34-37, CULTURE America_s Abortion OctoberCORR_Culture 10/2/20 10:19 AM Page 34
THE CRY OF THE AFFLICTED
AMERICA’S “ABORTION KING” (DR. BERNARD NATHANSON) AND THE “CATHOLIC STRATEGY”
DECADES OF POLITICAL SUPPORT FOR ABORTION BEGAN WITH THIS SOPHISTICATED PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN
n BY TERRY T. BEATLEY WITH CLARE RUFF
A
he was the same man who spent t a prayer vigil in his final 35 years working tireNovember 2009, I dislessly to undo what he had cerned the Lord asking regrettably unleashed upon me to interview Dr. Bernard America: deceiving the courts, Nathanson, the last surviving maligning clergy, manipulating co-founder of NARAL — the the media, training doctors and National Association for the crushing the souls of millions of Repeal of Abortion Laws (late mothers and fathers by stopping renamed NARAL Pro-Choice the beating hearts of their America). In the late 1960’s, unborn children. Bernard Nathanson and Lawrence Lader crafted what they called the “Catholic Strategy,” WHAT CHANGED? later called “the most brilliant In 1973, just a few months political strategy of all time.” It after celebrating the Roe v Dr. Nathanson meets US President Ronald Reagan. was a stealthy and effective Wade decision, Dr. Nathanson Below, the co-founder of NARAL, Lawrence Lade scheme to destroy America’s witnessed for the first time a historical protection of unborn life by undermining the new technology: real-time ultrasound. He observed an spiritual authority of Divine Law and marginalizing the unborn child in the womb — smiling, stretching, and moral authority of the Catholic Church. As co-founders wiggling her toes. He told me, “Real-time ultrasound of NARAL, these two atheists deployed their Catholic was the bomb. It made everything come alive.” Science Strategy with tactical precision and great efficacy. They revealed the beauty, goodness and truth of life in this were the pioneers of the sinister industry of abortion, sacred space, demanding intellectual honesty from Dr. which depended on political victory to deceive and Nathanson; he had to acknowledge that abortion kills an destroy. And then a miracle of sorts happened, and existing human life, and admit that what he had been Bernard Nathanson became immovably pro-life. doing was morally wrong. In that moment, he realized I was daunted by the prospect of interviewing Dr. he had two patients: the mother and her child. His job Nathanson, and even doubted its possibility, but I felt I was to protect and save them both. In that moment, Dr. was supposed to try. Tracking down his phone number Nathanson’s pro-life journey began. via a pro-life attorney, I dialed with trepidation. His wife He spent two years persuading NARAL that realanswered and explained that her 83-year-old husband time ultrasound exposed a major ethical and moral was very frail from terminal cancer and had not granted dilemma, but the organization cared little and would not an interview in over a year. But she instructed me to fax alter its position. my letter of request, and promised to present it to her Dr. Nathanson resigned from NARAL on the second husband. anniversary of Roe v Wade. In his resignation letter, A few days later she called to inform me addressed to Lawrence Lader, he wrote: “The that, much to her surprise, Dr. Nathanson had judgements of the Supreme Court were never agreed to my request. On December 1, 2009, I meant to be infallible or eternal. And what if flew to New York City to interview the man we’ve been wrong – if the Court should soon who trained Planned Parenthood how to kill reverse itself on the abortion issue in the light children in the womb and who worked as Medof changing times and/or new scientific eviical Director for the largest abortion center in dence? What an incalculable injustice will the world, the Center for Reproductive and have been perpetrated. What an immeasurable, Sexual Health (CRASH). These credentials irretrievable loss will have been suffered. The earned him the title “The Abortion King.” Yet, annual dues to NARAL are ten dollars a year 34
INSIDE THE VATICAN OCTOBER 2020
