This work explains an increasingly popular view dubbed the Consistent Life Ethic, which holds that all life deserves reverence, so all social support for actions that destroy life should be withdrawn. The call is for opposition to abortion, capital punishment, euthanasia and other forms of killing to be consistent. Supporters of this view, shared widely in these pages, include figures from the Dalai Lama and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malread Corrifon Maguire to actor Martin Sheen and Village Voice columnist Nat Hentoff. It is at once an ethical, religious and political ideology, explored here in its application to actions from treatment of unborn humans to infants, the disabled, the poverty-stricken, war combatants and animals.In the work at hand, contributors explain the history of the pro-life movement, its growth and expansion, how these types of seemingly disparate killing are all linked, why a Consistent Life Ethic is needed, and how individuals can take steps to assure this ethic is more widely accepted.

"The societal wounds of racism, poverty, and a penchant for using violence to address problems are intimately connected to the death penalty, to war, to the killing of the old and demented, and to the killing of children, unborn and born. If more people were familiar with the consistent life ethic, as expounded in this book, then the voice of all unseen vulnerable people would be better heard." -- Sister Helen Prejean, Author of Dead Man Walking "The authors consistently and rationally support the position of opposition to murder in a society where wrong may seem right, to the detriment of life, liberty and justice for all. This is a recommended read for serious thinkers and for all seeking truth." -- Dr. Alveda King, Founder, King for America, Director of African American Outreach for Gospel of Life, and niece of Martin Luther King, Jr.

Introduction: The Power of Being Consistent: Rachel MacNair1. Word Games Take Lives: William Brennan2. The Left has Betrayed the Sanctity of Life: Consistency Demands Concern for the Unborn: Mary Meehan3. The Indivisibility of Life and The Slippery Slope: Nat Hentoff4. Israel/Palestine and Abortion: Stephen Zunes5. Understanding How Killing Traumatizes the Killer: Rachel M. MacNair6. Abortion and the Feminization of Poverty: Thomas Strahan7. The Direct Killing of Racism and Poverty: excerpts from various sources8. When Bigotry Turns Disabilities Deadly: excerpts from various sources9. Right to Life of Humans and Animals: Vasu Murti10. Does the Seamless Garment Fit? American Public Opinion: Edith Bogue11. Perceptions of Connections: Rachel MacNair12. Activists Reminisce: An Oral History of Prolifers for Survival: Taped interview.13. Activism Throughout the Centuries: Mary Krane Derr14. Changing Hearts and Minds: Mary Meehan15. The Laws Role in the Consistent Life Ethic: Carol Crossed16. Pro-Life Politics: From Counter-Movement to Transforming Movement: James R. Kelly17. Connecting the Dots Nonviolently: Michael Nagler18. People Power and Regime Change: How Nonviolence Spreads Democracy: Stephen Zunes19. Conflict Transformation: Dissolving "Battle Lines": Rachel MacNair