\r\n\r\n<\/h3>\r\nShow Importance<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nOne common criticism of the consistent life ethic is the idea that, when opposing abortion, adding other issues is intended to be a way of watering down abortion, and giving politicians (especially Catholic politicians) a pass by letting them proclaim themselves good on other issues even if they\u2019re bad on abortion. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nConsistent lifers have responded that declaring abortion to be an issue of violence to be treated like other issues of violence strengthens the case against abortion. Instead of giving a pass, we\u2019re challenging the politicians: if you\u2019re good on other issues, why aren\u2019t you consistent by opposing abortion as well? <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nBut there\u2019s another important point: independent of considering the consistent life ethic, right-to-lifers themselves often find it natural to use other issues of violence to explain how very important it is to oppose abortion. Here we offer a few examples. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCarol Tobias<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nPresident, National Right to Life Committee<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/consistent-life.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-blog-Tobias.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSocieties that have come down on the side of life have generally thrived, their citizens enjoying a better chance of living good and fulfilling lives. Societies that have chosen to disregard the basic right to life have almost universally broken down into chaos and cynicism. Chaos like the kind we\u2019ve seen in recent acts of senseless mass violence . . .<\/p>\r\n
The fight for the right to life is so much bigger than the media will admit . . . it\u2019s also about what kind of society we and our children will spend our lives in.Can we trust that our laws and customs and popular culture will nurture the value of each of the people we care about \u2013 young and old? Or are we just disposable \u201cproducts,\u201d liable to be killed or left to die because an abortionist, or a terrorist, or a bureaucrat trying to cut costs in a national health care program wants us dead?<\/p>\r\nE-mail message, April 16, 2013 \u2013 \u201cEvery<\/em> Human Life is Precious\u201d<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWe also understand that the fight for the Right to Life follows certain historical patterns of other great causes before us.<\/p>\r\n
So we understand that when we pass a law to ban late abortions in one of the states, we are paralleling our historical cousins who passed laws to end slavery in their states. When we see abortion numbers fall sharply, we know we are saving lives just as other noble charitable projects worked to reduce life-stealing hunger and disease.<\/p>\r\n
E-mail message, February 2, 2016 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMark Crutcher<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLife Dynamics<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
In a roundtable conversation, Mark is discussing Republicans who think the abortion issue should be toned down. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThese guys say we ought to separate the \u201cmoral\u201d issues from the \u201ceconomic\u201d issues . . . [Prochoicers] don\u2019t have the moral foundation to make these economic decisions . . . What these guys ought to be saying is, even if we don\u2019t care about abortion . . . we ought to be willing to at least use that as a barometer for what kind of economic decisions they\u2019ll make.\u00a0 . .\u00a0 The military. If you think that going to war doesn\u2019t have moral components to it, you\u2019re nuts. And if we say we don\u2019t want to deal with these moral issues, we want to deal with the money and the military and the terrorism \u2013 if you don\u2019t apply morals to those issues, you\u2019ve lost your mind.<\/p>\r\n
LifeTalk News<\/em>, October 1, 2010\u00a0 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/consistent-life.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-blog-Crutcher.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nLife Talk News: Troy Newman, Rev. Johnny Hunter, Fr. Frank Pavone, Jill Stanek, Mark Crutcher. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMark<\/a> has criticized the consistent life ethic, but Johnny<\/a> and Frank<\/a> are supporters. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRichard M. Doerflinger<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFormer Director, Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/consistent-life.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-blog-Doerflinger.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhere did we get this corrosive climate, in which people can ignore contrary arguments about any issue simply by asserting the worthlessness of any human being who gets in the way of their own goals and desires? Theories will differ. Personally I would offer this: We have had one of the world\u2019s most extreme policies allowing the destruction of unexpected or inconvenient unborn children for over four decades now. . .\u00a0 We are the only Western nation that still regularly uses the death penalty as a response to crime. In recent decades there have been powerful and well-funded campaigns, successful in five states and the District of Columbia, to have society declare that a good way to get rid of the problems of terminally ill patients is to assist them in getting rid of themselves . . . . Isn\u2019t it likely that these developments have led some people to think they have a right to treat inconvenient other people as worthless compared to themselves?<\/p>\r\n
A Distinctive Catholic Vision for Politics<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFr. Frank Pavone<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nNational Director, Priests for Life<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\nPeace is more than the absence of war. The foundation of peace is justice, that everyone\u2019s rights are protected and everyone\u2019s dignity is recognized. . . . To fight abortion, therefore, is one of the ways that we work for peace. Abortion completely oppresses and diminishes the rights of the child who is killed. Rather than fostering right relationships, it destroys them, starting with the most basic relationship between a mother and her own child.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
William Brennan<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nAuthor<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
From Dehumanizing the Vulnerable<\/em><\/a>: When Word Games Take Lives<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n(The second edition has a different sub-title: The War of Words Against the Victims<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA remarkable strain of consistency permeates the language employed to highlight the human and spiritual nature of individuals and groups subjected to massive victimization. The contemporary opponents of abortion and euthanasia rely on the same range of positive expressions to defend the unwanted unborn and born of today that were used to defend Native Americans, African Americans, Soviet people, Jews, women, and other targets of past oppression.<\/p>\r\n From Dehumanizing the Vulnerable<\/a>: When Word Games Take Lives<\/em>
(The second edition has a different sub-title: The War of Words Against the Victims<\/a><\/em>) <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/consistent-life.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1-blog-Brennan.jpg\")
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAdded 09.30.25:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n
![\"Lila](\"http:\/\/consistent-life.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1-blog-Rose.jpg\")
<\/a>Lila Rose<\/p><\/div>\r\n
Yale Political Union tightening security after Kirk assassination<\/a><\/p>\r\nby Orion Kim, Staff Reporter,, Yale News<\/em>, Sep 17, 2025 quoting Lila Rose of Live Action in a debate at Yale University<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a claim that drew many hisses from the audience, [Lila Rose] compared abortion to historical examples of people being deemed \u201csubhuman,\u201d including Jews during the Holocaust, slavery, and Israel\u2019s ongoing war in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen you strip people of their humanity, you open the door to every kind of violence,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
========================================================<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Part 2: Consistency<\/a>, focuses on the other direction: how opposing other kinds of violence strengthens the case against abortion.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFor a set of quotations from abortion doctors, nurses, and sympathizers that link abortion to war (as a way of justifying abortion), see<\/em> Is Abortion Against Peace Principles?<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nSee our blog posts for more sets of quotations:<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWomen with Disabilities Speak<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nHistorical Black Voices: Racism Kills<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(compiled by Rachel MacNair) Part 1: Connections Show Importance One common criticism of the consistent life ethic is the idea that, when opposing abortion, adding other issues is intended to be a way of watering down abortion, and giving politicians (especially Catholic politicians) a pass by letting them proclaim themselves good on other issues even… <\/p>\n
One common criticism of the consistent life ethic is the idea that, when opposing abortion, adding other issues is intended to be a way of watering down abortion, and giving politicians (especially Catholic politicians) a pass by letting them proclaim themselves good on other issues even if they\u2019re bad on abortion. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Consistent lifers have responded that declaring abortion to be an issue of violence to be treated like other issues of violence strengthens the case against abortion. Instead of giving a pass, we\u2019re challenging the politicians: if you\u2019re good on other issues, why aren\u2019t you consistent by opposing abortion as well? <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But there\u2019s another important point: independent of considering the consistent life ethic, right-to-lifers themselves often find it natural to use other issues of violence to explain how very important it is to oppose abortion. Here we offer a few examples. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n President, National Right to Life Committee<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Societies that have come down on the side of life have generally thrived, their citizens enjoying a better chance of living good and fulfilling lives. Societies that have chosen to disregard the basic right to life have almost universally broken down into chaos and cynicism. Chaos like the kind we\u2019ve seen in recent acts of senseless mass violence . . .<\/p>\r\n The fight for the right to life is so much bigger than the media will admit . . . it\u2019s also about what kind of society we and our children will spend our lives in.Can we trust that our laws and customs and popular culture will nurture the value of each of the people we care about \u2013 young and old? Or are we just disposable \u201cproducts,\u201d liable to be killed or left to die because an abortionist, or a terrorist, or a bureaucrat trying to cut costs in a national health care program wants us dead?<\/p>\r\nE-mail message, April 16, 2013 \u2013 \u201cEvery<\/em> Human Life is Precious\u201d<\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We also understand that the fight for the Right to Life follows certain historical patterns of other great causes before us.<\/p>\r\n So we understand that when we pass a law to ban late abortions in one of the states, we are paralleling our historical cousins who passed laws to end slavery in their states. When we see abortion numbers fall sharply, we know we are saving lives just as other noble charitable projects worked to reduce life-stealing hunger and disease.<\/p>\r\n Life Dynamics<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In a roundtable conversation, Mark is discussing Republicans who think the abortion issue should be toned down. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n These guys say we ought to separate the \u201cmoral\u201d issues from the \u201ceconomic\u201d issues . . . [Prochoicers] don\u2019t have the moral foundation to make these economic decisions . . . What these guys ought to be saying is, even if we don\u2019t care about abortion . . . we ought to be willing to at least use that as a barometer for what kind of economic decisions they\u2019ll make.\u00a0 . .\u00a0 The military. If you think that going to war doesn\u2019t have moral components to it, you\u2019re nuts. And if we say we don\u2019t want to deal with these moral issues, we want to deal with the money and the military and the terrorism \u2013 if you don\u2019t apply morals to those issues, you\u2019ve lost your mind.<\/p>\r\n Life Talk News: Troy Newman, Rev. Johnny Hunter, Fr. Frank Pavone, Jill Stanek, Mark Crutcher. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Mark<\/a> has criticized the consistent life ethic, but Johnny<\/a> and Frank<\/a> are supporters. <\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Former Director, Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Where did we get this corrosive climate, in which people can ignore contrary arguments about any issue simply by asserting the worthlessness of any human being who gets in the way of their own goals and desires? Theories will differ. Personally I would offer this: We have had one of the world\u2019s most extreme policies allowing the destruction of unexpected or inconvenient unborn children for over four decades now. . .\u00a0 We are the only Western nation that still regularly uses the death penalty as a response to crime. In recent decades there have been powerful and well-funded campaigns, successful in five states and the District of Columbia, to have society declare that a good way to get rid of the problems of terminally ill patients is to assist them in getting rid of themselves . . . . Isn\u2019t it likely that these developments have led some people to think they have a right to treat inconvenient other people as worthless compared to themselves?<\/p>\r\n National Director, Priests for Life<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Peace is more than the absence of war. The foundation of peace is justice, that everyone\u2019s rights are protected and everyone\u2019s dignity is recognized. . . . To fight abortion, therefore, is one of the ways that we work for peace. Abortion completely oppresses and diminishes the rights of the child who is killed. Rather than fostering right relationships, it destroys them, starting with the most basic relationship between a mother and her own child.<\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Author<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n From Dehumanizing the Vulnerable<\/em><\/a>: When Word Games Take Lives<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n (The second edition has a different sub-title: The War of Words Against the Victims<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A remarkable strain of consistency permeates the language employed to highlight the human and spiritual nature of individuals and groups subjected to massive victimization. The contemporary opponents of abortion and euthanasia rely on the same range of positive expressions to defend the unwanted unborn and born of today that were used to defend Native Americans, African Americans, Soviet people, Jews, women, and other targets of past oppression.<\/p>\r\n From Dehumanizing the Vulnerable<\/a>: When Word Games Take Lives<\/em> Added 09.30.25:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n Lila Rose<\/p><\/div>\r\n Yale Political Union tightening security after Kirk assassination<\/a><\/p>\r\n by Orion Kim, Staff Reporter,, Yale News<\/em>, Sep 17, 2025 quoting Lila Rose of Live Action in a debate at Yale University<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a claim that drew many hisses from the audience, [Lila Rose] compared abortion to historical examples of people being deemed \u201csubhuman,\u201d including Jews during the Holocaust, slavery, and Israel\u2019s ongoing war in Gaza.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cWhen you strip people of their humanity, you open the door to every kind of violence,\u201d she declared.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n ========================================================<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Part 2: Consistency<\/a>, focuses on the other direction: how opposing other kinds of violence strengthens the case against abortion.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For a set of quotations from abortion doctors, nurses, and sympathizers that link abortion to war (as a way of justifying abortion), see<\/em> Is Abortion Against Peace Principles?<\/a> \u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n See our blog posts for more sets of quotations:<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Women with Disabilities Speak<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Historical Black Voices: Racism Kills<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n <\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" (compiled by Rachel MacNair) Part 1: Connections Show Importance One common criticism of the consistent life ethic is the idea that, when opposing abortion, adding other issues is intended to be a way of watering down abortion, and giving politicians (especially Catholic politicians) a pass by letting them proclaim themselves good on other issues even… <\/p>\nCarol Tobias<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
E-mail message, February 2, 2016 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMark Crutcher<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
LifeTalk News<\/em>, October 1, 2010\u00a0 <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRichard M. Doerflinger<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A Distinctive Catholic Vision for Politics<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nFr. Frank Pavone<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
William Brennan<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n
(The second edition has a different sub-title: The War of Words Against the Victims<\/a><\/em>) <\/cite><\/blockquote>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/a>