Black Pro-Lifers Ask Obama for Meeting on Abortion Impact of Health-Care Legislation

“Abortion has claimed the lives of about one-third of the black community. If healthcare reform passes, we have no doubt the number of African American women having abortions will sky rocket. The healthcare bill text needs to clearly exclude abortion from any taxpayer-subsidized or government-mandated benefits. Abortion is not health care.” So states a letter sent to President Obama today, from the National Black Pro-Life Union (signers include Democrats for Life’s Kirsten Day). Here’s the complete letter:

President Barack Obama

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington, DC

August 18, 2009

Dear President Obama:

We would like to respectfully request a meeting with you to discuss the impact of the very important healthcare reform legislation and how it will impact the African-American community and other at-risk groups. Many leaders have come to Washington, DC this week in bipartisan support for “Define the Dream” healthcare discussions in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in search of The Beloved Community.

Mr. President, in the Beloved Community envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., equal justice means that young people in the womb are not terminated and the elderly in ill health are not denied care because of their age.

We are concerned that your current healthcare plan will not serve the needs of those who are most at risk.

The African American community is severely disproportionately affected by abortion, which would not only be expanded under current healthcare proposals, but also be paid for by taxpayers. Planned Parenthood’s informational branch, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, reports that 37 % of all abortions are performed on black women[1], even though blacks constitute roughly 13% of the U.S. population. Abortion has claimed the lives of about one-third of the black community.

If healthcare reform passes, we have no doubt the number of African American women having abortions will sky rocket. The healthcare bill text needs to clearly exclude abortion from any taxpayer-subsidized or government-mandated benefits. Abortion is not health care.

People with disabilities, terminal illnesses, and the elderly, all who need special and expensive care, are also at risk of losing accessibly to doctors and having care denied or delayed. There are 49.7 million citizens who live with disabilities. We are concerned that patient care would be made based primarily on cost and that people with disabilities or special health needs will be put on waiting lists, or worse yet, denied potentially life-saving procedures outright. We want to make sure that these citizens will not be delayed or denied healthcare.

Doctors and healthcare professionals are also at risk of losing their conscience protections. A national scientific survey of Americans found that 62% oppose rescinding the conscience clause. This country was founded upon the respect for personal freedom. No one should be forced to go against his or her conscience in order to keep their job. Without specific language in the healthcare bill to protect healthcare professionals who decline to perform or refer for abortions, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, midwives and other health processionals will be forced to go against their moral values or forfeit their jobs.

We, the undersigned, urge you and your colleagues to seriously consider the concerns we have outlined above. Now is the time for Democrats and Republicans to come together to stand for compassionate care for all Americans, joining the chorus of “Free At Last” as proclaimed in Dr. King’s “ I Have A Dream” speech.