Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
Forty years ago today, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the killing of an unborn child was protected by the U.S. Constitution.
It's a sad day and it's sad that we live in a world that would care so deeply about the sexual revolution that it's willing to do anything -- including destroying the lives of 55 million unborn children -- to preserve it.
But we do.
I remember the day I asked my mother what abortion was and I remember what she told me. I have retained that horror for 29 years and have been involved in the pro-life movement ever since.
While the most recent polls show that Americans don't know what Roe v. Wade is but do want it preserved (along with various other data points that are disconcerting), the saddest is the reality that thousands of women go to abortion clinics each day to "take care" of their pregnancy. Still, it might be worth some reflection on what few things have gone well since that ruling 40 years ago.
There is a massive pro-life movement. If you attend this Friday's March for Life, you will see people of every creed out there marching. They might be atheists or Catholics, bikers or homeschoolers, but you will see people from every background marching for the pro-life cause.
There have been some legislative victories. Because the pro-life movement has adopted an incrementalist strategy rather than all-or-nothing, some 42 pro-life measures in 25 states were enacted last year.
Science and technology is on our side. I remember when I was in junior high and high school, my teachers would suggest that unborn children were nothing more than a blob of cells. No one says that any more because it's laughable. Ultrasound technology enables us all to see what is clear to my young children -- unborn babies in the womb are unborn babies in the womb.
Pro-lifers have successfully engaged the culture. While so many people focus on politics, the pro-life movement has always known that no matter what the law says, the fight against abortion is won in the hearts and minds of the people. Pro-life messages are common in commercials, movies and books. This is particularly noteworthy when compared to the absence of such messaging for other causes on the right.
How do things look to you? Are you optimistic or despairing or what? What changes have you seen in the abortion fight and what are the best places for progress?
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May '12
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I am optimistic and agree we have won some victories and hope that everyone realizes we are gaining on it and also understand the strategy that has been successful - federalism.
We are winning in the states and will continue to do so on this and other issues such as SSM if we unite behind a federalist strategy.
I wish it was more restricted nationwide, but if we can get state legislation in order we will gradually win the culture war.
Aug '12
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
When I hear some casual pro-lifers (in my household we are anything but casual) lament the Obama presidency for its impact on abortion, some of them even talking about giving up, I quickly point to the nearly unbroken string of victories in the pro-life movement over the last ten years. Obama's been president for four of those years and he's barely been a speed bump in the road. I do wish pro-life congress people would be more direct in calling out president baby-killer, though. Things were much worse in the 80's people. BTW- Gov. Perry issued a very good statement marking the Roe v. Wade anniversary today.
Edited on January 22, 2013 at 4:21pmRe: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
This documentary is very well done and depicts a staggering story of one abortion clinic in Philadelphia. The operator of the clinic is preparing to stand trial for eight murders -- seven of those for children who he delivered before snipping up with scissors -- and one for a woman who went to him for an abortion.
It's worth a watch.
Oct '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
America is paying heavily for this offense against God, and the willingness of the people to go along. We are on the edge of an abyss, and we believe that it is the pro-life movement that stays God's hand.
If not for the prayers and commitment of the pro-life folks, God would probably have pulled the plug already.
Mar '11
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
Anyone here catch the film Amazing Grace? I say to look at how long it took, and by what a circuitous route, to end slavery. No overnight victories, no frontal assaults, but firm and steady resolve to fight by whatever legal and moral tools were available.
I have picketed a little at clinics, I have seen the thuggery employed, I have seen the despair in the eyes of young women going in, escorted and cajoled by boyfriends.
I have also seen how abortion twists lives for years afterward (I know one woman who has had 4, and the self-deluded world she lives in is apparent to all - she tells everyone today that she "lost" her pregnancies, or else that she could not conceive, etc. etc.). The evidence of abortion's wrongs abounds, and people are gradually convinced.
Anyway, I have to be optimistic, I met my wife at our campus pro-life group.
Sep '12
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I saw a new poll today saying more people support abortion than life now. Very sad, but polls are fickle. I am optimistic about the future of life because, as Mollie pointed out, everybody knows by now that that's a baby from the get-go. I was a senior in HS in 1973 when this was originally a hot issue, and thought to myself even then--that plus time is a baby, and I could not kill a baby. This understanding contributed to my resolve to live my life so as to never be in a position where I would be tempted to kill a baby.
The abortionfest that was the Dem convention last year was appalling, but I think history is going our way because we are coming to understand the supreme importance of babies as we face population decline and its sad results. That said, we do need more movies like Juno. Someone suggested on Lynn Bateman's wonderful post about having her baby daughter that the story be made into a movie. We need to start our own media outlets to get this and other inspiring stories out there. When we tell our stories, we win.
Nov '12
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I think the latest NBC/WSJ numbers are pretty scary -
http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/01/21/16626932-nbcwsj-poll-majority-for-first-time-want-abortion-to-be-legal
This assertion is even worse -
My argument is this - do the following when they take their mandatory high school health classes on sex (my parents had to sign a form way back in the 1980's so I could go to the "sex" class) -
Show the 18-29 yr olds the video of the fetus retreating into the womb as the curette is coming at it to scoop it out and destroy it OR show them a video of a 2nd trimester abortion where the babies head is partially delivered and an ice-pick is shoved into its skull to kill it instantly. Or, if that’s too gory, show them a women being administered methotrexate and let watch as she writhes in pain from the termination of the pregnancy….
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
In the long run, I believe that we will win. The horror of what is going on is obvious to anyone who pauses to think.
In the short term, I am fearful. Obama's legacy vis-a-vis the Supreme Court is not going to be pretty.
Let me say again that I was appalled when Mitch Daniels called for a truce on the social issues. There can be no truce. The politicians on our side say virtually nothing on the subject. The politicians on the other side are on the march. Think of the HHS mandate.
Apr '11
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I am some what disturbed by the recent trends and NBC polling. I feel that for all the advances the pro-life movement has made, it has too often in its urgency slipped up and given ammunition to the other side. The goal must not ever be to push through legislation banning or restricting abortions (in my opinion). It must be to make people realize the moral consequences and dimensions of this decision and practice. It must be to change societies attitudes. Only in changing peoples minds can we ever really win. Therefore it is important to restrain our political maneuverings. We can not just try to pull a fast one on people, if we do it will back fire.
I think in discussing this with pro-abortion people our goal should not be to shame them, or coerce them into any position. Rather we must seek to slowly push back the line for person hood Everyday or week we can push it back towards conception is a victory. I have personally found that it is easy to push many back to accepting first heart beat (20 weeks after fertilization) as a good cut off between legal and illegal abortion.
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
This, from Pew, is also interesting:
Of course, these figures mean very little without knowing about religious practice, as opposed to affiliation (e.g., are we talking about people who worship regularly or those who went once in the 1970s).
Sep '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I wonder if people, 100 years from now, will look back on abortion in our time and regard it as barbaric as we regard slavery today. Not making a prediction, just wondering.
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
I wonder similar things. Did people who fought against slavery wonder if they'd ever be successful? Did people tell them that they'd never succeed?
Aug '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
In ten murderous minutes, the gunman at Sandyhook just managed to kill innocents at a rate (2.7 per minute) maintained 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year by Planned Parenthood.
This statement is incendiary and probably unhelpful, but I honestly don't understand my friends who are justly outraged by Sandyhook and yet are staunch supporters of PP.
I would like to change hearts and minds, but I am at a loss: how is it that they are not outraged?
Sep '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.
I wonder similar things. Did people who fought against slavery wonder if they'd ever be successful? Did people tell them that they'd never succeed? · 2 minutes ago
I'm sure they did, much as they had to face arguments from opponents that slavery was normal or important to our way of life. It's not a perfect analogy but I do wonder about how the future will regard us. I see how we judge the past and the past does not usually fare so well.
May '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
It is hard to understand how any people that countenances the murder of over 1,000,000 unborn children a year can expect the aid and favor of a just God.
For the non-believers among us, think of it as "what goes around comes around." The unwanted elderly are no less an expense and inconvenience than unwanted children.
Perhaps the trials we currently experience, and the terrible leadership by whom we are governed is part of judgment we must inevitably face as a country.
The retributive cost to the United States for the institution of slavery was a war apocalyptic in scope for the people who experienced it.
Will abortion be ended? Yes, but it very well may be a very painful process for pro-lifers as well as pro-abortionists, for the innocent as well as the guilty.
Jan '11
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
As with so many issues, we often accuse the other side of simple ignorance and stupidity, and they think the same of us. We dismiss them quickly, and they do the same about us.
But the remedy to quick dismissal is steadfast determination. We aren't going away. The issue isn't over. We aren't going to back down just because others think differently.
These are basic issues, and we have basic differences.
Aug '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
drlorentz
I'm sure they did, much as they had to face arguments from opponents that slavery was normal or important to our way of life. [...]
I find the similarities very striking. In both slavery and abortion, the question hinges on who is a human deserving our protection, and who is not. Also, there are competing rights involved: if you do not see that slave as human, then the abolitionist is infringing your right to private property. If you do not see the unborn as human, the pro-life movement is infringing on your right to privacy.
I pray we will look back and wonder how people could have behaved so badly.
Sep '10
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
Mollie Hemingway, Ed.: This documentary is very well done and depicts a staggering story of one abortion clinic in Philadelphia. The operator of the clinic is preparing to stand trial for eight murders -- seven of those for children who he delivered before snipping up with scissors -- and one for a woman who went to him for an abortion.
It's worth a watch. · 1 hour ago
OK, Mollie, you just wrecked my morning with that documentary. I am horrified.
Mar '11
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
"Science and technology is on our side."
It'll never overcome human evil. Post-birth babies look like babies too, and we already have "ethicists" in our learned institutions saying "It's OK to kill them too". This will only increase over time.
Jan '13
Re: Reflections On The Constitutional Right To End Your Baby's Life
What scares me about the new information regaring 18-29 year olds is that they have been exposed to the science. They have seen the 3-D imagery of babies in utero and still they think abortion should be allowed. Some simply have decided that certain people don't count. And, too often, though not always, the decision comes down to convenience.
Regardless, I am more optimistic if only because I've been at the March and I've seen the outpouring of good faith. The movement is growing and is composed of young, talented and vigilant pro-lifers.