The Magnificent Paul Weyrich's last column .....

Abortion as a Test of Conscience and of Campaign

By Paul M. Weyrich

The President-elect appears to have stepped back from some of his
campaign promises. That merely is speculation. We shall see. The
President-elect did make a dogmatic statement regarding the socalled “Freedom of Choice” Act (FOCA). He said he will propose FOCA, which would eliminate all State and Federal restrictions upon abortion. It would purport to force Christian hospitals to performabortions or close. It would demand that physicians perform abortionsor give up their practice.

Whatever happened to freedom of conscience? A hallmark of
professionalism in the United States has been that we never force
anyone to violate his or her conscience in the performance of a duty.
That is the first line of defense of the pro-life movement. Even more
than the Hyde Amendment, which has prohibited funding by the
Federal Government of many abortions, the idea of freedom of
conscience unites all parties in the pro-life movement, which has
made progress since the passage of the Hyde Amendment. There
hardly has been a Congress which made no progress on the right-tolife issue.

And when progress was stymied at the Federal level, many
restrictions were enacted at the State level. Most were tested in the
Federal courts and were held to be constitutional.

It is inconceivable to me that a majority in Congress can’t agree upon
freedom of conscience. Counting the votes, I doubt that there are
enough pro-lifers in Congress to maintain the restrictions previously
passed by Congress. However, even honest liberals would favor
allowing a physician to practice medicine consistent with his or her
life-saving principles of conscience.

Most Republicans, as well as many Democrats, ran as pro-lifers in the 2008 election. This fundamental issue may become the first test of their commitment to
life. If we force hospitals and physicians to perform abortions against
their beliefs, in other words in violation of their conscience, then we
will be on a downward spiral from which there may be no return.

This will be a test, America. God help all of us.

The late Paul M. Weyrich was Chairman and CEO of the Free
Congress Foundation.

Paul Weyrich, a pious and dedicated Christian, is now where we all hope someday to be, with the Lord he loved and served so well. Requiescat in Pacem, good and faithful servant. - Phil Brennan)

Paul M. Weyrich was President of the Free Congress Foundation.