Open Letter to FX about Norma McCorvey Documentary

To: FX Entertainment Chairman John Landgraf and the Director of AKA Jane Roe Nick Sweeney 

From: The Pro-life Advocates who actually knew Norma McCorvey  

Dear Mr. Landgraf and Mr. Sweeney,  

The following is a joint statement from pro-life leaders who knew her, some for decades, some who took her into their homes and shared their lives for years, in response to widespread media reports on the FX’ AKA Jane Roe that focuses on Norma McCorvey, set to air Friday, May 22.  

Not content with trashing pro-life hero Phyllis Schlafly, FX has now set its sights on a pro-choice heroine turned pro-life heroine; Norma McCorvey (Roe in Roe v. Wade).  Most of us have seen caricatures of ourselves in the media made possible by selective editing, outright omissions, and direct falsehoods. An entertainment enterprise is the last place any of us would seek out for the facts on women whom we actually knew, loved and admired.  

Norma was a woman who lived a complicated life and experienced many heartaches. She struggled to make her place in the world, but she never sought an abortion or had one, though the minds behind Roe v. Wade implied the opposite. She regretted the way she was used in the case that ultimately carried her name. We know this because she said so, directly, to many of us. And as we personally know, she carried her pro-life convictions with pride and passion. And in a sworn affidavit, she affirmed her convictions, signing her name to this statement: “I obviously advocated legalized abortion for many years following Roe v. Wade. But, working in the abortion clinics forced me to accept what abortion really is: It is a violent act which kills human beings and destroys the peace and the real interests of the mothers involved.”  

At the end of her life, some of us engaged with Norma and were able to spend time with her. This also makes us wonder about the broader context of the conversations presented in this edited documentary designed to shock and undermine her story. We ask for the unedited footage of the exchanges, to see for ourselves just what was left on the proverbial cutting room floor.  

With the strength of the pro-life movement throwing that Supreme Court decision back into the balance, the abortion industry and its media lackies are scrambling to rewrite history and shift public sentiment in favor of Roe in order to protect abortion. What does it mean to support Roe v. Wade? It means supporting an unjust and unconstitutional ruling that sanctioned the violent killings of 60 million American children and counting. It means applauding a death count that grows by the thousands each day. It means protecting the license to kill.  

The bottom line is that the woman we knew personally does not resemble the woman portrayed on FX, which is why we skeptically reject a production that came out after Norma’s death, when she couldn’t correct the record for herself and which contradicted her earlier statements. Fact Check FX: your production doesn’t line up with the decades of friendship we personally shared with Norma. FX, we don’t believe you and want to see the raw footage.  

We look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Pro-Life Leaders who knew and worked with Norma
(In Alphabetical Order) 

Christopher Bell
Founder/President, Good Counsel homes for mothers and babies

Joan Bell
Apostolate of Gloria Dei

Astrid Bennett Gutierrez
Executive Director, The VIDA Initiative

Cynthia Collins
Founder, SpeakHope.net
Global Advisor, Operation Outcry

Cheryl Conrad
Co-Founder, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust

Anne Schlafly Cori
Chairman, Eagle Forum

Gregory S. Cox
Vice President of Constituency Affairs, Liberty Counsel

Connie Eller
Missouri Blacks for Life

David Daleiden
The Center for Medical Progress

Steven Ertelt
Editor, LifeNews
Articles responding to the facts of the documentary here and here.

Fr. Terry Gensemer
Director CEC for Life
Fr. Terry Responds to Deceptive Documentary AKA Jane Roe

Brian Gibson
Executive Director Pro-Life Action Ministries

Kristi Hamrick
Chief Media Strategist, Students for Life of America/Students for Life Action

Mark Harrington
President, Created Equal

Kristan Hawkins
President, Students for Life of America/Students for Life Action
Kristan Hawkins criticizes FX’s portrayal of Norma McCorvey and notes the viewpoints of those who knew her.

Dr. Alveda King
Evangelist, Civil Rights for The Unborn/Priests for Life

Monica Migliorino Miller
Citizens for a Pro Life Society

Lynn Mills
Pro-Life Michigan

Janet Morana
Executive Director, Priests for Life
Co-Founder, Silent No More

Troy Newman
President, Operation Rescue
Operation Rescue Responds to False FX Statements about Norma McCorvey

Peggy Nienaber
Vice President, Faith & Liberty

Allan E. Parker, Jr,
Lead Counsel for Norma McCorvey in her efforts to reverse Roe v Wade
President, The Justice Foundation
Documents at www.thejusticefoundation.org

Father Frank Pavone
Priests for Life
www.PriestsForLife.org/Norma

Alexandra Snyder, Esq.
Executive Director Life Legal Defense Foundation

Cheryl Sullenger
Senior Vice President, Operation Rescue

Jeff White
Founder, Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust
The Norma McCorvey I Knew