Crescent-News.com - Pro-life Democrat says to 'vote your values'

By JACK PALMER

Former U.S. Congressman and pro-life Democrat Tony Hall called on people of faith to "vote your values" during a forum held Monday at Defiance College.

"People have asked me how I can be a Democrat and be pro-life. They believe these two are mutually exclusive. I just smile and jokingly tell them that Jesus came into Jerusalem on a donkey, not an elephant."

Turning serious, Hall admitted abortion is a very divisive issue.

"There are good people on both sides," he stated. "I'm pro-life on abortion, but I'm not a one-issue voter.

"There are many other life issues such as poverty, war, health care and how we treat 'the least of these.' Darfur is a life issue. Any vote in Congress over the federal budget involves making moral choices, too."

The hourlong event, held in the Hubbard banquet room of the Serrick Campus Center, was sponsored by the college's office of spiritual life and the McMaster School for Advancing Humanity.

"We haven't had anyone who could sit down with people of faith on both sides to work on lowering the number of abortions," he said. "That's what we need. Nobody is for abortion, it's never a good solution."

Hall, 66, represented the Ohio 3rd District (Dayton area) from 1979-2003. In the 1980s, he became a born-again Christian and changed his position on abortion from pro-choice to pro-life.

His primary focus during his tenure was addressing world hunger and human rights. He was nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize.

"I've been to Darfur three times. I met Mother Teresa eight times and attended her funeral. She may have been the greatest woman of the 20th century."

Hall shared a conversation he had with Mother Teresa in which he asked her if her good works were just a drop in the bucket.

"They are not a drop in the bucket, they are a drop in the ocean," she responded.

"So I asked her what one person should do to alleviate world poverty," continued Hall. "She said, 'Do the things that are in front of you, the things you see everyday.' I realized you don't have to minister to the poor in Calcutta, you can do it every day here in America in places like Defiance, Ohio. Volunteer at a homeless shelter or food pantry."

A native of Kettering, Hall was recruited to play football at Ohio State University by legendary coach Woody Hayes.

"They also recruited another running back that year," recalled Hall. "His name was Paul Warfield. I took one look at him and figured I'd better go to a smaller school where they needed me."

Hall transferred to Denison University, where he earned his degree and then entered the Peace Corps. He eventually became a small businessman and was elected to the state legislature. In 1978, he was elected to Congress.

"One of my best friends in the House of Representatives was a Republican congressman from Virginia," he said. "We prayed together every day at a small chapel right off the Capitol building. I even campaigned for him.

"You never read stories about that in Washington and that's a shame. Everything is negative. But I'm here to tell you that there are good things happening. If we got rid of 10 percent of the Democrats and 10 percent of the Republicans -- the ones on the fringe of both parties -- we would have a great Congress. We would get things done for the country."

Hall left Congress after being picked by President Bush as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations' Agencies for Food and Agriculture, holding the position from 2002-05.

"I was President Bush's only ambassador appointment who was a Democrat. I got to represent our country in impoverished nations around the world."

He served as keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast in 2005, was named the "man of the year" by the National Association of Evangelicals, and became lead sponsor of the law that designated the National Day of Prayer (chaired by Shirley Dobson).

He is currently spending much of his time fostering a Middle East peace initiative, which is being coordinated through the Center for the Study of the Presidency.

Four weeks ago, he announced his support for Barack Obama.

"Barack Obama is not pro-life on abortion, but he's pro-life on many other issues like poverty and helping 'the least of these.' There are 2,500 verses on the Bible that deal with poverty and helping widows and orphans.

"His health policy is also pro-life," added Hall.

The former ambassador said Obama "represents the great change this country needs."

"I've traveled to 125 nations around the world. I've seen how people think about us and I don't like it. We are the greatest and best country in the world, yet our reputation has gone downhill. We need to change that."