"Heir Apparent to the Grossest Violations of Human Rights"
Part One of Two

Since I make this mistake all the time, perhaps occasionally you do as well. Cong. Chris Smith-- co-chairman of the House Pro-Life Caucus--is so energetic, so passionate, and so motivational, sometimes I don't do justice to the content of his remarks.

What do I mean by that? Better than anyone I know, Cong. Smith sees through the Culture of Death and reminds us that it is the heir apparent to the grossest violations of human rights, not just today but throughout history.

However, hard as it is to believe, it's actually worse than that, as Chris explained in a remarkable passage:

"As some of you may know, over the last 27 years as a member of Congress, I've been the prime sponsor of numerous human rights laws designed to combat human trafficking, end subsidies for coercive population control, free political prisoners and stop religious persecution and torture.

"When I visit places like China, Sudan, Vietnam, Ethiopia, the Soviet Union (when it was the Soviet Union) to discuss these human rights concerns, the government always denies complicity in those crimes. Yet even the most despotic regime, even the most ruthless dictators will agree, at least rhetorically, that these things are wrong--even evil.

"Abortion, on the other hand, is the only human rights abuse that some have the audacity to market and promote as a human right. It's Orwellian. Rather than acknowledging abortion as violence against children and the exploitation of their mothers, groups like Amnesty International – the latest casualty – have gone over to the dark side. "

As you recall, the slogans of the totalitarian party that rules absolutely in George Orwell's "1984" are "War is Peace," "Freedom is Slavery," and "Ignorance is Strength." Armed with this "doublethink," the party rewrites history as easily as we wipe a chalkboard clean.

Remember when protecting the most vulnerable among us was a given, not a "controversy"? Isn't interpreting the slaughter of defenseless unborn babies as a "human right" no less a rewrite of history and betrayal of reason? Isn't it the quintessential example of contemporary doublespeak?

Since you can read Cong. Smith's remarks by going to http://www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/oct07/nv100407part1.html, let me end with just one other of his brilliant insights.

Because we are caught up in the day to day battles, we tend to forgot who we are. In Chris's words, "This is a movement of good Samaritans." But what does that mean?

It means "we have refused to look the other way or be indifferent." It means, Chris tells us, that we "aggressive care for the disenfranchised, the weak and the vulnerable," in the process always showing "unconditional love."

It means "We are our brothers and sisters keepers." It means "we are proudly pro-life."

Thank you, Chris. And thanks to all of you who (like the family of Terri Schindler Schiavo) "give new meaning to words like compassion, love, loyalty, integrity, courage, selflessness, and sacrifice."

Please send your questions and comments to Dave Andrusko at daveandrusko@hotmail.com.

Part Two