Changes

| occupation              = [[Journalist]]; political activist

| occupation              = [[Journalist]]; political activist

| yearsactive             =  

| yearsactive             =  

| party                   = [[Republican Party|Republican]]-turned-[[Reform Party]]-turned [[Constitution Party].

| party                   = [[Republican Party|Republican]]-turned-[[Reform Party]]-turned [[Constitution Party]]

| name               = Peter Benedict Gemma, Jr.

| name               = Peter Benedict Gemma, Jr.

| birth_date              = September 13, 1950

| birth_date              = September 13, 1950

'''Peter Benedict Gemma, Jr.''' (born September 13, 1950), is a free-lance writer and [[conservative]] political activist originally from [[Providence]], [[Rhode Island]], currently based in Sarasota, [[Florida]]. He has written for such publications as ''[[USA Today]]'', ''[[Human Events]]'' (a national weekly newspaper, since a [[website]]), ''The Washington Examiner'', ''Military History'', ''Quarterly Review'' of [[Great Britain]], and ''The Daily Caller''.  

'''Peter Benedict Gemma, Jr.''' (born September 13, 1950), is a free-lance writer and [[conservative]] political activist originally from [[Providence]], [[Rhode Island]], currently based in Sarasota, [[Florida]]. He has written for such publications as ''[[USA Today]]'', ''[[Human Events]]'' (a national weekly newspaper, since a [[website]]), ''The Washington Examiner'', ''Military History'', ''Quarterly Review'' of [[Great Britain]], and ''The Daily Caller''.  

His 2006 book, ''Shots Fired: Sam Francis on America’s Culture War,” published by the Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation of Vienna, [[Virginia]], is an edited study of the late [[paleoconservative]] columnist, Samuel T. Francis, with foreword by [[Pat Buchanan]] and afterword by [[Joseph Sobran]], two of Gemma's mentors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/author/peter-gemma/|title=About Peter Gemma|publisher=''Independent Political Report''|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref> He has also worked for The Political Cesspool, a weekly  [[radio]] talk show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelius.com/search/people/Peter-B-Gemma/Sarasota-FL|title=Peter B. Gemma|publisher=intelius.com|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref>

His 2006 book, ''Shots Fired: Sam Francis on America’s Culture War,'' published by the Fitzgerald Griffin Foundation of Vienna, [[Virginia]], is an edited study of the late [[paleoconservative]] columnist, Samuel T. Francis, with foreword by [[Pat Buchanan]] and afterword by Joseph Sobran, two of Gemma's mentors.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/author/peter-gemma/|title=About Peter Gemma|publisher=''Independent Political Report''|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref> He has also worked for The Political Cesspool, a weekly  [[radio]] talk show.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.intelius.com/search/people/Peter-B-Gemma/Sarasota-FL|title=Peter B. Gemma|publisher=intelius.com|accessdate=May 20, 2016}}</ref>

==Background==

==Background==

In retrospect, he could point out that O'Connor's Supreme Court record, along with two other Republican appointees, [[Anthony Kennedy]] and [[David Souter]], supplied the majority in a key 1991 decision to maintain legal abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Court/Sandra_Day_O_Connor_Abortion.htm|title=Liberty to define one's own concept of mystery of human life|publisher=On The Issues|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref>

In retrospect, he could point out that O'Connor's Supreme Court record, along with two other Republican appointees, [[Anthony Kennedy]] and [[David Souter]], supplied the majority in a key 1991 decision to maintain legal abortion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ontheissues.org/Court/Sandra_Day_O_Connor_Abortion.htm|title=Liberty to define one's own concept of mystery of human life|publisher=On The Issues|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref>

In 1981, Gemma issued a "hit list" calling for the defeat such pro-abortion members of Congress as U.S. Senators George J. Mitchell of [[Maine]], [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]] of New York, and [[John Chafee]] of Rhode Island, and former presidential candidate, Democratic Representative [[Morris Udall]] of Arizona. Citing their opposition on principle to a "hit list", two leading members of the Pro-Life PAC resigned from the organization. U.S. Senator Jake Garn of [[Utah]] and Representative [[Henry Hyde]] of [[Illinois]], the author of the [[Hyde Amendment]] which forbade the use of [[Medicaid]] fund to underwrite the costs of abortion, said "hit lists" are counterproductive because they create irrevocable discord among legislators, any of whom can be subject to a "single issue" attack of this kind. Gemma said he was surprised by the withdrawal of Garn and Hyde from the PAC committee but continued with plans to spend $650,000 for the 1982 elections on behalf of anti-abortion candidates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/07/weekinreview/the-nation-congressmen-draw-the-line-at-new-hit-list.html|title=THE NATION; Congressmen; Draw the Line at; New 'Hit List'|date=June 7, 1981|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> Gemma said the PAC was trying to "influence those representatives, senators and candidates from both parties who are ambivalent or undecided on this matter of life versus death. If we can knock off some highly visible officeholders, it sends a signal to the mushy middle, as I call them."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/04/us/three-quit-antiabortion-group-over-political-hit-list.html|title=Three Quit Anti-abortion Group over Political 'Hit List'|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=June 4, 1981|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> A year later, Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] of Utah, in his bid for a second term, disowned advertising from the Pro-Life PAC against Hatch's Democratic opponent, Mayor Ted Wilson of [[Salt Lake City]]. He asked for support only through organized channels. [[Mike Leavitt]], Hatch's campaign manager that year and later the [[governor of Utah]], said that Hatch had a "strong disagreement with [Gemma's] tactics. We wish they would take their distasteful act back to Virginia. Negative political advertising is rare in Utah."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/us/hatch-disowns-group-s-ads-attacking-mayor-of-salt-lake.html|title=Hatch Disowns Group's Ads Attackiong Mayor of Salt Lake|date=June 13, 1982|publisher=''The New York Times''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> 

In 1981, Gemma issued a "hit list" calling for the defeat such pro-abortion members of Congress as U.S. Senators George J. Mitchell of [[Maine]], [[Daniel Patrick Moynihan]] of New York, and [[John Chafee]] of Rhode Island, and former presidential candidate, Democratic Representative [[Morris Udall]] of Arizona. Citing their opposition on principle to a "hit list", two leading members of the Pro-Life PAC resigned from the organization. U.S. Senator Jake Garn of [[Utah]] and Representative [[Henry Hyde]] of [[Illinois]], the author of the [[Hyde Amendment]] which forbade the use of [[Medicaid]] fund to underwrite the costs of abortion, said "hit lists" are counterproductive because they create irrevocable discord among legislators, any of whom can be subject to a "single issue" attack of this kind. Gemma said he was surprised by the withdrawal of Garn and Hyde from the PAC committee but continued with plans to spend $650,000 for the 1982 elections on behalf of anti-abortion candidates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/07/weekinreview/the-nation-congressmen-draw-the-line-at-new-hit-list.html|title=THE NATION; Congressmen; Draw the Line at; New 'Hit List'|date=June 7, 1981|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> Gemma said the PAC was trying to "influence those representatives, senators and candidates from both parties who are ambivalent or undecided on this matter of life versus death. If we can knock off some highly visible officeholders, it sends a signal to the mushy middle, as I call them."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/04/us/three-quit-antiabortion-group-over-political-hit-list.html|title=Three Quit Anti-abortion Group over Political 'Hit List'|publisher=''The New York Times''|date=June 4, 1981|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> A year later, Republican Senator [[Orrin Hatch]] of Utah, in his bid for a second term, disowned advertising from the Pro-Life PAC against Hatch's Democratic opponent, Mayor Ted Wilson of [[Salt Lake City]]. He asked for support only through organized channels. [[Mike Leavitt]], Hatch's campaign manager that year and later the [[governor of Utah]], said that Hatch had a "strong disagreement with [Gemma's] tactics. We wish they would take their distasteful act back to Virginia. Negative political advertising is rare in Utah."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/us/hatch-disowns-group-s-ads-attacking-mayor-of-salt-lake.html|title=Hatch Disowns Group's Ads Attacking Mayor of Salt Lake|date=June 13, 1982|publisher=''The New York Times''|accessdate=May 23, 2016}}</ref> 

In 1982, Gemma defended as highly successful his targeting of opponents with use of a "single-issue". In the 1984 congressional races, Gemma said that 65 percent of the candidates his [[political action committee]] had supported for nomination or election had been successful. "Quite obviously we turned out more of our constituency than the pro-abortion lobby, even though they outspent us as they have every year since the political battle over abortion began," Gemma said.<ref>

In 1982, Gemma defended as highly successful his targeting of opponents with use of a "single-issue". In the 1984 congressional races, Gemma said that 65 percent of the candidates his [[political action committee]] had supported for nomination or election had been successful. "Quite obviously we turned out more of our constituency than the pro-abortion lobby, even though they outspent us as they have every year since the political battle over abortion began," Gemma said.<ref>