Amnesty International and Abortion

Marjorie Campbell, marjorie@marjoriecampbell.com

We've received a letter from Amnesty International begging for funds,  "we are faced with a severe crisis here at Amnesty International."  Larry Cox, the Executive Director, then detailed the dire situation of political prisoners subjected to torture and death, prisoners AI asserts it can and will help.

Yet, despite appeals to "a strong sense of right and wrong" and an opportunity to "express your moral indignation", Mr. Cox makes no mention whatsoever of AI's work to expand abortion.  One cannot help feeling a tad "used" when money is solicited for the compelling work AI used to dedicate itself to - while, for example, AI devotes resources to expanding abortion services in Mexico and Nicaragua.

We have sent the following letter in response to AI's unfortunate fund-raising deception.  Please  join us in advising AI that we will not support the slaughter of the unborn.

Dear Mr. Cox,

We have received your urgent request for funds.

Your letter omits the sad reality that AI has fundamentally altered its international mission.  Is it really honest to raise funds in the name of political prisoners being tortured and executed, while lobbying and funding the expanded execution of the innocent unborn?

We wish we could support the work of your organization.  But with your expansion into funding abortion as a solution for violence against women, you abandoned women and the unborn to resolutions and strategies based upon death .  We simply cannot support solutions based upon additional killing – a strategy AI has embraced.  

Please be assured that we are directing our contributions to groups that consistently promote peaceful, patient and life-affirming solutions to violence and political oppression.

 

 

Comments

[Sophie]

Amnesty has recently equated the criminalization of abortion without exception (as proposed in the new law in Nicaragua) as a breach of the Int´l Convention against Torture. So Larry Cox was not so deceitful, it seems.

http://www.amnesty.org/en/for-media/press-releases/nicaragua-complete-ban-abortion-violates-torture-convention-20090515