Hispanic Americans are Pro-Life, Though Groups Back Pro-Abortion March

Washington, DC (By Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com) April 30, 2004 - When it comes to abortion, the question in the Hispanic community in the U.S. is the same as it ever was: Why do Hispanic groups continue to support unlimited abortion and back the abortion lobby when most Hispanic Americans are strongly pro-life.

When a few hundred thousand activists rallied for abortion last weekend, organizers such as NARAL and Planned Parenthood had the backing of key Hispanic groups. Organizations such as the Chicana Latina Foundation, Congresso de Hispanics Unidos, Latin American Youth Center, National Latina Health Network, and the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund co-sponsored the pro-abortion march.

But a new poll conducted by Zogby International in April shows that these organizations don't represent Hispanic Americans, who are largely pro-life.

When asked to give a specific position as to if and when abortion should be legal or illegal, Hispanics support a pro-life position by a 78-21 percent margin.

An overwhelming 40% of all Hispanics say abortion should never be legal. Others taking a pro-life view say abortion should be illegal except when the life of the mother is in danger (11%) or illegal except in rare instances when the woman is a victim of rape or incest (27%).

Only 21 percent took a position in favor of legal abortions and only 15 percent of Hispanic Americans say abortion should be legal throughout pregnancy. The rest favor prohibiting abortion in the later stages of pregnancy.

Raimundo Rojas, the Hispanic Outreach Coordinator for the National Right to Life Committee says Hispanic groups that co-sponsored the abortion march falsely claim to be pro-Hispanic on abortion.

"In this country, as is evident by the Zogby poll, we Hispanics bring our morals and our cultural abhorrence for abortion with us when we migrate," Rojas explained. "But make no mistake, we are a targeted group by those marching here on Sunday. They've even gotten some terribly misinformed Hispanics that are way out of step with the rest of us to join them."

"But the vast majority of us know what's right, we know that every child has place en nuestras casas y nuestras familias -- our homes and families," Rojas said. "We know and cherish and honor the sanctity of motherhood and of life."

A leader with one Hispanic group that backed the abortion march claims abortion is one of many issues that are important to Latin Americans.

"The right to have a child and get health care, an education, safe drinking water, day care--these are the issues Latinas link to reproductive rights," says Silvia Henriquez, director of the Brooklyn-headquartered National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. "It's as much about taking care of their families as it is being able to terminate a pregnancy."

Yet Rojas points to the Zogby poll showing that Henriquez's organization represents only a tiny fraction of Hispanic Americans, now the largest minority group in the U.S.

"Latin Americans live in countries where abortion goes against the Hispanic culture, Hispanic morals, and Hispanic laws. These pro-abortion groups see this as backwardness, and they are shocked and awed by Hispanic resistance to pro-abortion propaganda," Rojas said.

With the presidential election on the line, Rojas said pro-abortion groups are making an "extra-special appeal to Hispanic women and Hispanic families."

"They will beckon us to believe that they are the ones who are truly pro-family, that they are pro-child, that they are pro-woman, that they are pro-choice and that they are all about the best interests of the Hispanic community," Rojas said.

"Do Hispanics buy this speechifying? Absolutely not," Rojas concluded.