Head Knight of Columbus warns Freedom of Choice Act threatens pro-life successes

Nov 4, 2008 / 01:38 am

Carl A. Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, has published a message regarding the upcoming election. Praising the “many small successes” of the pro-life movement, he warns that even these minor restrictions on abortion could be invalidated if the Freedom of Choice Act passes.

Calling the work of the pro-life movement a “difficult struggle,” Anderson notes that though the “ultimate goal” of overturning Roe v. Wade “remains somewhere in the future” many small accomplishments have been achieved.

Among these, he lists: the Hyde Amendment, which restricts federal funding for abortions; the federal ban on partial-birth abortions, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2007; the “Mexico City policy” which bars the use of federal taxpayers’ money to pay for abortions in other countries; state parental consent laws; state late-term abortion restrictions; state conscience protection laws for pro-life professionals and institutions; laws which require counseling for those considering an abortion; and laws providing for ultrasounds before an abortion.

However, Anderson warned:

“All of these restrictions on abortion - all of the progress we've made over the past 35 years in trying to limit and reduce abortions in the United States - would be invalidated with the stroke of a pen if the next Congress passes, and the next president signs, the so-called ‘Freedom of Choice Act’.”

He asked readers to learn whether candidates for whom they might vote favor or oppose FOCA.

In addition, he noted that the Knights of Columbus have provided more information on FOCA and other life issues at their web site at http://www.kofc.org/pro-life

“Remember,” Anderson concludes, “all that we've done together since Roe to save the lives of the unborn is at stake.”