I have been a Democrat my entire adult life.  I was drawn to the party because of its commitment to represent the marginalized and vulnerable.For decades, the party has been the driving force behind important civil-rights legislation and crucial safety-net programs. Democrats recognize the fundamental right of Americans to affordable and universal health care. The Democratic Party has embraced our identify as a nation of immigrants and welcomes a diverse population of new immigrants and refugees to our land and to the party. The existential threat of climate change has been commonly ignored by Republicans but has been a focus for the Democratic Party. Democrats have grappled with divisive and destabilizing income inequality in our country and stand for a progressive revenue system.

So where is the trouble?  Democrats have deviated from their historical commitments to the most defenseless amongst us.  They have contributed to the relentless dehumanization of the pre-born and condoned the resulting prenatal violence of abortion. They have become committed to the notion that the only compassionate response to women with unplanned pregnancies is abortion. They would rather tackle the impediments to abortion access than the demanding work necessary to make abortion unnecessary. This includes addressing the economic coercion that frequently drives an abortion decision. The irony is that two-thirds of Democrats self-identify as “pro-choice” but they spend precious little time contemplating how to make the abortion decision a real choice rather than a default plan forged by social and economic inequities.

Giving birth should not be another manifestation of white privilege. Why is it that many Colorado Democrats subscribe to the “anti-racist” philosophy advanced by Ibram Kendi, but do not recognize the components of systemic racism and eugenics unfolding in current abortion practice?

Colorado Democratic legislators have endorsed the most egregious abortion jurisprudence. They have rejected efforts to protect babies born alive after a failed abortion attempt (HB20-1068). They ignore the most deplorable form of sexism – sex-selection abortion (HB15-1162). They refused to restrict abortions after 22 weeks when the fetus is viable and can live independently from the mother (HB20-1098). Despite claiming to be “pro-choice,” they refused to make abortion-pill reversal information available to women undergoing the medical abortion procedure (HB17-1086) when they change their “choice.” Before rejecting the measure, Colorado Democratic legislators heard emotional testimony from women who regretted their choice and took advantage of this reversal option to deliver healthy babies. Most recently, they rejected a bill that would have made abortion statistics in Colorado accurate.  The data generated by the bill would promote informed dialogue, support maternal/child/reproductive health research, and be the impetus for public-private programs to reduce unplanned pregnancies and address the barriers women encounter continuing their pregnancies (HB22-1075).

Now, Colorado legislators are poised to introduce one of the most radical abortion bills in the world.  It would be out of sync with the majority of the Colorado electorate who believe there should be reasonable restrictions on abortion. Based on remarks by the sponsor of the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA), the bill would enshrine into Colorado law unrestricted abortion from fertilization until birth. The bill would likely eliminate parental notification which is the only abortion restriction currently in force in Colorado. It would bless a practice that is deplored by most of the civilized world; the killing of healthy, third-trimester babies carried by healthy women, for social and economic reasons.

The Democratic Party in Colorado needs help from the many pro-life Democrats and former Democrats who are now pro-life Independents.  We need them to save the party from abortion extremism by actively participating in the Democratic Party caucuses in the coming week and/or the Democratic primary in June.  We need them to help choose candidates for the legislature who understand the moral complexity of abortion.  We need them to choose legislators who can facilitate collaboration between pro-life and pro-choice Coloradans to reduce unplanned pregnancies and the drivers of abortion demand – especially for low-income women and women of color who are most impacted by abortion.

Please help save the Democratic Party that I love and ensure that it remains an unrivaled voice for the all the vulnerable and marginalized in Colorado.

Thomas J. Perille, M.D., is president of Democrats for Life of Colorado.