A University of Kentucky professor alleges in a forthcoming book that the American pro‑life movement overlaps with white nationalist and authoritarian populist ideologies. Her claim centers on a perceived link between anti‑abortion activism, Christian nationalism, and extremist movements—including connections to the January 6 insurrection.
Professor Carol Mason’s From the Clinics to the Capitol: How Opposing Abortion Became Insurrectionary argues that anti‑abortion rhetoric and imagery have increasingly embraced elements of white nationalism and populist authoritarianism. She contends that such messaging primes Americans to accept extreme attitudes, citing parallels with Cold War conspiracism, fundamentalist apocalyptic beliefs, Tea Party populism, MAGA, and anti‑government violence.
According to the University of California Press description, Mason draws on over thirty years of research into the intersections of race, reproduction, and right‑wing movements, presenting a historical narrative spanning fifty years of anti‑abortion activism. She argues that anti‑abortion messaging abroad has exported U.S. tactics, fueling a global rise in right‑wing authoritarianism.
Mason directly links the framing of abortion as murder and its depiction as part of a broader conspiracy to white nationalist fear of demographic decline. She notes that extremists often combine religious apocalypticism with authoritarian impulses and anti‑government violence, citing fringe actors like the Army of God and Jan. 6 participants who viewed their actions as divinely sanctioned.
Conservative commentators sharply dispute Mason’s claims. The Washington Stand highlights that mainstream pro‑life efforts seek to protect unborn children of all races and points to studies showing Planned Parenthood is disproportionately located in minority communities. These voices argue that Mason’s critique obscures the genuine, faith‑based opposition to abortion led by Christians who care deeply for vulnerable lives.
Mason’s book is scheduled for U.C. Press release next month, priced at $95.
