Recent news stories about the new vitality of the antiabortion movement and its legislative achievements – more than a dozen states enacting record numbers of abortion restrictions this year – have glossed over one crucial fact. The most visible, entrepreneurial and passionate advocates for the rights of the unborn (as they would put it) are women. More to the point: They are youngish Christian working mothers with children at home.

There’s [Marjorie] Dannenfelser [president of the Susan B. Anthony List]. There’s her friend Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life, who also has five children. There’s Penny Nance, chief executive of Concerned Women for America, with two. (“I feel like an underachiever compared to Marjorie,” she says.)

Shannon Royce, president of Chosen Families, and Kristan Hawkins, executive director of Students for Life, each have two. Lots of working women have children, of course. But these crusaders make their personal experience of motherhood part of their public lives. Sarah Palin drew attention to her strong antiabortion stance by gathering her children – including Trig, who has Down syndrome – around her on the stump. Now these leaders are taking the word “choice” away from the left. Their choice, they’re saying through example, is to have the children and work it out.

Abortion rights activists, take note. These women represent a major strategic shift in the abortion war….

~ Washington Post columnist Lisa Miller, November 3, who is also a senior editor at Newsweek

[Photo via Washington Post; click to enlarge]

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