U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Reminds Folks That Founder of Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party Was Pro Life

I noticed this interesting Letter to the Editor appeared in the Washington Post this past weekend.

Jonathan Capehart took Alveda King, niece of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., to task for addressing the "Restoring Honor" rally at the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28 ["The shame of Alveda King," op-ed, Aug. 31].

I offer no opinion on Mr. Capehart's view of the rally. He clearly implied, however, that Ms. King's malfeasance (in his view) in addressing the crowd was made all the more offensive because she is pro-life -- as if being pro-life were an affront to civil rights.

Mr. Capehart should know that the great civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer -- founder of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and founding participant in the National Women's Political Caucus -- was pro-life and said that "legal abortion is legal murder."

Ms. King's commitment to unborn Americans is hardly an affront to the civil rights movement. Indeed, the most basic right that makes the enjoyment of all civil rights possible is the right to life.

Deirdre A. McQuade,

Washington

The writer is assistant director for policy and communications at the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.