American Life League
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The largest pro-life organization in the United States, the American Life League, or ALL, opposes all forms of abortion, birth control, stem cell research, and euthanasia. Its current president is Judie Brown, who is sometimes called the grandmother of the pro-life movement, and its headquarters are in Stafford, Virginia.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Mission
The American Life League, which claims to have 300,000 members, aims to persuade Americans and Catholics about its views on abortion, birth control and euthanasia. ALL is involved with issues pertaining to the sanctity of life, with an emphasis on abortion. The League describes themselves as "pro-life—without exception, without compromise, without apology." ALL's mission is to end all forms of abortion without any exceptions made for the life and health of the mother, rape, incest, fetal abnormality, prior to viability, or IVF. According to its president, "Abortion is never necessary to save a mother's life."[1]
Contrary to popular belief, ALL is not a political front group, as it has yet to endorse any candidate for any level of office. It is a spin-off of the National Right to Life Committee, with a grass-roots orientation.[2]
The views of ALL, such as attacks on Bill Gates [3] and criticisms of British Lord Chancellor, Lord Falconer, [4] are seen as bizarrely extreme by observers outside the USA.
[edit] Projects
The American Life League sponsors several projects, including:
- Crusade for Life in which pro-lifers travel about the country and give speeches in parishes.
- Crusade for the Defense of Our Catholic Church [5] in which ALL seeks to persuade Catholics about its views on abortion, as well as expose pro-abortion Catholic politicians who, they claim, knowingly defy Church doctrine. In 2004, ALL published a full-page advertisement in USA Today urging Catholic priests and bishops to deny Communion to Catholic legislators who support abortion rights.[6] The League's slogan in this matter is "You can't be Catholic and pro-abortion."
- National Pro-Life T-Shirt Day is an annual event typically during April when pro-lifers are encouraged to wear a t-shirt that carries a pro-life message.
- Pro-Life Memorial Day falls on the first Monday of October, intentionally coinciding with the beginning of the US Supreme Court's fall term.
- Rock for Life [7] is the largest pro-life organization in America geared towards young people. Rock for Life's aim is to harness the popularity of rock music to spread its pro-life message. In doing this, Rock for Life supports pro-life musicians, distributes pro-life literature, and pickets at clinics that perform abortions.
- STOPP International is ALL's plan for shutting down Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in America. Part of STOPP is the Ryan Report.
[edit] Controversy
American Life League is often accused of being controversial and divisive within the larger pro-life community. Of particular interest is separate, and often competing events during the weekend of the annual March for Life. In fact, American Life League was formed after Judie Brown disputed with other members of the National Right to Life Organization. Furthermore, ALL often runs advertisements in national newspapers campaigning for policy change and against certain bishops of the Catholic Church.
ALL helped to establish the “rescue” movement, which made the use of aggressive tactics to disrupt abortions and related services. These tactics, adopted and popularized by ALL, include “sidewalk counseling,” clinic blockades, and the systematic harassing and intimidation of patients, clinics, and doctors, according to critics. According to Brown these activities are free speech, and in 1994 ALL filed charges. In American Life League v. Reno, ALL lost in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the Supreme Court refused to hear the case.[8]
[edit] Projects
American Life League runs the website at www.righttolifeact.org which encourages people to contact Congress to pass H.R. 552 The Right to Life Act; it was introduced by U.S. Representative Duncan Hunter (CA)-- Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and a 2008 presidential candidate, and it has been co-sponsored by over 100 congressmen and has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on the Constitution. Hearings are scheduled for December 12, 2006 at 10am.
