[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
>
>
>A lot of folks simply dismiss anti-abortion views as support for
>capitalist
>patriarchy, while ignoring the real existence of anti-abortion activists
>who
>support womens rights and other progressive social values in every other
>sphere of society. Progressive Catholics promote a so-called "Seamless
>Garment" of aid to the poor, opposition to the death penalty, rights of
>human dignity in the workplace and opposition to abortion. Many
>conservative Catholics may just harp on abortion while ignoring the other
>values, but there is a real cadre of left Catholics who take the whole
>package seriously. The question is why such left activists should not ask
>for respect for their values (if not always their policies)?
You know, I'd love to know who these progressive Catholics
are that can't work in coalition with other progressives
because of abortion. Left Catholics I know (and I know
quite a few) are happy to work with progressives on
issues like welfare, family support, health care and so on,
for exactly the sorts of reasons Nathan mentions. Moreover,
progressives and feminists are happy to work with them
also for the reasons Natban mentions. And both groups are
very happy to leave the abortion issue be.
Progressive Catholics of my acquaintance seem to
have no problem reconciling their coalition work with the
church's official position -- it's a church-state
issue and they leave it at that. Most are somewhat
embarassed by the church's positions on family-planning
and reproductive rights.
Ellen Frank
>
>
