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January 4, 2013
Abortion Restrictions Hit Second-Highest Total Ever in 2012
Pro-life advocates have been winning the abortion battle ever since Roe v. Wade, says Time magazine.
State lawmakers passed the second-highest number of abortion restrictions ever this past year, with 19 states enacting 43 measures in 2012 that limited access to abortion services, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The record was set last year, when 24 states enacted 92 restrictions in 2011.
Guttmacher's analysis comes as Time magazine reports in its cover story this week that pro-life supporters have been winning the battle against abortion since the United States Supreme Court handed down its Roe v. Wade ruling 40 years ago.
According to LifeSiteNews, the article makes a "pro-abortion case" but arrives at a "shocking conclusion:" "While abortion is still legal, it is increasingly difficult to access, thanks to the closing of so many abortion clinics and pro-life laws that help women by giving them additional information and alternatives."
Those laws include a recently approved ban on Planned Parenthood funding in Texas, as well as recent Michigan bills which will increase regulation requirements for abortion providers.
In a last-minute vote, Michigan lawmakers approved a measure to require that abortion providers screen patients to ensure they aren't being coerced into unwanted abortions. In addition, the legislation mandates that abortion clinics acquire licenses similar to those required of freestanding, outpatient surgical centers.
The licensing restrictions apply only to clinics that perform more than 120 abortions each year. Such clinics would also be subject to state inspection.
CT has reported the recent "pro-life surge", including recent efforts to target government funding of Planned Parenthood. CT also noted that the abortion rate has fallen to a 10-year low.
Comments
As much as I'd love to live in a "Christian" culture, its not going to happen. Forcing all Americans to abide by Christian rules is not going to work. By choosing to legislate this issue, we have spent way too much time, effort and money (makes me think of pearls before swine?). We should be quietly living lives to emulate.
Posted By: Susan | January 5, 2013 6:24 PM
Normally I would agree with you Susan. I am a huge believer in the separation of Church and State. I believe by pushing our agenda politically, we push people away from faith.
Having said that this is one of those situations where I think we need to speak out. It is actually life and death, that isn't a cliche.
Obviously we should be doing it in a loving way and I feel as though we should be gathering a consensus with other groups who agree with us on this issue (such as Orthodox Jews & Muslims etc).
We don't have a monopoly on pro life interests.
Posted By: Chris | January 6, 2013 3:59 PM
The problem is, if not "christian" in presupposition, laws are going to be based upon some other normative position. What makes the premises of secularism more worthy of being "forced on all Americans"?
How can we quietly lives lives to emulate while not having an opinion about the killing of the unborn?
Posted By: jdl | January 6, 2013 7:20 PM
The problem is laws like the one that require a vaginal ultrasound when it isn't medically necessary. How can people claim the high ground on an issue when it uses lies to get its way. To win a tiny battle it loses the war.If you are caught being dishonest about the need for the ultrasound then why should anyone trust what else you have to say on the issue.
Posted By: AugustNYC | January 6, 2013 9:28 PM
Just a follow up to the above- no where in the bible does it call for Christians to persuade others to follow the rules before the conversion. Many Christians through out time have not lived in cultures where they are the majority. Their lives were their witness. Not their words or votes.
We are no longer the majority in this country--a very sad fact.
But choosing to legislate good simply doesn't work with people who are not interested in honoring God.
Paul says they are given up to their own sin.
Posted By: Susan | January 8, 2013 11:04 PM
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