Considering that Barack Obama is committed to ensuring that his inauguration is going to be "the most open, accessible, and inclusive" by including the likes of Rick Warren, one wonders if that committment is going to carry over when he moves into the White House.
If so, he'll probably be getting lots of requests like this:
In a letter sent to the President-Elect it states, "...the pro-life community seeks a first time face-to-face meeting with you."
The purpose of meeting would be to "...establish a foundation on how we can all work together to build a 'culture of life' which honors equality and human rights and ends abortion."
...
Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, states, "President-Elect Obama has repeatedly stated during his campaign and in post election comments his strong desire to meet with those who have differing views from his. It is our hope and prayer that these words truly reflect his heart and were not shallow campaign promises to be discarded after the election.
"President-Elect Obama has never sat down face with members of the pro-life community that represent the values embraced by millions of Americans. He has never heard the narratives of women who have been bruised and diminished through abortion.
"Mr. Obama has never heard the personal stories from thousands of dedicated professionals that have laid aside personal ambition and financial gain in order to serve women who find themselves in challenging pregnancies. He has never heard from faith and human rights leaders that are devoted to standing for social justice and ending the tragedy and violence of abortion.
"If President-Elect Obama is truly interested in reducing abortions, it is imperative that he sit down and dialogue with those who have dedicated their lives toward ending this tragedy."
Mahoney has not had particularly flattering things to say about Obama in the past, blasting him for having a "fundamental lack of integrity" and proclaiming that he does not posses the "moral authority" to comment on the subject of reproductive choice. He's also part of a self-described anti-choice resistence movement that emerged following Obama's election, declaring that they would "not go silently into the night and allow the violence to continue."
But he's also a human rights protester who was arrested during the Olympics in China.
So, since Mahoney has a "history of activism on behalf of the disadvantaged and the downtrodden," like Warren, and Obama is "committed to bringing together all sides of the faith discussion in search of common ground," can we expect Obama to grant this meeting to this militantly anti-choice activist?
