Washington: Donald Trump says he is pro-life with exceptions, but his answers to some questions could be better. Judie Brown, president of American Life League, has petitioned Mr. Trump, asking to discuss what needs to happen concerning abortion so that America can focus on building a culture of life. Rallying support from across the nation, American Life League’s petition has gained attention on social media and through direct mail campaigns. Brown wants every candidate and every voter to understand the true nature of the abortion industry, of Planned Parenthood, and who exactly the perpetrators and victims are.
Concerning Trump’s recent statement in answer to the question: If abortion is a crime, will the woman be punished? Brown advises:
The proper answer to the question should be that each case must be handled individually. If a mother had knowledge of what she was doing, she should be punished along with her doctor—who always knows. The doctor not only knows but has a financial interest that could prompt him to do all he can to keep the mother in the dark, so to speak. Frequently such doctors, or those non doctors who do abortions, mischaracterize the act so that the mother has a clear conscience and is literally functioning in a state of ignorance. In such a case the mother could argue that she did not know, unlike the doctor who not only knows but intended to misinform the mother. Attorney Gualberto Garcia Jones points out, “Criminal law is almost always about knowledge.”
Unpopular with some but applauded by others, the perspective shared by Judie Brown strikes a chord. Where abortion is concerned, there is always one victim; often there are many more. Those who promote and perform this horrific act of taking the life of the child must be brought to justice. Those who act in ignorance or under coercion deserve mercy.
Judie Brown, president and cofounder of ALL, served three five-year terms (1996-2011) as a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life. She has written 12 books, including the most recent, The Broken Path: How Catholic Bishops Got Lost in the Weeds of American Politics (2011) and Saving Those Damned Catholics: A Defense of Catholic Teaching (2007).
American Life League is the oldest grassroots Catholic pro-life education organization in the United States. Committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death, ALL is rooted in pro-life integrity that stands up for every innocent human being whose life is threatened by what Saint John Paul II called “the culture of death.”
Judie Brown is available to speak with media and accepts invitations for on-air and off-air interviews.
Contact Matt Wielgos, chief communications officer of American Life League, with questions or inquiries. E-mail requests to Mwielgos@ALL.org or call 540-846-3822 for immediate response.
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