Less than 48 hours after Planned Parenthood supporter Stephanie Hopkins chided UK Students for Life for posting fliers opposing the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), the Associated Press reported that President Obama is planning to overturn Bush administration protections for conscientious objectors to abortion in the medical community. Overruling these private objections is a key goal of Planned Parenthood and FOCA among other things (strange that soldiers can invoke conscience but doctors cannot).

Hopkins claims that the bill is a non-issue now, introduced in 2007 only as a balance against prospective Supreme Court nominees. She failed to mention it was also introduced in 1989, 1993 and 2004. It seems odd that a bill proposed under Bush Sr., Clinton and Bush Jr. would be stymied under Obama. Does Hopkins really expect us to believe that militant pro-choice advocates will surrender their agenda as soon as their best chance for passing it comes along?

According to Hopkins, FOCA “appears to be the last thing on anyone’s minds.” It seems Hopkins forgot Obama’s July 2007 pledge not to yield on matters of choice or his promise to sign the FOCA as one of his first acts as president (It’s on YouTube folks; look it up). Or that her own organization, Planned Parenthood, advocates the bill on their Web site, and joined with 60 other pro-choice organizations in a November 2008 memo to then-President-elect Obama advocating the passage of FOCA. Last thing on anyone’s minds, huh?

The problem here isn’t that FOCA is a non-issue; it’s that pro-lifers aren’t letting it go quietly.

We’re kind of screwy that way.

David Burnett

business management senior