Wesley Smith is correct that Jesse Jackson did provide some valuable support to the Schindler family in opposition to the fatal dehydration of Terri Schiavo. Jackson reached out to Democrats in the Florida state legislature. Jackson’s visible presence in front of the hospice showed that supporters of Terri Schiavo were politically and ideologically diverse.

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What many conservatives forget is that during the 1970s, Jesse Jackson was an outspoken pro-life activist. He issued an open letter to Congress opposing federal funding for abortion. He wrote an article for National Right to Life News, stating, “How we will respect and understand the nature of life itself is the over-riding moral issue, not of the Black race, but of the human race.” Jackson even spoke at the 1977 March for Life.

When Jackson decided to pursue the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 1984, he started issuing statements in support of legal abortion. It is unfortunate that Jackson placed a higher value on political expediency than principled advocacy for the preborn. Indeed, Jackson’s rhetorical gifts and organizational skills could have made an extremely valuable contribution toward building a culture of life. R.I.P.

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