are especially prone to having problem pregnancies and underweight babies. We urge the General Assembly to increase funding to programs to decrease infant mortality.”
In the interest of simplicity without sacrificing thoroughness, we offer the following recommendation:
Instead of the current N.C. Platform paragraph which reads,
“WOMEN: We believe that every woman should have access to prenatal and postnatal care and appropriate counseling.We believe that a woman’s decision about whether to end a pregnancy should be her own and not that of the government.Thus, we must keep abortion safe, legal, and accessible to all North Carolina women.Women should have access to information and counseling regarding all choices related to crisis pregnancies.”NC DFLA recommends the following:
“WOMEN:We believe that every woman should have access to prenatal and postnatal care and appropriate counseling.Women should have access to information and counseling regarding all choices related to crisis pregnancies.”
This compromise language maintains the compassion and practical support our party expresses for women while preserving the right to informed choices that the highest law of our land has dictated.
We hope you will agree that these recommended changes validates that “the Democratic Party has carried out its commitment to freedom, fairness, human rights” and offers “a platform that secures the rights of our children.” All children.(Preamble to NC Party Platform)These changes will also clearly send the signal to pro-life Democrats that we are once more welcome in our party.
We tender these thoughts respectfully and would be appreciative of a reply.
Eva L. Ritchey, State Chair
North Carolina Democrats for Life
cc: NC DFLA Board
Kristen Day, Executive Director of DFLA
Representative Mike McIntyre
Jerry Meek, State Chair Democratic Party
Legislative Alert
NC Pro-Life Democrats support HB 263, Victims of Unborn Violence Act
We ask that every pro-life Democrat please contact your representative. For more information:
Contact your representativeLifeNews: North Carolina Needs Unborn Victims Law...
Please call the speaker of the NC House, Joe Hackney, at (919) 733-3451 and the President Pro-Tempore of the NC Senate, Marc Basnight at (919) 733 6854 to ask them to allow the citizens of our state the opportunity to purchase a "Choose Life" license plate. The money raised by the sale of the plate would help fund crisis pregnancy centers.
Upcoming Events
Event: North Carolina Right to Life 35th Anniversary Dinner
Date: Saturday, April 26, 2008
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Greensboro, NC
Note: Please join NC Pro-Life Democrats at the NCRTL's 35th
Anniversary Dinner. Special Guests: Wanda Franz, Ph. D and Sentor Elizabeth Dole. For more info, visit: http://ncrtl.org
Past Events
Thanks for joining us at...
Event: State Executive Committee Meeting
Date: Saturday, January 26, 2008
Time: 10:00pm
Place: Hamlet, NC
Note: We will be petitioning for the passage of HB 263, Victims of Unborn Violence Act and the "Choose Life" license plate. For more info, visit: http://ncdp.org
North Carolina Pro-Life Democrats is just one chapter in a large collective of pro-life Democrats.
We are proud affiliates with the national Democrats for Life effort. Find out more about the nationwide effort by going to democratsforlife.org.