After reading that actor and political activist, Martin Sheen would be awarded Notre Dame's Laetare Medal for 2008, I wanted to look into the, so-called,Consistent Life Movement. The groups in this movement seek an end to abortion, capital punishment, the plight of immigrant workers and homeless people and the waging of unjust wars.All good causes, indeed.
For the most part, these groups identify themselves as "pro-life progressives", progressives being the new code word for liberals.
I wasn't quite sure why they'd wish to disassociate themselves from "non progressives". After a bit of web surfing I came across an explanation.
The "progressives" feel that the otherwise pro life Republicans don't do enough on the issues of capital punishment, war and the homeless.
That's certainly true, of course, but I don't believe Consistent Life groups will get much satisfaction from their support of Democrats.
On most of the "pro life" issues the Democrats rate well....with the glaring exception of abortion and it is extremely unlikely that the Democratic Party will abandon it's pro abortion stance.
I believe you'd have an easier time convincing a "conservative" pro lifer that capital punishment should be abolished than you would convincing very many Democrats that a fetus deserves the right to life as someone on death row.
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