A Matter of Life and Death
The veil has fallen. The jig is up. If it wasn’t abundantly clear already, abortion advocates are finally showing their true colors. On January 22nd, Democrats in the New York state legislature passed an abortion law allowing the termination of the life of a full-term baby, as long as the child is still in the womb. You heard that right – New York Democrats made it legal to kill a child, a fully functional baby that may be 7 or 8 pounds, right up until a moment prior to birth. Never mind that the child would look no different, nor really be any different moments later after birth. Never mind that when a pregnant woman is killed, the suspect can be charged with double murder. Never mind that there can be and never would be any medical reason to kill a baby in the third trimester. In New York, that’s the difference between life and death, and the rest of us are left shaking our heads in disbelief and disgust.
If that wasn’t enough, proponents of the bill promptly began a victory lap after it passed cheering and giving a standing ovation in the New York Senate Gallery. The governor of New York ordered the One World Trade Center spire lit in a pink glow, with the jaw-dropping suggestion that their actions in New York “…shine a bright light forward for the rest of the nation to follow.” His comments didn’t stop here. Yesterday, in a New York Times editorial, he wrote he “do(es) not believe that religious values should drive political positions.” So, if I understand correctly, the most important part of many people’s lives – their faith and beliefs – shouldn’t inform some of the most important decisions in their lives, like who they vote for and the policies of the government that represents them. Ok, maybe that sort of superficial equivocation works in New York, but not in Missouri.
Perhaps this is the new norm for the pro-abortion movement. Not too long ago many claimed the “safe, legal, and rare” position. Well, it must be hard to see that from where they’ve landed and anyone with half a brain and half a heart gets this for what it is. Do you ever notice how advocates use sanitized language like “a decision between a woman and her doctor” and never use the term “mother and her doctor”? They are picking their words carefully and strategically, trying not to humanize the child growing inside that mother. I’m guessing most of America isn’t buying what New York is selling either. As was pointed out in a recent USA Today editorial, only 13 percent of Americans support abortion all the way into the third trimester. In fact, a majority of Americans believe abortion is immoral.
So, what should we do about it? We can’t change what New York does, but we sure have a say-so here in Missouri. We will be a brighter light than the dim one emanating from New York. Our light will be one that gives a voice to unborn children, and one that says their lives have value and that they deserve the protection of the law like every other person in our country. We will continue to make Missouri an example to follow in the fight to protect life. The New York law is a wake-up call. Well, I’m wide awake, and I hope you are, too.
As always, I welcome your ideas, questions and concerns. You may contact me at the State Capitol as follows: (573) 751-1480, david.sater@senate.mo.gov or by writing to Sen. David Sater, Missouri State Capitol, Room 416, Jefferson City, MO 65101.
God bless and thank you for the opportunity to work for you in the Missouri Senate.