John Kerry Has Serious Questions to Answer About Abortion, Stem Cell Research
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by Steven Ertelt
October 8, 2004
LifeNews.com Note: The following editorial is from Seven Ertelt, Editor and CEO of LifeNews.com.
St. Louis, MO (LifeNews.com) — The presidential candidates will participate in a town-hall style debate tonight where "regular" citizens are afforded an opportunity to ask questions. The questions for President Bush and Senator Kerry will likely focus on the war on terror, Iraq and national security issues.
However, when it comes to issues concerning domestic policy, there are several questions that Senator Kerry should be asked about abortion and stem cell research. These questions probably won’t come up during the Washington University forum:
* Why did you vote against the partial-birth abortion ban not once, but six times during the course of your tenure in the Senate? Some 70-80 percent of the American people believe this is a gruesome abortion procedure that should be banned and doctors say it is never medically necessary. Why don’t you agree?
* Why did you make a rare stop in Washington from the campaign trail specifically to vote against a bill that protects pregnant women from violence? The Laci and Conner Peterson bill recognizes the common sense notion that, when a pregnant woman is brutally attacked and her baby is killed or injured, there are two victims. Why don’t you recognize this?
* Though you disagree with the president on the issue of embryonic stem cell research, you’ve called his decision to limit funding for it a "ban." That’s despite the fact that the National Institutes for Health has spent $190 million during the Bush administration on research conduced with adult stem cells. Why are you mischaracterizing Bush’s actions?
* During the summer, you co-sponsored a bill that allows scientists to use human cloning to create embryos specifically for the purpose of killing them for their stem cells. Then, a representative of your campaign told the Associated Press you oppose this "clone and kill" process. Why didn’t you correct the record and admit you support human cloning for research purposes?
* Women in China who have had unauthorized pregnancies have been arrested, imprisoned, tortured, forcibly aborted and have lost jobs and government benefits. Yet, the United National Population Fund condones these actions or looks the other way when they happen. Why won’t you continue the Bush administration’s policy of denying taxpayer funding to the UNFPA?
* Abortion advocates say, "If you don’t like abortion, don’t have one" and "Abortion should be between a woman and her doctor." Why, then, would you force American taxpayer to be involved in abortions by using their tax money to fund organizations that perform or promote abortions in other countries?
* In April, your campaign held a rally with national pro-abortion leaders from NARAL and Planned Parenthood. Pro-life college students from George Washington University obtained tickets to the event. They were later injured as NARAL activists literally dragged them away after they were discovered to be pro-life. Why hasn’t your campaign apologized to these students?
* This spring, two women who had abortions and regretted their decisions came to an event for your campaign in Orlando, Florida. They held signs that you saw saying their abortions hurt them. Moments later, a member of your campaign staff tore those signs to pieces. Why hasn’t your campaign apologized and will you provide funding during a Kerry administration to investigate how abortion hurts women or to nonprofit groups that help them?
If John Kerry comes to your neighborhood, maybe you can ask him one of these questions.
