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Likely Democrat Presidential Candidate Kerry – A Textbook Pro-Abortion Catholic

Praised by NARAL Pro-Choice America for his 100% pro-abortion voting record

MASSACHUSETTS, February 4, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In the last week, zealously pro-abortion Massachusetts senator John Kerry has left the pack behind in his race for the Democratic Presidential nomination. Kerry swept the Super Tuesday nomination votes, winning the support of Democrats in five of seven states.

John Kerry, who does not hesitate to promote himself as a Catholic, has made a point of highlighting his support for abortion with no restrictions. He was praised by the abortion extremist group, NARAL Pro-Choice America as having a 100% pro-abortion voting record.

This week, the recently appointed archbishop of St. Louis, Raymond Burke, stated that he would refuse John Kerry Holy Communion for his intransigent anti-life, anti-Catholic position on the life issues. His own bishop, Sean O'Malley said of pro-abortion Catholic politicians, "These politicians should know that if they're not voting correctly on these life issues that they shouldn't dare come to Communion."

Taking the now notorious political evasion, Kerry said that, as an elected official, he must separate his personal religious views from his actions as a legislator and that it is not "appropriate in the United States for a legislator to legislate personal religious beliefs for the rest of the country."

Kerry's own website prominently features many endorsements of his "pro-choice" stand. In the section featuring his campaign planks, under "Women's Issues" is posted, "John Kerry believes that women have the right to control their own bodies, their own lives, and their own destinies. He believes that the Constitution protects their right to choose and to make their own decisions in consultation with their doctor, their conscience, and their God. He will defend this right as President. He recently announced he will support only pro-choice judges to the Supreme Court. Kerry also believes that we should promote family planning and health plans should assure women contraceptive coverage."

Kerry seems to feel that unborn children should have absolutely no legal protection, even in the later phases of a mother's pregnancy, a position many even hard-line abortion supporters have difficulty defending.

He supported former President Clinton's veto of the partial birth abortion bans. Of the recently passed law he says, "I don't support the President's law because it doesn't allow the exception for situations where the health of the woman is at risk. I believe this is a dangerous effort to undermine a woman's right to choose, which is a constitutional amendment I will always fight to protect."

On the subject of the appointment of Supreme Court Justices, an issue which is seen as crucial by all activists on both sides of the issue, Kerry is quoted as saying, "I am prepared to filibuster, if necessary, any Supreme court nominee who would turn back the clock on a woman's right to choose or the constitutional right to privacy." A large section of his website is dedicated to his pledge to "End the Era of Ashcroft." Justice John Ashcroft has been a vocal supporter of the right to life.

On other social issues, the February Weekly Standard reports that Kerry voted against a bill that would have withheld federal funds from schools that prohibited the Boy Scouts of America from using their facilities. The Standard also notes that the Massachusetts senator voted against the Defense of Marriage Act but insists he's against gay marriage nonetheless. “I . . . don't support the United States Senate being used for gay bashing,” the Standard reports he told Fox's Chris Wallace, “for, sort of, discriminatory efforts to try to drive wedges between the American people.”

Kerry's "Women's Issues" webpage:
http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/women/

Previous LifeSitenews.com coverage of Kerry's position:
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/feb/04020205.html

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