One thing we can all agree on is that we live in an intensely polarized society. Our various views on “life” being one of the most divisive issues. On one hand, people see life as an invaluable gift from God that is worthy of protection despite beginning at an inopportune time or being imperiled by disability or poverty. On the other hand, people see life as a choice to be made by women in control of their own bodies without regard for God’s hand in creating life and making humans in His image.
Sadly the discourse on “life” issues often demonizes those with opposing viewpoints. Rather than lose friends or create enemies, we sometimes retreat from expressing our opinion. But we need to boldly share our perspective while respecting those with a different belief.
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I was praying for such courage when in the midst of a highly emotional discussion on abortion at the 2022 Little People of America (LPA) national conference. In a post Roe v. Wade world, the group was intent on getting LPA to advocate for abortion rights for women with a pregnancy where it was known the baby had a terminal genetic condition and would only live a short-time after birth. Although the group did not agree with my pro-life position, at least they listened.
Organizations with a pro-life mission, such as crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs), are a special target of abortion advocates. They are often attacked for providing care and resources to women facing difficult or unexpected pregnancies. For example, Planned Parenthood has described CPCs as “fake clinics” with a shady, harmful agenda based on lies, misinformation and propaganda about abortion. But this is a distortion of CPCs mission and practice. In 2022, a survey of pregnancy centers disclosed free services to women, men, and children, including: pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, parenting education programs, prenatal care, linkages to vital community and public health resources, and baby diapers, wipes, formula, clothes, and more. CPC refusal to offer or refer women for abortions does not make the clinics fake.
In 2015, the State of California passed the Reproductive “FACT” Act which forced life-affirming pregnancy centers to display information, including a phone number, on how women can obtain a free or low-cost abortion. With help from the Alliance Defense Fund, the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) sued California Attorney General Kamala Harris in federal district court, alleging that the Reproductive FACT Act violated its First Amendment rights to free speech and free exercise. In 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) agreed with NIFLA’s allegations. In NIFLA v. Becerra, SCOTUS found that the California law was an unconstitutional content-based regulation requiring NIFLA to advertise abortion—the very practice they were devoted to opposing.
After SCOTUS’ June 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization found that the U.S. Constitution doesn’t contain a right to abortion, CPCs have been subjected to violence and vandalism requiring 24-hour security, anti-graffiti paint on buildings, reinforced doors, and bulletproof walls. Please pray for the protection of “life” advocates.
You may also want to read:
- Tom Campisi. “Pregnancy Centers Are Key to Regaining the Moral High Ground on Abortion.” January 10, 2024. https://www.care-net.org/abundant-life-blog/pregnancy-centers-moral-high-ground-on-abortion?utm_campaign=Weekend%20Update&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=289800015&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_REFqseXO-SRHUUhgkqCsbiHZKWwdpenNkSfxYSRpnBjqqO4XlWaksSI5YLo3g0oaSDS__zluWkJ_qg4JHc30DYXU1Uw&utm_content=289801464&utm_source=hs_email
- Ryan Foley, “Vandal sues pro-life pregnancy center for ‘medical malpractice’ after defacing clinic.” December 26, 2023. https://www.christianpost.com/news/vandal-sues-pro-life-pregnancy-center-for-medical-malpractice.html?utm_source=The+Christian+Post+List&utm_campaign=CP-Newsletter&utm_medium=freedom_post
- Tom Campisi. “Report: Pregnancy Centers Have Transformational Influence on Communities.” December 21, 2023. https://www.care-net.org/abundant-life-blog/report-pregnancy-centers-have-transformational-influence-on-communities?utm_campaign=Weekend%20Update&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=287603973&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_jrvEu36U-fM3JMfXXXslxAylDfRafKdHeGV-B6UeXbxYHLpFPSzlEnOs0_I-2FHRf–gpgAHiWeCItvkoR174FavI1w&utm_content=287607838&utm_source=hs_email
- Angela Muir Van Etten. “Legalization of Infanticide Looms After Dobbs.” Blog post. January 16, 2023. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/legalization-of-infanticide-looms-after-dobbs/
- Angela Muir Van Etten. “End Disability as Reason to Terminate Pregnancy.” Blog post. January 17, 2022. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/end-disability-as-reason-to-terminate-pregnancy/
- Kendall @ Planned Parenthood. “What are Crisis Pregnancy Centers?” November 4, 2021. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/blog/what-are-crisis-pregnancy-centers
- Angela Muir Van Etten. “Death with Dignity Laws Deadly to Disabled.” Blog post. January 18, 2021. https://angelamuirvanetten.com/death-with-dignity-laws-deadly-to-disabled/
- Pasquale Toscano and Alexis Doyle. “Legal Abortion Isn’t the Problem to Be Solved.” 2019. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/06/selective-abortion-bans-treat-disability-tragedy/592000/
- NIFLA v. Becerra. Supreme Court of the United States. June 26, 2018. https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-1140_5368.pdf
- Ardee Coolidge “What the Paralympic Games Reveal About Abortion and Disability Rights.” September 8, 2016. https://www.care-net.org/abundant-life-blog/what-the-paralympic-games-reveal-about-abortion-and-disability-rights
One reply on “The High Cost of Protecting Life”
Thanks for this very informative article.