Monday, June 11, 2007

City of Brotherly Love Declared Officially "Pro-Choice" by City Council

From "City of “Brotherly Love” Declared Officially "Pro-Choice” by City Council" by Elizabeth O'Brien posted 6/11/07

A motion narrowly passed by Philadelphia’s City Council has given the city the new official title of “pro-choice”.

During and after the contentious vote, a storm of controversy raged in the council and divided city leaders about whether “pro-choice” is a name that truly represents the city. The Philadelphia Enquirer explains that the title supports, “women's reproductive rights and freedom” as well as “the right to choose a legal and safe abortion as a final but critical option for women.”

After much debate the resolution only squeezed by with a 9 to 8 majority.

Archbishop Justin Rigali, chair of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, officially and indignantly rejected the title as being “inconsistent with reality”.

Rigali based his objections on both moral and logical grounds: “In a city where so many people vigorously defend life at every stage, proclaiming Philadelphia ‘pro-choice’ is inconsistent with reality. It unfairly saddles those who support life at all stages with this shameful label.”

Read the rest of this article.