The Truth about White Supremacists and Abortion

In the wake of the March for Life, abortion activists have returned to one of their favorite tropes: asserting that the pro-life movement is entangled with and operated by white supremacists. Op-eds in the Guardian and NBC News — the latter written by two abortion-rights activists — fixate on the fact that the white supremacist and neo-fascist group Patriot Front appeared at March for Life events in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Both pieces argue that the presence of the alt-right group is just one example of the supposed white nationalism that pervades the pro-life movement. “The white supremacist and anti-choice movements have always been closely linked. But more and more, they are becoming difficult to tell apart,” is how Moira Donegan puts it.

Neither article saw fit to mention that Chicago pro-lifers heckled Patriot Front demonstrators with comments such as, “This is a peaceful demonstration. You guys are an embarrassment,” until the group eventually stopped marching altogether. The Chicago March for Life even issued a statement ahead of the event preemptively disavowing the alt-righters: “The March for Life Chicago is in no way affiliated with the Patriot Front and opposes white supremacy.”

About the Author

Alexandra DeSanctis

Alexandra DeSanctis is a contributing writer at National Review.

Featured Tags

In the wake of the March for Life, abortion activists have returned to one of their favorite tropes: asserting that the pro-life movement is entangled with and operated by white supremacists. Op-eds in the Guardian and NBC News — the latter written by two abortion-rights activists — fixate on the fact that the white supremacist and neo-fascist group Patriot Front appeared at March for Life events in Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Both pieces argue that the presence of the alt-right group is just one example of the supposed white nationalism that pervades the pro-life movement. “The white supremacist and anti-choice movements have always been closely linked. But more and more, they are becoming difficult to tell apart,” is how Moira Donegan puts it.

Neither article saw fit to mention that Chicago pro-lifers heckled Patriot Front demonstrators with comments such as, “This is a peaceful demonstration. You guys are an embarrassment,” until the group eventually stopped marching altogether. The Chicago March for Life even issued a statement ahead of the event preemptively disavowing the alt-righters: “The March for Life Chicago is in no way affiliated with the Patriot Front and opposes white supremacy.”