OPEN LETTER TO OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADERS
DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, CHAIR DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE,ROD SMITH, CHAIR FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
The Democratic Party is stronger when the platform includes a COMMON SENSE balance between both sides of the abortion debate. As the new leader of the Democratic National Committee AND Florida Democratic Party, you represent the entire Democratic Party so when establishing the platform team it is imperative to remember we are as politically diverse as ethnically and racially.
Historically, the Democratic Party has been known as the party of inclusion-THE BIG TENT. We have party activists on both sides of every political debate known to man: from gay rights, prolife v. prochoice, ultraliberals, fiscal conservatives, you name it the Democratic Party has it, from one end of the spectrum to the other.
Therefore, it is essential that, while many of our donors are prochoice advocates including Planned Parenthood, the Democratic Party takes the lead in keeping with its mission to protect the rights of people, by including the unborn or at the very least remain neutral on the issue of abortion. It is a fact that we were all unborn at one time. Stating the obvious, if either of us had been successfully aborted then we would not be here to have this debate. Therefore, it is no question that an abortion results in the murder of a human being.
Whether we are pro-choice or pro-life, we as a Party can all agree that we should do more to support pregnant women. We can and should take the lead on preventing unwanted pregnancies through education including abstinence, which unanimously is the best solution to prevent unintended pregnancies especially among our young people. Pro-choice and pro-life Democrats also agree the Democratic Party that we should take the lead in supporting and financing community health centers that provide counseling as well as gynecological exams.
The Democratic Party should take the lead in supporting adult stem cell research which has proven to be the most effective in preventing and curing diseases. The Democratic Party should take the lead in building family relations where children and parents can have open dialogue about reproduction.
We as a Party should stop thinking of abortion as a political tool and start advocating as protectors of our children. Think for a moment if one of your beautiful daughters was rushed to the hospital for an appendectomy and no one notified you before or after the procedure. As a parent you would be mortified that no one contacted you before operating on your minor child. So it is with an abortion procedure performed on a minor. Whether a procedure is elective or a medical emergency, the risks to emotional and physical health are prevalent. This is why legislation such as the Parental Notification Act is so important.
Philosophically we may disagree on this point but no one has the right to kill an unborn child. The pulse of the American people is changing to understand that there is life in the womb and it is worth protecting. If our Party continues to advance the agenda for the abortion rights activists instead of listening to the American people, we will stay in the minority and lose important opportunities to advance our Democrats agenda that provides quality of life for all Americans. We may not all agree that abortions are bad, but we can agree that they should be prevented.
A Democratic Party that is neutral on abortion, advocates for reducing abortion and includes its pro-life Members as active participants will be an unstoppable force against the Republican agenda aimed at providing tax relief for rich at the expense of the middle class.
Therefore, on behalf of the Florida Democrats for Life, I ask you to embrace our views as active prolife members of the Democratic Party.
Respectfully submitted,
Freda
Freda Stevens, President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FLORIDA DEMOCRATS FOR LIFE
Prolife Democrats Support State Rep. Daphne Campbell and Call for the Democratic Party to Show Inclusion Prolife Democratic Group to prolife state legislators: It’s time to come of the closet!
DAVIE, FL – Florida Haitian American Democratic state representative Daphne Campbell debated in favor of anti abortion bills as a freshman legislator. As a result of her unwavering support for life Rep. Daphne D. Campbell (D-Miami), has become the victim of a hate crime on the Florida House of Representatives floor, Wednesday, April 27, 2011. State Rep. Scott Randolph (D-Orlando) committed the hate crime against Rep. Campbell because she spoke on behalf of her constituents on a critical issue and subsequently voted her convictions. Minority Leader Rep. Ron Saunders joined in the attack on Rep. Daphne Campbell, both of whom threatened to find someone to run against her in 2012. Rep. Scott Randolph called her a traitor and threw her commemorable pen in the garbage can.
“We commend Rep. Campbell for her tremendous strength of character and unwavering commitment to standing up for her beliefs in the face of attacks from within her own Caucus,” said Freda Stevens of Florida Democrats for Life. “We call on the Democratic leadership to demand that all Members of the Democratic Caucus and Democratic Party treat pro-life Members with respect and allow members to vote their conscience with respect to life issues.”
For years the Democratic Party has been called the party of inclusion; yet, when faced with a member of the House who has opposing convictions; party leaders ignore principles and attack its members. It is essential that the Democratic Party embrace prolife members and minorities or stop taking our vote for granted. Now is the time to hold the Democratic Party accountable for her hypocrisy. The word inclusion by definition means the state of being included. That means the Democratic Party must include: prolife democrats and democrats from all ethnic and racial backgrounds.
“Representative Campbell is a true hero and like, former Governor Bob Casey, Congressman Bart Stupak and other inspirational pro-life Democrats, she refuses to yield to pressure from the Party and maintains her strong pro-life convictions,” said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats for Life of America. “We urge other Democratic legislators and pro-life democrats around the country to follow her lead and proudly and publicly advocate for the protection of life at all stages.”
The Democratic Party is stronger when the platform includes a common sense balance between both sides of the abortion debate.
Florida Democrats for Life applauds Rep. Daphne Campbell and plans to support her reelection bid with a fundraiser in the coming weeks. It is time for all prolife democrats to come out of the closet and support their convictions.
xxx
For more information, please contact Freda Stevens/954.594.9567.
************************************************************** FLORIDA DEMOCRATS FOR LIFE 4611 S. University Drive Suite 406 Davie, Florida 33328 freda@fredastevens.com
Defund Planned Parenthood NOW!!!
Nothing further.
The Status of Prolife Democrats AFTER the Health Care Bill
Let's Be Honest-Every Prolife Person (Democrat, Republican, and Independent) would have preferred the Health Care Bill specifically mandate that NO FEDERAL FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR ABORTION in the legislation!
Unfortunately it is what it is. We did not win that battle. But, we had to start somewhere. You have to crawl before you walk. A ton of hard work has been done and some positives have been accomplished to protect the unborn. Is the final product exactly what I "FREDA STEVENS" wanted? The answer is, "No". Am I completely happy with some of the other aspects of the health care bill such as the taxes and fees? Again the answer is "No". But, the concept of fixing the healthcare system is very much needed and important to the American People. I believe to some extent we all (prolifers and prochoicers) can agree the PPACA needs some tweeking.
Great cries of betrayal over the abortion language in the new health care reform law are being hurled at Democrats in Congress by partisan Republican pro-lifers AND abortion advocates on the Left. Conveniently ignored in all their shouting is the fact that Representative Bart Stupak (Michigan) and a group of strongly pro-life Democrats helped pass a historic "whole-life", pro-pregnant woman, and pro-child bill. Read more.
Why I wrote the "Stupak Amendment" and voted for healthcare reform by Bart Stupak
When I saw that Kathleen Parker's March 24 op-ed, "Stupak's original sin," defined me as a "backstabber," it reminded me of a Bible verse. Matthew 7:3 asks, "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"
The true motives of many blogs and organizations claiming to be pro-life have become clear in recent days: to politicize life issues as a means to defeat health care reform. One group even sent an e-mail to supporters saying they are "working feverishly to stop this legislation from going forward."
The pro-life groups rallied behind me -- many without my knowledge or consent -- not necessarily because they shared my goals of ensuring protections for life and passing health-care reform but because they viewed me as their best chance to kill health-care legislation. Read more
Strategy for Building Membership-by Tim Shipe, Vice President
I believe the time is ripe for the National and Floridian Dems for Life movement to grow exponentially. There are many Democrats who vote for Democrats- especially at the national level- because of the Democratic Party's longer tradition of caring about the struggles of the poor and middle-class, the minority races, the immigrant, children, and those at-risk for all kinds of reasons. Democrats have a philosophy of governance that is generally much more positive than that offered by the normative Republican Party. There is a reason that the FDR Democratic Party held a firm base among immigrant and social justice-oriented Catholics, and Social Gospel Protestants. There is a commonsensical awareness that while corporations are in service primarily or exclusively to their investors, government is supposed to be the domain of "We the People". In my own Catholic social doctrine studies, I have found that the role of the political authorities at every level is fixed on one primary goal- the common good. The "buck" has to stop somewhere. Read more
Abortion: There really is no debate-by Freda Stevens, President
"It is undemocratic, unconstitutional, and unamerican to take the life of the world's most vulnerable citizens-the unborn." said Freda Stevens, President of the Florida Democrats for Life
Democratic Party Political Reform
Political reform is not a new concept to the Democratic Party. The Democratic Party "Big Tent" position accepts a democrat because he or she fundamentally agrees with a majority of party positions. The beauty of the Democratic Party is she includes every end of the spectrum. FDR Democrats, Truman Democrats, Blue Dog Democrats, New Democrats, 21st Century Democrats, Democratic Leadership Council founded by former President Bill Clinton, Democrats for Values, and Democrats for Life of America are conservative to moderate leaning democratic groups. Each group has a significant role in shaping our great country. Read more
Mailing Address-4611 S.University Drive Suite 406 Davie, Florida 33328 Email: info@floridadfla.com (c) Florida Democrats for Life of America 2009.