Opinion: Pro-Life Politicians Have to Show Some Courage, Before it is too Late!

While access to adequate health care and proper medical coverage is very much on the pro-life radar, abortions don't fit this view; they are executions of the unborn.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - There are certain moments in time that can define a person. Often, these nuggets of time are not planned or expected. They simply occur. For some, they can become 'prophetic moments' which change history.

When someone happens upon such a time, their responsive actions do more than define an occurrence; they define the person, leaving an indelible mark in their personal history as well.

For senators and representatives who stand with us in defense of the Fundamental Human Right to Life, such a 'prophetic moment' is upon them. The current health care initiative is gaining energy and seems to be moving toward final stages of adoption.Pro-Life Politicans need to show some true courage, before it is too late!

In the House, those who were playing the congressional shell game let the pro-life constituents win the first round through the Stupak-Pitts Amendment. We certainly want to applaud Rep. Bart Stupak, Rep. Joseph Pitts and the others who stood strong for pro-life principles. Yet, as Paul Harvey would have said, here's the rest of the story.

It didn't take long to discern that this was a great strategy to get the bill out of the House with no guarantee that life would ultimately be protected. The resolution was at the mercy of the Senate. This week the Nelsen Amendment was defeated, neutralizing the actions on the other wing of the Capitol.

Some democrats are even trying to steal our language. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-Md) stated on the Senate floor, "This bill is pro-life. Making it a debate about abortion is misguided and wrong... The most pro-life thing we can do is to pass universal health care reform. So if you want to be pro-life, don't torpedo this bill. There is nothing more pro-life than making sure that every American has health care."

While access to health care and proper medical coverage is very much on the pro-life radar, abortions do not and cannot fit this view; they actually amount to executions of the unborn. If abortion is funded, the bill is not pro-life, let alone "whole life" as Mikulski intimated, quoting Pastor Rick Warren.

With the Stupak and Nelson Amendments in the rear view mirror, defenders of the Right to Life will have to look for other ways to bring about protection for our first citizens. This is not a time to simply say, "we tried our best," and return to status-quo deliberations regarding this bill. Human Lives are at stake.

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Hopefully, Pro-life senators will be able to take Senator Harry Reid at his word. The majority leader indicated after the Nelsen defeat that he wanted to work with the Nebraska Senator toward compatible language.

We, too, can have a part in this prophetic moment. Our Senators need to hear our voices, encouraging them to seek ways to protect the unborn as we move forward in health care reform. Let me suggest that you do not use petitions, any of the automated systems, or other blanket approaches to contact senatorial offices. Staff members can tell the difference between a personal response and a canned response. Call them, email them, or fax them.

We need to remind them that the majority of Americans do not favor federal funding abortions. We do not want the executions of the unborn funded by federal tax dollars. According to a poll by CNN in November, adults are opposed to "using public funds for abortions when the woman cannot afford it" by a 61-37 percent margin. While other polls may find a slightly higher or lower percentage, they all indicate that adults oppose this part of reform.

Family Research Council, Democrats for Life, Concerned Women for America, Americans United for Life and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops are only representative of the many who are calling for a continued fight against the inclusion of executions for the unborn in the bill.

Now is not the time to let up. Our elected representatives are living in a 'prophetic moment'. Pro-life advocates need to speak and Truly Pro-life politicians need to act!

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online. He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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