On a weekend that brings a large pro-choice march to the streets
of Washington, Matt Foreman, head of the National
Gay & Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) issued a statement
declaring his group's support for abortion without
restrictions:
First, the obvious: we march because like everyone else, LGBT people need, deserve, and demand the fundamental right to control our bodies without the interference of government.
Along with NGLTF, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) evaluates congressional abortion votes when tabulating its annual scorecard of how "gay supportive" politicians are, and the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund has used a pro-choice litmus test for its endorsements.
On the other side, the Pro-Life
Alliance of Gays & Lesbians (PLAGAL) issued its own
statement:
"It is no pride to work for the rights of the GLBT community while at the same time taking away the rights of the unborn," said Cecilia Brown, PLAGAL's president. She further states "I know I speak for myself and others pro-life members of the GLBT community when I say that I do not want my rights as a member of the GLBT community to come at the expense of the unborn. It is far better not to take a stance on the issue of abortion as it relates to fighting for the rights of the GLBT community than to combine it and lose the support of those who otherwise would work with you on other worthwhile causes."
PLAGAL is, of course, a group founded on the abortion issue, whereas NGTLF, HRC, the Victory Fund, and many others claim to represent the interests of gays and lesbians in general, assuming an ideological consistency interlinked with our sexual orientation.
Finally, check out a letter we've posted from Scott Tucker, who writes:
As a supporter of HRC (and a conservative on most other political issues), I was more than disheartened when my e-mail inbox gave me an invitation from HRC to "March for Women's Lives and HRC." The e-mail further encouraged me to "Join HRC in support of reproductive freedom and justice for all women." How sad indeed that the greatest GLBT rights organizations refuse to reach out to all gay Americans. I have tremendous respect for HRC. But can I continue to give them my support if I am pro-life? I haven't decided yet.
What a shame that so many gay groups, even those who feign to be
non-partisan (and how they must laugh at that howler),
insist that everyone dance to the left's music when it comes to
abortion, welfare, racial preferences, and on and on and
on.