by Michal Ortner
Hillary Clinton recently spoke at the Women in the World Summit, where she made the statement that it is time for religion to make compromises when it comes to abortion. She believes that women are unable to access clean and safe abortion clinics when they need them.
“Far too many women are still denied critical access to reproductive health care and safe childbirth,” Clinton said. “All the laws we’ve passed don’t count for much if they’re not enforced.”
Clinton has received criticism for saying that the American culture, along with its religious practices, must come to terms with abortion and accept it. She says that only then can abortion clinics and laws provide services properly.
“Rights have to exist in practice — not just on paper,” she said. “Laws have to be backed up with resources and political will. And deep-seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.”
“It was not surprising that Hillary Clinton, who strongly opposes a ban on partial-birth abortion, would tell her feminist audience that she supports Planned Parenthood. What was surprising was her comment on the need to change religious beliefs on abortion,” said Bill Donohue of the Catholic League. “In others words, Hillary has a problem with the Catholic church’s teachings on abortion—they must be changed.”
“Never before have we seen a presidential candidate be this bold about directly confronting the Catholic church’s teachings on abortion. It’s time for Hillary to take the next step and tell us exactly what she plans to do about delivering on her pledge. Not only would practicing Catholics like to know, so would Evangelicals, Orthodox Jews, Muslims, and all those who value life from conception to natural death,” Donohue added.
Some people see Clinton’s views on abortion to be helpful to women and a fight against discrimination and for equality.
“Hillary Clinton has fought for women and families and their right to access the full range of reproductive health care without interference from politicians or employers,” spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri told CNN. “Hillary will fight to make it easier, not more difficult, for women and families to get ahead and ensure that women are not discriminated against for personal medical decisions.”
But not everyone is sold on the candidate’s stance on churches changing their morals.
“We have known for some time that abortion would be Hillary’s primary campaign message,” David Ripley of Idaho Choose Life said. “What made this particular speech unique was Hillary’s bold declaration that God needed to get His act together on this whole abortion thing. It was past time to update the Ten Commandments.”
