Anti-Abortion Democrats and Anti-War Republicans---Worth a Try

Jimmy Carter is out voicing support for efforts to change the Democratic Party's Platform on abortion. These efforts have been spearheaded by the outstanding organization Democrats for Life of America (DFLA). Given the harsh divides represented by slogans like "War on Women" and "War on Religion" we need voices like DFLA that point to the deeper moral imagination of what Ron Sider used to call "completely pro-life" voices in the Christian community. Having been an anti-war Republican in the past, and an anti-abortion on demand Democrat in the present, I am used to feeling like an alien presence in the culture war foxholes our political discourse invites us to enter. I am glad to see voices like DFLA pushing for a big-tent in the Democratic Party on abortion just like I welcome the efforts of American Conservative magazine to push the envelope on national security questions in the Republican Party.