A Pro-Life Democrat Explains What That Means, Exactly

[rug]

LAURA NORKIN
JANUARY 26, 2017, 6:30 PM

If any two political identifiers are at odds with one another, being “pro-life” and a “Democrat” seem to be. But a surprising number of people do occupy that implausible intersection; their signs said as much at last week’s Women’s March on Washington. They're returning to D.C. on Friday, this time alongside conservatives, anti-abortion Christians, and Kellyanne Conway at the March for Life.

According to Gallup polling from 2014, 28% of Democrats identified as "pro-life" — a noteworthy stat, given protecting a woman's access to safe and legal abortion is right there in the party's platform. Such voters reconcile this (kind of) by considering unborn babies — who may be nothing more than a fertilized egg — to be a marginalized group, just like people suffering police violence, gentrification, or the gender wage gap. They support women up until they want to make certain choices about their bodies, because someone else’s body could be in there, and that’s complicated.

For a close look at these views, we talked to Terrisa Bukovinac, 35, a pro-life Democrat (and atheist vegetarian) who lives in San Francisco. She works with local anti-abortion organizations, Secular Pro-Life and Pro-Life Future, but cautions she’s not speaking on their behalf. Before reading on, try to shrug off your preconceived notions: She never once mentions the Bible.

Let’s start with, how do you identify politically?

“I definitely identify as a progressive liberal. I’m a registered Democrat; I would say I’m a little left of that for the most part. In the [primary] election, I voted for Jill Stein, and then I voted for Hillary. I align with the Democratic platform, on every political issue other than abortion. Even when it comes down to contraceptives and other reproductive rights.

https://news.google.com/news/story?ncl=d7EAqu-Fekgm1LMqD8I2ULAmBd6sM&q=atheist&lr=English&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitwtLZ6eLRAhWlz4MKHbeUDbo4KBCqAgg2MAk

[Longtime lurker 99]

1. I can respect a prolife Democrat more than a so called

Prolife republican because they are truly Prolife.

Meaning that they are also against the death penalty and unjust wars. They think that black lives matter. And they believe in giving opportunities to baby once they are born.

"Pro life" republicans are not for any of those things so they are really in anti-abortion

[tonedevil]

2. Infuriating...

she says she doesn't want to see women die from illegal abortions, but then she says if you allow abortion it is redistributing the death to other people so she seems willing to allow the women to die if they must. Then she talks about defunding Planned Parenthood. She is willing to stop an organization that is in place successfully distributing birth control and providing women's health services and replace it with something else simply because PP is associated with abortion. This twit is solid proof that atheism is no guarantee of intelligence.

[guillaumeb]

3. I would characterize some so-called "pro life" people

as more pro-fetus than pro-life. Their concern for life, especially non-white life, vanishes after the baby is born.

[Angry Dragon]

4. I once saw a post on DU about a Nun stating that most repubs were pro-birth

and did not really care about the child once it was born
it was more like they needed to have the birth to see if the Savior was born again
if not, too bad