Abortion as a Human Rights Issue
Pro-Lifers Say “No” to Abortion Money in Health Care Reform Bill
Aug 27, 2009
Pro-Life groups and human rights groups across the nation are organizing a series of rallies and prayer vigils aimed at getting Congress to remove any hint of abortion funding in the health care reform bills currently in Congress.
One of the rallies was near the ferry landing are near Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts where President Obama and his family are vacationing.
The Demonstration
One of those in the protest was Presbyterian minister and pro-life activist Pat Mahoney. Mahoney leads Abortion is Not Health Care, a project of the Washington, DC based Operation Rescue.
The Rev. Mahoney says the real issue of the pro-life movement is human rights, “Our focus out here today, we are here today to send a clear message to President Obama to stand for human rights and to stand for social justice.”
“Let’s ensure that not one penny of public money is spent on abortions,” Rev. Mahoney said.
In talking about the legislative process, Rev. Mahoney says the focus is not just on one bill, “There are four or five bills out right now. The main one they’re focusing on is the House Bill.”
Rev. Mahoney says some members of Congress have acted to keep funding out of the bills, “Ten House Committees have voted for language that would exclude taxpayer funding for abortions. In all 10 of those committees they voted that language down.”
Still, the Presbyterian cleric says there are plenty of reasons to stay focused, “President Obama made it a key campaign promise to have taxpayer funding for abortions. Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Reid all said it’s going to be in there.”
It’s Still About Human Rights
Others at the rally were also there because of their conviction about human rights. Chris Slattery is the founder of Expectant Mother Care, and he says they want the president to focus on human rights, “We just want the bill to respect life and human dignity.”
“They say their whole purpose for health care reform is to guarantee every American the right to proper health care. But, you don’t respect life and dignity by promoting the killing of innocent children with taxpayer money,” Mr. Slattery said.
Mr. Slattery thinks that the president’s motive is highly political, “They haven’t thrown the abortionists under the bus yet. They’re still in league with the abortionists, all their cohorts,” Slattery said. “This is going to be an Obama and Ted Kennedy bill. They want abortion coverage in it and they’re going to fight to include it.”
Even though some of the protesters had to acknowledge the political realities, others at the rally were there because of their personal convictions. Brother Roderick Burke is a Roman Catholic Friar and believes abortion funding is always wrong, “It’s always right to support pro-life causes, especially since it looks like abortion funding is going to be in the president’s health care plan.”
“It grieves me that abortion funding would be in any federal health care bill. It’s just not appropriate,” Friar Burke said.
“President Obama came in and said he wanted to make abortions rare,” the Friar said. “This bill with federal money would make abortions more common.”
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