Thou Shall Not Criticize Dobson

For the last few weeks, we’ve been keeping an eye on the fight between various far-right anti-abortion groups that culminated in Operation Rescue/Operation Save America, Colorado Right to Life, and others placing a full-page ad in the Colorado Springs Gazette and the Washington Times demanding that James Dobson and Focus on the Family “repent” for saying that a recent Supreme Court decision upholding the federal “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act” would “protect children.”

Now, it looks as if Dobson has emerged on top, because Colorado Right to Life has been kicked out of the National Right to Life coalition:

Colorado Right to Life was kicked out of the National Right to Life coalition on Wednesday, in part for publicly criticizing Focus on the Family founder James Dobson.

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In a written statement, the national coalition said Wednesday it disagreed with the ad. It said its rules require state affiliates to be in line the national group's objectives.

Leslie Hanks, vice president of Colorado Right to Life, said the state group had a more "confrontational" approach than National Right to Life wanted.

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In a written statement, Focus on the Family said it appreciated the national group's action. Carrie Gordon Earll, a spokeswoman for Focus on the Family, called Colorado Right to Life a "rogue and divisive group."

"Rather than use their money and energy to advance pro-life goals, CORTL chose instead to attack its allies in the cause. CORTL gave its parent organization no choice but to name a new state affiliate," she said.