TheA PUBLICATION OF POLITICAL PublicEye RESEARCH ASSOCIATES FALL 2003 • Volume XVII, No. 3 “If You Love Children, Say So” The African American Anti-Abortion Movement Editorial Preface: The Christian Coalition has sought to bring the issue of race and racism, which are cen- Ten years ago, when the Public Eye in African American and Latino pastors as tral frames for the Black antichoice movement’s featured a two-part article on Black conser- “church partners.” Focus on the Family has a message. Secondly, while much of the focus on vatives, Deborah Toler noted that “for most whole program on the African American Black conservatives has been on ideologues and African Americans [and for most Ameri- family. The Promise Keepers proactively political leaders, Prisock’s article also addresses cans] the notion of a Black conservative is an reaches out to Black and Latino fathers/men. grassroots movements. Progressives—people of oxymoron.” In 2003, we would certainly All of these predominantly White movements color and White—need to understand the not presume that to be the case. Black con- have sought to build alliances with, and logic of grassroots conservative people of color servatives (and other conservative people of recruit from people of color communities movements, not dismiss it. And to recognize color) occupy important offices in George W. using wedge issues such as abortion, gay rights, the difference between them and the White- Bush’s cabinet, such as Secretary of State “traditional values,” and “school-choice.” dominated or led conservative movements as (Colin Powell) and National Security The Right is able to use some of these well as the more familiar ideologues that are Advisor (Condoleezza Rice). They are part of wedges successfully because there is the basis the public face of conservatism of color. the judicial branch, including the U.S. for their acceptance within communities of Supreme Court (Clarence Thomas). They are color. School vouchers, for instance, can By Louis Prisock leaders in legislative politics (former Con- appear very attractive to communities of gressman J.C. Watts, R-OK, and Congress- color and low income communities who are Introduction woman Denise Majette, R-GA). They have saddled with the worst public schools that have or those on either side of the abortion been prominent spokespersons on significant been systematically deprived of state funding, Fdebate there are great stakes involved issues like affirmative action (Ward Connerly even if in reality vouchers don’t serve their chil- with the outcomes of the upcoming 2004 and Dinesh DeSouza), bilingual education dren, as the Rev. Timothy McDonald, chair elections. There could be the possibility of and immigration (Linda Chavez), and school of the African American Ministers Leader- three open vacancies on the Supreme Court vouchers and welfare (Star Parker) that are ship Council, observes. Similarly, Elsa Hol- within the next few years, with speculation vital to Blacks and other people of color. And guin, who serves on the board of Hispanics in around Chief Justice William Rehnquist, 78, they have been presidential (Alan Keyes) or Philanthropy, has pointed out that in the stepping down due to continued health vice-presidential (Ezola Foster) candidates in Latino (particularly immigrant) experience, problems. Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, national primaries. Conservatism in com- elite, private Catholic schools are viewed as 73 and Justice John Paul Stevens, 83 have munities of color, however, reaches beyond the ultimate in educational institutions, also been mentioned as possible candidates high-profile individuals. As Angela Dillard, access to which has historically been difficult If You Love Children continues on page 3 the author of Guess Who’s Coming to for the poor. Dinner Now? Multicultural Conservatism Toler’s article provided our readers with an in America has written in Dissent, “Poll after analysis of Black conservative thought, and IN THIS ISSUE poll has revealed that some 30 percent of its roots in “longstanding white conservative African-Americans, particularly younger and Neoconservative arguments.” In this Guest Commentary . 2 ones, identify as conservative.” issue of the Public Eye Louis Prisock’s article Books Received . 16 Predominantly White (and White-led) focuses on the antichoice movement among African Americans, highlighting differences conservative movements, particularly the Eyes Right . 18 Christian Right, have made outreach to between it and the predominantly White, Blacks, Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Christian Right-led anti-abortion move- Eye Lashes . 18 Americans a visible part of their agenda. ment. These differences converge primarily on THE PUBLIC EYE1 FALL 2003 The Public Eye Guest Commentary ThePublicEye Editor African American Women and Reproductive Rights Nikhil Aziz, Ph.D. Design/layout How deeply vexed is the reproductive capacity of African American women! Vexed and Hird Graphic Design subject still to manipulation, be that ideological, political, or medical. Printing One need not be a conspiracy theorist or an historian of long past medical abuses Red Sun Press to believe that current government policies are intended to constrain the sexual and Mailing reproductive behavior of poor Black women. In fact, one need look no further than Walnut Street Center the welfare reform legislation passed in 1996 and currently up for congressional PRA reauthorization. POLITICAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATES The ground was prepared for TANF’s (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Board of Directors passage by a decades-long assault on the morals, sexual choices and childrearing prac- Joseph Agne tices of poor women. The baseline message: It was high time for the U.S. government Miguel Bustos Michael Chapman to stop providing support to “babies having babies,” i.e., to teen mothers on welfare; Jean Entine to “generations of dependency,” i.e., women passing on the “habit” of welfare receipt Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D. to their children; to unrestrained childbearing, i.e., women having babies for the express Michael Kozu purpose of garnering a larger welfare check; or to sex and reproduction outside the Vivien Labaton context of marriage. The message was laden with multiple layers of mythology, June Lorenzo Katherine Ragsdale untruth, misogyny, and class bias. And, since the assiduously cultivated prototypical Jerome Scott image of a welfare recipient was that of an urban, lazy, sexually irresponsible Black female, Mohan Sikka it was laden with a heavy dose of racism as well. Faith Smith With this narrative as a backdrop, TANF legislation includes a provision allowing Paul Watanabe, Ph.D. states to deny aid to women who have additional children while on welfare—the “child Loretta Williams, Ph.D. Lucy A. Williams, Esq. exclusion” or “family cap” policy. It provides for “illegitimacy bonuses” for the states in which the proportions of “illegitimate” births show the most substantial decrease Staff (meanwhile reviving and affording governmental imprimatur to the archaic and Nikhil Aziz, Ph.D., Director of Research heinous concept of human illegitimacy). It pours money into abstinence only educa- Chip Berlet, Senior Research Analyst tion and marriage promotion programs. Pam Chamberlain, Researcher Though the Right loudly decries big government’s intrusions into our lives, evidently Jean V. Hardisty, Ph.D., President the lives of poor women—disproportionately Black, Native American, Asian Ameri- Tom Louie, Director of Development and Communication can and Latina—are an exception. Their reproductive choices are to be aggressively shaped Namorya Nelson, Office Manager and coerced, their childbearing limited by withdrawal of social resources, their auton- and Bookkeeper omy constrained by retrograde family policies. Palak Shah, Researcher Small wonder, then, that the abortion rights movement’s mantra of individual choice The Public Eye is published by Political Research has gained limited traction in African American communities. And small wonder that Associates. Subscriptions are $29.00 for individuals and non-profit organizations, $39.00 for other conspiracy theories about concerted attempts to limit the growth of the African organizations, $19.00 for students and low-income individuals. Outside U.S., Canada, and Mexico, add American population gain a ready hearing. $9.00 for surface delivery or $14.00 for air mail. When a multi-racial, cross-class reproductive rights movement becomes consistently Please make checks payable to Political Research attuned to the ways in which race and class biases suffuse government policy and frame Associates, 1310 Broadway, Suite 201, Somerville, Massachusetts 02144-1731. women’s reproductive choices, it will be able to craft and carry an abortion rights 617.666.5300 fax: 617.666.6622 message capable of effectively challenging the influence of the African American PRA is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted antiabortion movement. by law. © Political Research Associates, 2003. Linda Burnham Website: www.publiceye.org Executive Director, Women of Color Resource Center All rights reserved. ISSN 0275-9322 ISSUE 44 THE PUBLIC EYE 2 FALL 2003 The Public Eye to leave the bench soon.1 Abortion advocates This article attempts to unearth the vocal and prominent representatives of and opponents alike recognize that who the African American anti-abortion move- Black conservatism tend to be all men.3 next president nominates as possible ment, focusing