Amanpour Cues Ex-Conservative to Trash Pro-Lifers as Like Nazis, Iran, and Saudi Arabia

On Wednesday’s Amanpour & Co.Christiane Amanpour simulcast the program on CNN International and PBS. Frank Schaeffer, a former evangelical conservative, was on hand to criticize the pro-life movement that he founded before becoming liberal and spending most of his time blaming conservatives.

Amanpour started the segment by recalling her guest’s influence on Francis Schaeffer (evangelical leader) as a teenager in 1970s to advocate for abortion. Roe V. WadeHe eventually regretted being involved in this movement, however, he made the right decision. After posing the question, she continued: “I assume — because you stated it — that your regret about this movement is correct?”

He didn’t hesitate to respond with Nazi analogies.

When I think back to my youth, I wonder if I would have guessed the same thing as others who had wartime or political experiences. The 1930s in Europe, if they joined one or more of the fascist PartiesIt was a terrible experience that I witnessed in the form of a war. That level of guilt and regret is something I also feel.

Amanpour referred to her interview with Carrie Severino, a pro-life activist from the Judicial Crisis Network. She said that “we spoke yesterday to the opposing viewpoint on this program.” After giving her ample time, she stated that even though we didn’t support abortion, it doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t lobby for the Supreme Court to reverse gay and interracial marriages. Is that true?

Schaeffer put forth an extravagant prediction, that America will be like Iran but with the addition of racism:

As you know, your Iranian heritage is a part of who you are. You will hear these words. These words are what we are going to get. These people are looking for a Christian version of the Saudi Arabia and Iran’s white national Christianity. If you’d like to reside in this country, that’s the direction we are headed.

Amanpour was unflinching as she closed the segment. This story is very interesting. Many thanks for sharing your time with us.

Amanpour was, in contrast, more argumentative than her guest on the previous night. Amanpour also gave a segment to Gloria Steinem (liberal activist) on that same night. Amanpour seized on the fact that Severino claimed California’s abortion laws are so permissive, they allow abortions after giving birth.

Carrie said that this was too extreme and it wasn’t worth having in the discussion. “Because Roe is clear, let’s be clear for all our viewers. No matter your moral or political views, Roe allows abortion before viability. We need to be clear about this because it is crucial. Severino stated that “that’s inaccurate,” and Roe was combined with. Doe v. Bolton1973 saw the legalization of abortion upon request. 

The Anderson Family Fund, Straus Family Foundation and others paid part of the cost for this segment. Advertisers can be contacted to express their disapproval at sponsoring this content.

Here’s the transcript:

CNN International, PBS

Amanpour & Co.

May 4, 2022

Eastern, 11:03 pm

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: Evangelical Christian groups have rallied to limit access to abortion for years, but it wasn’t always a political issue for them. Enter Francis Schaeffer. Frank Schaeffer, his son encouraged Frank to run against the law. Roe versus WadeThey were also producing Christian movies and literature. This is an amazing story. Without the :Schaeffers, this culture war may not have been as intense. Frank joins me from Boston. … It is correct to assume that because you stated it, you regret the role played in this whole thing.

FRANK SHCHAEFFER LIBERAL ACTIVIST You can hear about another person’s journey on a completely different planet. My work was done with my father, who is a pro-life activist. Now that I am 70, this was 50 years ago, and I cannot help but regret not only the negative impact it had on the lives of so many people, up to the death of the abortion doctors. Roe V. WadeThe Supreme Court, dominated by Republican-operatives who have taken the 70s experience and extrapolated it into a 50 year future that I found surprising will overturn this decision.

A progressive would be someone who holds liberal views. From this point of view in my life I am a father, grandfather and grandfather. As I reflect on my childhood, maybe it is the same thing that people do about wartime and political experiences. Perhaps they would have joined the Fascist Party in Europe in the 1930s. They might also have lived to witness the end of the world war. That level of guilt and regret is something I also feel.

(…)

AMANPOUR: I do think something is extraordinary that maybe our viewers won’t remember — that also Falwell and the Moral Majority, they were trying to oust from power and deny a second term to then-President Jimmy Carter. They tried to get Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter was, in fact, the first Christian evangelical to become President. That would make sense. Is there a strange twist to this story? You might wonder why they were so intent on Reagan getting out, and not Reagan.

SCHAEFFER: Well, Jimmy Carter was a very decent human being. Jimmy Carter was compassionate towards women. He supported abortion, but he wasn’t a racist.He believed in integration. He was a strong believer in African Americans’ voting rights. Jerry Falwell, who was segregationist but was also a far-right-winger, was Jerry Falwell. Falwell was homophobic and an unpleasant piece of work. This is it. So basically Jerry Falwell and the other men could not manipulate Jimmy Carter.

While he was an evangelical Christian who was also a Bible teacher at Sunday school, his followers viewed him as the wrong kind. These guys were not interested in this anymore.

They wanted to win elections, they wanted power. And they did. You have Donald Trump as the 50-year-old apostasy. This group, not the individuals but the group they left behind, became completely politicized and they are no longer a religion, but a far right political movement.

(…)

AMANPOUR: You know, you’re very passionate now. Your talent brought America to the brink of culture war. You clearly regret this. What do you expect from the next step? We spoke with the opposite view about this program yesterday. After giving her ample time, she stated that even though we didn’t support abortion, it doesn’t mean we won’t lobby for the Supreme Court to reverse gay marriage or interracial marriage. Are you convinced?

SCHAEFFER: No, it’s not. Take a look at Gorsuch. Take a look at Gorsuch. They said that they wouldn’t change the principle. They are political ideologues.

The same ideology which took away the freedom to choose will also take away gay marriage rights. This is the same ideology which changes the laws in every state house to favor Republicans. It’s not just gerrymandering that Republicans are embracing, it’s also the type of things Donald Trump has said, where he still claims to be President.

You could have asked Gerald Ford and any other person 40 years back, “Are they ever going to be part a Republican Party that’s going against voting rights to African Americans?” They would have told you that it was impossible. Now it’s happening.  So if you think that these people are crazy, let me tell you. Your Iranian heritage is evident. These are the words you will hear. These words are what we are going to get. These people are looking for a Christian version of the Saudi Arabia and Iran’s white national Christianity. If you’d like to reside in this country, that’s the direction we are headed.

Frank Schaeffer: You were with us at the very beginning. This story is really fascinating and very instructive. Many thanks for sharing your time with us.