But this year, some Roman Catholic leaders and theologians are asking why so many of those who call themselves “pro-life” have been silent, or even opposed, when it comes to controlling the guns that have been used to kill and injure millions of Americans.
More than 60 Catholic priests, nuns, scholars and two former ambassadors to the Vatican sent a letter this week saying that if marchers and politicians truly want to defend life they should support “common-sense reforms to address the epidemic of gun violence in our nation.”
“Pro-choice” and “pro-life” are only rhetorical lines drawn in the abortion debate. That might change in the near future, as Planned Parenthood plans to stop using the pro-choice label. As long as these terms are still out there, though, the pro-life people should be consistent. The Times quotes a couple of people who say the Catholic Church teaches “the sanctity of life from conception to natural death”. So obviously, that same sanctity of life should apply when it comes to magazine size and assault weapons, right?
People calling themselves pro-life should be held to that term, up to and including supporting gun laws that make another tragedy on the scale of Newtown less likely. Good on the people in the church trying to make that happen.
