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Mass. pro-life movement sells its soul.

Honors phony pro-life politician after big donation. A sad day.

POSTED: May 12, 2007

Thursday evening, May 10, the Massachusetts pro-life movement sold its soul in a sad, shameful spectacle as Massachusetts Citizens for Life (MCFL) gave former Gov. Mitt Romney their annual "political leadership award".

(See box at bottom of page on Romney's post-"conversion" record of statements and actions.)

 

People enter banquet hall in Agawam where event was held.

Lots of police were on hand, of course!.

A 'challenging' evening

The evening was a display of revisionist-history that challenged the imagination. If anything, the award should have been for brazenness. The crowd of several heard story after story of Romney's alleged valiant pro-life leadership as Governor of Massachusetts and since.

As many of us remember, during most of Romney's term as Governor, MCFL publicly described Romney as "pro-choice." Then Romney donated $15,000 to MCFL and a similar amount to Massachusetts Family Institute. Now they defend his "pro-life" credentials.

The master of ceremonies introduced Romney by saying, "He has always been there for us." Interestingly, in the four years he was governor Romney never attended any pro-life dinner or major pro-life event, although many other politicians did so - including the Democratic Speaker of the House.


Romney and wife (center) being introduced.

It was eventually acknowledged that as Governor, Romney had been pro-choice until his much-publicized "conversion" to a 100% pro-life approach. But as MassResistance has documented even since Romney's "conversion" his actual pro-life record is hideous. No actual pro-life politician would do or say the things that post-conversion Romney has said and done.

It all reeks of phoniness and naked ambition. The credibility of the MCFL leadership and membership is at an all-time low after this.

Relatively short speech.

Romney's actual speech was relatively short - maybe 15 minutes or so -- and seemed like a "stump speech" rather than something original.

Romney giving speech.

In his speech, Romney talked about not allowing "Party A and Party B" birth certificates. (But he didn't mention the "Party A and Party B" marriage licenses he created.) He said that every child deserves a mother and father. (But he didn't mention that he supports domestic partnership benefits for homosexual couples, and that his administration routinely placed children in same-sex "parent" households.) Of course, all of this is public knowledge, even if the event organizers choose to ignore it.

Interestingly, Ann Romney was never introduced. There may be some lingering hard feelings because she was a no-show at a major pro-life dinner in April where she was to be a prominent participant. And recently it was revealed she donated money to Planned Parenthood.

To their credit, a great many long-time pro-life activists we know, particularly in western Massachusetts, boycotted the event. But the large room was still nearly full, and a lot of people who should know better went along and applauded.

Protesters.

For two hours before the event a group of protesters, ostensibly from Planned Parenthood, held signs, wore elaborate "flip-flop" costumes, and chanted anti-Romney chants.

(However, although they said they were from Planned Parenthood and their signs and literature had Planned Parenthood logos, we suspect they were actually national Democratic Party operatives of some kind. When we talked to them, they didn't act like any Planned Parenthood people we'd ever seen -- no ideological "edge", much more methodical and businesslike, even polite and cheerful. And when they drove away, they all had out-of-state plates, from different states! Naturally, none of the media picked up on any of that.)


Protesters from "Planned Parenthood" at entrance to parking area.

As for us, a lot of people said that they're "with us" and would "probably" be there. But it takes nerve for a pro-lifer to picket a pro-life event on principle. You run the risk of friends calling you "extreme" -- can't have that. In the end, only two actually held signs. But it was worth it. A statement was made.

Pro-life protesters hold the line, while others go in to eat.


Let's look at the (recent) record.

As we have documented in our recent Romney Pro-Life Report:

SINCE Romney's famous pro-life "conversion" in November 2004, note the following -

1. The Romney Administration awarded its "adoptive parents of the year" award to two homosexual men.

2. Gov. Romney forced Catholic hospitals to dispense the "morning after" pill.

3. Romney said he does not object to stem cell research using left over human embryos.

4. Gov. Romney signed into law a universal health insurance plan that includes increased state-funded abortions, and names Planned Parenthood in the law as an overseer. (Romney never challenged any of that.)

5. Romney said that he does not favor a federal constitutional amendment banning abortion, but instead favors each state deciding for itself whether to allow abortion or not. (Suppose Lincoln had taken that approach on the slavery issue. )

6. Romney says that "every child needs a mother and father". But he also says that homosexual couples with children should be "respected" for their "choices in life" and given domestic partnership benefits by the state.

7. Romney said he would disagree with governmental intervention in the Terri Schiavo forced starvation case, adding "I think it's probably best to leave these kinds of matters in the hands of the courts."

8. Although Romney vetoed pro-abortion legislation after his "conversion", it always appeared to be for political effect. The Legislature always overrode the vetoes. We never saw Romney exert any substantial effort to get his vetoes sustained.

How does a politician like this get a "leadership award" from a pro-life group?