Before there was a RedState officially, its founders agreed on one rule and that rule has been diligently kept by their heirs here.

Despite what many of our critics say, RedState is not a uniform and homogenous place. The front page contributors disagree on gay marriage, on immigration, war, isolationism, on the fight within the Republican Party, tactics strategy, etc. My job is spent often moderating arguments. I am expressly prohibited from blocking any front page contributor from posting their own opinion on the front page. With limited exceptions, once someone is a front page contributor, their opinion on the front is as valid as any other front page contributor.

But we keep the one rule. We allow those who do not adhere to the rule to occasionally post on the front page, but they are never allowed to join our small fraternity of front page contributors. Before anyone can be a front page contributor, I am required by the other front page contributors to not only inquire into a possible contributor’s view of the rule, but also to report back on how thoroughly I discussed it with the possible newbie. All to make sure that I examined the person thoroughly and to make sure that person would adhere to the rule.

Should one, over time, evolve away from the one rule, we will kindly and with love and prayers, bid them goodbye from the front page.

Over the years, after we sold RedState to Eagle Publishing, occasions arose where people suggested we should get rid of the front page rule. The contributors have all entered a pact. Should our front page rule be abandoned, we will all abandon RedState. It is, in effect, our kill switch on this site.

One day, should I win the lottery, make it big in radio, or find a conservative millionaire sugar daddy and buy back RedState as my own, I will be forced to remember that the kill switch is implanted in the site. The one rule is such a big deal.

And it is a very simple rule: To be a front page contributor at RedState, one must be pro-life. There can be no compromise on the idea that life is sacred and we are all made in the image of the living God.

The moment that rule dies, so too does this site. It is our one rule and will remain so.