Life and My Party
Dec. 31, 2002
Jeb Byrne
The Washington Post
I've been a committed Democrat since reaching adulthood. I was attracted to the party because of my perception that is was liberal, egalitarian and life-affirming. Although a rank-and-filer rather than a party bigwig, I've served as political appointee in Democratic administrations on state and federal levels. Moreover, in one hectic presidential election campaign, I worked directly for the Democratic National Committee on behalf of the presidential nominee.
But I have a problem with my party these days: I cannot reconcile its traditional liberalism, egalitarianism and life-affirming qualities with its current love affair with the nihilism of abortion.
Some of my fellow Democrats will no doubt ask: Why focus on such a divisive subject, when there are so many other issues to be considered? And why call abortion nihilism?
True, there are many other issues to be considered. But a political party's take on what is life, particularly human life, is kind of basic. And why do I equate abortion with nihilism? Simply because it snuffs out an ignited life, makes nothing of a "being" that has begun.
Clearly, I'm not a woman, have not experienced the trauma of childbirth. But as a father, I've held newborns in my arms. Like other newborns, they were intent on ingestion, digestion and ejection. No instant Einsteins. Given life, they had grown, developed and been born. They would continue to grow and develop. Human life is a continuum with a beginning and an end. We are talking, with regard to abortion, about a being that is at an early stage in a living journey.
It's argued by some that respect for the pre-born is strictly a religious position. It isn't. Theists can point to the sovereignty of God over human life. Non-theists can point to the wondrous reality of human life. Either way suffices. It's in the very nature of parenthood to provide nurture, not closure whether or not one believes in God.
The party's platform states quite clearly that "the Democratic party is a party of inclusion. We respect the individual conscience of each American on this difficult issue [abortion], and we welcome all our members to participate at every level of our party."
Yet, when the liberal Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, Robert P. Casey, sought to speak at the party's national convention in 1992, he was rebuffed, solely because he was pro-life. Just this year the Democratic National Committee refused to post the name of a committed Democratic group, Democrats for Life of America, on the "links" page of the DNC Web site. The militant abortion-endorsing organizations are there, of course, in full force.
Perhaps the Democratic Party is not ready, for whatever reasons, to extend its life-affirming compassion for the vulnerable in society to young lives in the womb. Might I then suggest that the least it could do is acknowledge that among those dismayed by the current abortion culture are many loyal Democrats who do not belong to what the abortion-endorsers like to label the "far-right fringe." And might I urge that the party, in accordance with its platform promise to try to make abortion "rare," drop its automatic opposition to every legislative act aimed at reducing the abortion toll. It could also stop using the euphemism "choice' when, in every other context, what counts is not the choice but what is chosen.
The writer, a former journalist came to Washington in 1961 as an appointee of the Kennedy administration in the General Services Administration. He retired from government as director of the Office of the Federal Register.
This article was reprinted with written permission from the author.
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.