Babykillers, Lies, & Love

Bart Stupak, the Democratic, Pro-Life, Congressman from Michigan is retiring. After initially raising concerns that the new health bill provided room for federally funded abortions, he was ridiculed, called a baby-killer, and other things after eventually voting for the bill. He was assured the bill was not opening that door and decided that the good of the bill outweighed the negatives.

Being a politician of faith is not simple. Faith tends to call us to be uncompromising in our convictions while politics is a continual call for compromise.

Rep. Stupak's choices could not have been easy.

However, I want to direct this towards those who in the name of "life" called him a baby-killer or anything else.

I have never understood some of the more militant stands "pro-lifers" take.

I also don't understand how so many pro-life proponents (of who I am one in principle, life is very seldom as simple as black and white however) can be against EVER allowing an abortion to occur, but have no problems with the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. Or the numerous smaller conflicts the US has been involved in since the "pro-life" movement really got moving in the 1980s.

What it leads me to believe, and I hope I'm wrong, is that too many pro-lifers have a very narrow view of the lives they want to save. They want to save American babies lives. That's nice. That's good. But what about other countries children? (And not just children but all who live in wartorn lands.)

Do they not deserve a life free of American cluster bombs, landmines and machinegun fire? Should they live in fear that kicking a soccerball in an empty field one day will set off a long dormant weapon, scarring and maiming them for life? (I could write another blog on my view of the usage of cluster bombs & land mines. Maybe I will sometime.)

Or even, taking the "-life" idea further, beyond children, what of the lives of those on death row?

Thanks to the vagaries of the justice system, they disproportionately black and poor. Also, since death is final, even one mistake of convicting and sentencing an innocent man results in another innocent life being taken.

Is this right? Is that being "pro-life?"

Finally, taking it beyond the realm of simple life, where is the love? Yelling hateful, spiteful words, even in pursuit of good, is never, ever right. Was Christ sometimes harsh and honest? Yes, but most often against those in his own religious community.

And there is a difference between harsh honesty and poisonous words that can only cause division.

The tragic consequences of abortion on demand in our nation call for a loving, caring discourse. Creating more pain and strife is not the answer.

Nor do I believe it's what Christ wants for us.