Abortion reducing platform makes way to DNC
Jeff Diamant/Religion News Service
Issue date: 9/2/08 Section: Divine Intervention
"Fifty-one percent of Americans consider themselves pro-choice," he said. "This being the case, we are looking for common ground. We're saying, 'OK, if we can't have our way 100 percent, can we at least come together recognizing ... that abortions need to be reduced?'"
Though Campolo said he hopes the language will lead Democrats to push for related legislation, there's nothing close to a guarantee that will happen. Party platforms are supposed to showcase a party's guiding principles, but in practice they carry little weight with elected officials.
"People who follow this issue closely are going to be impressed by it," said Douglas Kmiec, law professor at Pepperdine University and former dean of the Catholic University Law School. "Because they know the influence that NARAL (NARAL Pro-Choice America) has had on the Democratic Party for decades."
Campolo, too, is hopeful. "We have given to Barack Obama enough language for him to take this language and mold it in a way that will draw Catholics and evangelicals, conservative Jewish people, Muslims, into seeing the Democratic Party as a party that is receptive to their beliefs about human life," he said.
Still, staunch opponents of abortion will find plenty to detest in the Democratic platform language.
Like past party platforms, it effectively calls for taxpayer-funded abortions for the poor. And despite the additions, it left out a line from the 2004 platform that explicitly said abortions should be rare.
Also, in saying that health care and education reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and "also reduce the need for abortion," it uses the word "need" in a way many abortion opponents find sickening.
"It's never justifiable to kill a baby because you don't have enough money," said Larry Cirignano, who is active in a Catholic citizens group that opposes abortion. "They're basically saying it's OK unless you have money. ... The platform makes it clear that they want to keep abortion legal."
Though Campolo said he hopes the language will lead Democrats to push for related legislation, there's nothing close to a guarantee that will happen. Party platforms are supposed to showcase a party's guiding principles, but in practice they carry little weight with elected officials.
"People who follow this issue closely are going to be impressed by it," said Douglas Kmiec, law professor at Pepperdine University and former dean of the Catholic University Law School. "Because they know the influence that NARAL (NARAL Pro-Choice America) has had on the Democratic Party for decades."
Campolo, too, is hopeful. "We have given to Barack Obama enough language for him to take this language and mold it in a way that will draw Catholics and evangelicals, conservative Jewish people, Muslims, into seeing the Democratic Party as a party that is receptive to their beliefs about human life," he said.
Still, staunch opponents of abortion will find plenty to detest in the Democratic platform language.
Like past party platforms, it effectively calls for taxpayer-funded abortions for the poor. And despite the additions, it left out a line from the 2004 platform that explicitly said abortions should be rare.
Also, in saying that health care and education reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and "also reduce the need for abortion," it uses the word "need" in a way many abortion opponents find sickening.
"It's never justifiable to kill a baby because you don't have enough money," said Larry Cirignano, who is active in a Catholic citizens group that opposes abortion. "They're basically saying it's OK unless you have money. ... The platform makes it clear that they want to keep abortion legal."
Be the first to comment on this story