Succeeding Henry Hyde

It’s unimagineable that the race for the seat vacated by Illinois Congressman Henry Hyde would wind up possibly going to a candidate opposed to just about everything he stood for. Especially, championing the sanctity of life.

Here’s how an active pro-life worker in Hyde’s 6th Congressional District sees the conflict, and why he sent this email.

 This House seat has been held by Henry Hyde for over 30 years.  During this year, his last before retirement, Henry was honored by Pope Benedict by induction into the papal Order of Saint Gregory for his work defending the dignity of every human person.  Henry alone was the one who fought to stop federal funds—your tax dollars—from paying for abortions in 1976 and every year thereafter.  This month, October, marks the 30th anniversary of the passage of the “Hyde Amendment.”  The Hyde Amendment is one of the most important pro-life victories that we have ever won in the United States Congress.

Now, contrast that record with candidate Tammy Duckworth.  She is for abortion in every case throughout all nine months.  That means no parental notification, no ban on partial birth abortion, no limits to abortion at all.  She has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from Emily’s List, a special-interest group that bundles donations from people all over the country to support 100% pro-abortion female Democrat candidates.

She is a veteran of the Iraq war, served honorably, and suffered loss of limbs in that war. She turns a lot of debate questions back to that service, though, avoiding the focus on issues, like her support for unlimited abortion access.

Follow the issues. The U.S. bishops issued a fact sheet clarifying the public’s understanding of the Hyde Amendment, because abortion supporters try to derail debate on such protection of life. The author of that legislation has served his district honorably for the past 30 years. His constituents need to know all about the candidates seeking to replace him, and what the likely consequences of that victory will be.

I have a copy of Congressman Hyde’s book For Every Idle Silence, which details the work that went into that pro-life amendment. Inside the front cover, a page carries the quote by St. Ambrose that inspired the title.

Not only for every idle threat, but for every idle silence will man render an account.

Succeeding Henry Hyde is a noble calling. The candidates trying to win that could not be further apart. Only one of them stands for the same values. Underlying all others is the respect for life.