It's a good thing to be able to find silver linings in dark clouds, but Jim Wallis at Sojourners reminds me of the guy who has been wiped out by thugs and yet praises them for not punching him in the nose during the robbery.
The Democrats have come forward with their platform plank on abortion, and Wallis is delighted that they affirm the right of a woman to choose to have a child if she wants it:
The Democratic platform has taken an important first step. They took an important step beyond the traditional position on Roe vs. Wade by also supporting a woman's decision to have her child.
Why, isn't this wonderful. The Democrats recognize that a woman should be supported in her decision to bear a child that she's carrying. The big tent Dems recognize that a pregnant woman shouldn't feel obligated to have an abortion, and Wallis sees this as a noteworthy act of good will instead of the window into the liberal heart of darkness that it is.
Republicans have long made a strong opposition to abortion a central issue in their platforms and campaigns. Yet their symbolic commitment to making abortion illegal, even with a Republican in power, hasn't made any change in the rate of abortions in America.
Somebody needs to inform Mr. Wallis that it takes a lot more than having a pro-lifer in the White House to get Roe v. Wade changed. The way to reduce the number of abortions is to let each state decide it's own policy, and that means we must have Supreme Court justices who will overturn Roe, and that takes more than just a pro-life president, although it certainly does take that.
Of course, it is now up to the Democratic candidate to interpret the platform and shape the issue. In an interview with Christianity Today, Barack Obama said, "I do think that those who diminish the moral elements of the decision aren't expressing the full reality of it."
It's passing strange that in talking about Barack Obama's views on abortion Mr. Wallis neglects to mention that as an Illinois state senator Mr. Obama actually voted against a bill that would have prevented infanticide.
Is Jim Wallis really the non-partisan prophet he fancies himself or is he just carrying pro-choice water? It's hard to believe that passing up an opportunity to castigate a politician who voted to let babies die a slow death is God's Politics.
RLC