by Rusty Pugh
(AgapePress) – The president of the American Life League says there is a problem within the pro-life camp a lack of consensus on exactly what constitutes abortion.
When a key House panel overturned President Bush's proposal to eliminate contraceptive coverage for federal employees, Judie Brown was not surprised. At least one contraceptive covered by federal insurance is the intrauterine device (or IUD) which induces abortions.
Brown says many politicians who call themselves “pro-life” fail to recognize that they are actually supporting abortion. “We have so-called 'pro-life' politicians who do not recognize acts of abortion on young babies between the ages of fertilization and implantation as being actual abortions,” Brown says. “So they think that in good conscience they can support the … amendment [sponsored by Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey of New York] which literally puts the federal government on record providing health insurance coverage for killing babies and still claim that they're pro-life.”
“This is an outrage again, and something that American Life League has been trying to focus attention on [for years] and will continue to focus attention on,” Brown continued. “One of the problems here, quite frankly, is that we do not have unanimity in the pro-life movement about what an abortion really is, and that's the crux of this problem.”
The contraceptive “benefit” has been provided to 1.2 million women in the government workforce since 1998.
University Award
Brown points out another inconsistency in the pro-life camp: special recognition of pro-abortion dignitaries by organizations tied to the pro-life movement. A case in point is an Ohio Catholic school honoring a former U.S. senator and astronaut who holds pro-abortion views.
CNSNews reports the University of Dayton Alumni Association plans to present John Glenn with its 2001 “Leadership With Virtue” award. The award, to be presented in September, is based on seven criteria communication, commitment, vision, inclusion, service, emotional balance, and integrity. But the decision to honor Glenn is drawing fierce criticism from Brown because the former senator's public platform is pro-abortion.
Brown calls it “an absolute outrage” to honor Glenn because she says it is impossible to be Catholic and pro-abortion at the same time. Glenn is not Catholic, but many see the school's choice as a slap in the face of church doctrine.
Brown is not alone in her condemnation of the University of Dayton's plans. The Cardinal Newman Society is firmly opposed to Glenn's selection, saying it is yet another example of Catholic universities not abiding by their Catholic mission.
(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)