Redefining 'Pro-Life'
by Bill Shein
The unfolding Harriet Miers fiasco, with its secret,
pre-nomination consultations with extremist, anti-abortion
religious leaders, makes plain a troubling reality: Too
many elections, too much public policy and too many judicial
nominations are distorted not only by the dangerous mixing
of religion and politics, but also by the narrow and incomplete
meaning of the term "pro-life."
That's why it is time to redefine that label and challenge
the nation to fully embrace the implications.
Pro-life means rigorous environmental protection. Because
any commitment to life today means little without an equal
commitment to a life-sustaining planet in the future.
It cannot be pro-life to vote for candidates who seek
to outlaw abortion but who, once in office, accelerate
the destruction of our fragile ecosystems.
Pro-life means ending the use of weapons sales as an
integral part of American foreign policy. Because it is
not pro-life for the United States to arm the world with
$108 billion in military hardware since 1997, and even,
in the case of India and Pakistan, to provide weapons
to both sides in a conflict.
It means ensuring quality health care, affordable housing
and a living wage for all. Because those who are healthy,
and fed, and properly sheltered and who have hope for
the future make different choices about bearing children.
And that means fewer abortions.
It means guaranteeing the prenatal and postnatal care
that every woman, regardless of income, needs to protect
her health and that of her baby. Because it is not pro-life
to oppose abortion while doing little to reduce the rate
of infant mortality in the United States — seven
per 1,000 live births — which is among the highest
in the developed world.
It means support not just for abstinence programs, but
also for sex education and condom distribution to prevent
unwanted pregnancies. The United States has the highest
rate of teen pregnancy and teen births in the developed
world, with 34 percent of women aged 15 to 19 becoming
pregnant at least once, according to the National Campaign
to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Fewer teen pregnancies would,
of course, mean fewer abortions.
It means, with compassion and understanding, encouraging
those who become pregnant to consider options besides
abortion. Because those of us who dislike abortion, but
who also believe it should remain safe and legal, know
that it is not pro-life to intimidate, threaten or harass
women, or to seek to use government to take control of
their bodies.
If pro-life doesn't mean opposing the war in Iraq, and
speaking out against the use of violence to resolve differences
between nations, then it means nothing. Because it is
not pro-life to support military action that always takes
it.
It means opposition to the death penalty. Because it
is not pro-life to oppose abortion "in all cases"
while allowing the state-sanctioned taking of life in
any case.
It means supporting the legal use of medical marijuana
by patients for whom it relieves pain, just as it means
enabling qualified doctors to assist terminally ill patients
who wish to end their lives. Because it is never pro-life
to impose additional pain and suffering on the sick or
dying.
It means protesting the horrific treatment of animals
raised on factory farms, killed via anal electrocution
for fur coats, bred for fighting or mistreated in any
way. Because life is precious, and that includes animal
life.
Finally, it means requiring consistency from those who
say they want to "protect innocent life." Because
aren't innocent Iraqi children, blown into a red mist
of life stuff during bombing raids, worthy of protection?
What about an American child living downwind from a poorly
regulated power plant, wheezing and gasping for each asthmatic
breath? Or the pregnant woman who dies because politicians
claim to know what is "medically necessary"
to save her life? When, exactly, did her innocence end?
The tragic irony is that today's allegedly pro-life politics
have given us increased poverty, millions without medical
care, war, rapid environmental destruction, and fiscal
policies that put the short-term economic interests of
the few ahead of the long-term survival of the human race
— a state of affairs that is anything but pro-life.
Until we broaden the meaning of pro-life and change the
way it is used in our political discourse, we will continue
to endure government priorities that are nothing of the
sort.
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As defined above, Bill Shein is definitely pro-life.
(This column originally appeared in the Berkshire
Eagle newspaper on October 16, 2005. Join a discussion
about this column in Bill's blog.
And read Bill's previous column, "Replacing
'Nightline' ").
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