In 1973, the Roe v. Wade decision determined that a state law banning abortion (which included an exception to save the life of the mother) was unconstitutional. The court ruled that states were forbidden from prohibiting or regulating abortions performed in the first trimester; during the second and third trimesters states were allowed to enact abortion laws “reasonably related” to the mother’s health.
The proverbial camel’s nose was in the tent. Presently in several states, late-term abortions are performed; even reports of infanticide (the killing of babies after birth) occur in our nation! In the 1970s, we didn’t have ultrasound capabilities or other technologies that show without a doubt that a baby—not a glob of matter—is growing within a woman’s womb. In addition, advances make it possible to hear a baby’s heartbeat within weeks of conception and premature babies are delivered as early as 21 weeks. Maybe for some people, it was excusable to argue whether abortion was all that bad 45 years ago, but the science is in!
As we look back through history, at one time slaves, and later Jewish people, were not considered human. Shouts of “It’s my body!” and “It’s legal, so it must be okay” ring hollow—abortion is not an issue, it is the issue. Moreover, it is a holocaust, with over 60 million children killed since the Roe v. Wade ruling. Abortion is murder—the deliberate ending of the life of one human being by another. In 2018, Planned Parenthood, in the forefront of abortion “services,” reported an annual income of $1.66 billion, which includes about $563 million in taxpayer funds. Yes, you read that right – our hard-earned tax dollars are funding abortion. (Source: https://www.plannedparenthood.org/uploads/filer_public/4a/0f/4a0f3969-cf71-4ec3-8a90-733c01ee8148/190124-annualreport18-p03.pdf)
Have we, as a nation and as a people, become desensitized to the evil that is abortion?
One bright spot is the recent movie Unplanned, the story of Abby Johnson who worked as a director for Planned Parenthood in Texas for 8 years until she helped with an actual abortion procedure, witnessing first hand the ultrasound of a baby in the womb struggling to get away from the abortion suction tool. She immediately left her career and since has become a powerful advocate for saving preborn babies and helping those involved in abortions to heal. (It is a sad irony that girls as young as 13 can get an abortion, but must be accompanied by a parent to watch Unplanned, as it was given an R movie rating.)
The 4th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution declare that “no person shall…be deprived of life, liberty… without due process of law…” while our Declaration of Independence states, “All men are created equal with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life…” With this in mind, two pro-life Idaho legislators proposed the Abortion Human Rights Act (AHRA) during the 2019 legislative session. If adopted, this measure would have brought an end to abortions here in Idaho. Unfortunately, the House chairman would not even give it a hearing.
More important than winning in the courts of law or legislation is building a “culture that cherishes innocent life,” as stated by President Trump in his 2019 State of the Union address. He continued, “Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments before birth…and then….the Governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth.” President Trump asserted: “These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get a chance to share their love and dreams with the world… let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: all children—born and unborn—are made in the holy image of God.”
What can you do to change our culture? Contact Idaho Right-to-Life and Idaho Chooses Life and insist they support AHRA. Support and donate to organizations such as Stanton Healthcare (they set up clinics next to Planned Parenthood and offer ultrasounds and support for women to carry and birth their babies). Contact your legislators and the governor. Share your knowledge and passion with members of your religious faith. We must support our churches in being at the forefront of the abortion debate and bringing an end to the atrocity that is abortion.
How can we pray for God’s protection over our country and state when we as a people condone, and even celebrate, the killing of innocent preborn babies?
