February Recap

February was a short month, but there was a lot going on!

1. Attorney General Confirms State Will Appeal Abortion Ultrasound Law

Image Source: National Right to Life

On February 7, Attorney General Roy Cooper said the state will appeal the recently rejected abortion ultrasound law. This provision, part of the 2011 Women's Right to Know Act, would require an abortionist to display and describe the ultrasound to each woman seeking an abortion. Although ultrasounds were previously required by the state and are already standard procedures before abortions, in January Judge Catherine Eagles issued a permanent injunction against the provision, stating that requiring doctors to describe the images violated their freedom of speech rights. 

Ultrasounds are high on the list of controversial sub-topics when it comes to abortion, but they are vital to an expectant woman's decision-making process. Too often, mothers are ignorant of their unborn babies' development, and having the opportunity to witness for themselves what their children look like at 8 weeks could influence their decision. What they see on the screen is not someone else's opinion, but a factual representation of pre-born life. Many post-abortive women say that if they had only known the truth about their baby, they would not have chosen abortion.

NCRTL president Barbara Holt expressed her approval of the Attorney General's decision. "We are pleased that Attorney General Roy Cooper has decided to defend NC's ultrasound law in spite of his opposition to the pro-life provision.  A mother has the right to an opportunity to see an ultrasound image of her unborn child and to hear her baby's heartbeat in advance of an abortion.  How else can she make a fully informed decision to have the abortion, which will take the life of her unborn child?  This is critically important information about her developing unborn child which many mothers who later regret their abortions say they wish they had been given at the time of their abortions."

2. Thanks

Our February 8th campaign to thank our pro-life legislators was a success! Almost 500 people saw our Facebook post, and many others saw our tweets.Thank you to everyone who shared our graphic on Facebook, tweeted #NC4Life and #ProLifeNC, and contacted your pro-life elected officials in support and appreciation. We know they were grateful to hear from us! 

Please continue to support your pro-life legislators in the coming year, and remember to vote pro-life! 

3. Choose Life Plates

On February 11, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that North Carolina's "Choose Life" license plate is unconstitutional because a pro-abortion plate was not also permitted. North Carolina Right to Life and other pro-life groups remain hopeful that a "Choose Life" plate will eventually be offered in North Carolina. 

Barbara Holt commented, "The 'Choose Life' plate simply affirms childbirth, in which the state has legitmate interest. Thanks to our current legislature, to help vulnerable mothers, the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship is receiving $250,000 through a special budget apppropriation to make up for those funds being lost from the sale of the plates because of the litigation and this ruling."

Pro-Life 101: "It's Not Human"

*This is the second installment in a series of posts on pro-life apologetics based on the “When They Say, You Say” talks developed by Olivia Gans Turner and Mary Spaulding Balch. If you missed the first one, catch up here.

Did you know that most pro-abortion arguments fall into one of five categories? Over the next several weeks, we will be taking you through each argument and presenting some practical tips for responding well. Whether you’re a seasoned member of the pro-life movement or just a rookie, you’ll find something worth reading!

One of the arguments we hear is that an unborn child is not a human being. This may come up in one of several ways, such as, “It’s just a blob of cells,” “The fetus is only a potential human being,” and “It’s not a person; it has no meaningful life.” Thanks to modern technology, though, not only is this particular attack losing credence, it’s also easy to disprove. Let’s start with some basic facts about fetal development.

Not human? Really?!

Science tells us that from the moment of fertilization, a genetically complete, unique, individual human person exists. Although the baby may look like a clump of cells during his first few days of life, he is not just a “potential life,” he is a life! His DNA contains all the same information it will always have throughout his life. Sex, eye color, height, and his grandpa’s nose are already present; all he needs is time to grow and develop these features.

After about a week, the unborn child, now in the embryo stage, has implanted in the uterus. By the time he is 18 days old, he already has a beating heart and a visible spinal cord. His growth is rapid and almost miraculous. Within just a few weeks, he will have all the body parts he will have as an adult. In six weeks, the unborn child has grown from a single-celled person into a person with definable features and every organ system in place.

Just as an infant does not look exactly like the adult he will become, so an embryo in the early stages of development does not look exactly the way he will at birth. Who are we to say that his life is without meaning? Arguably, the infant needs as much or more care than the unborn child because both are entirely reliant upon outside help in order to survive, but there are few people who advocate for infanticide (sadly, we can no longer say that “no one” advocates for infanticide). We cannot judge a life’s worth based on arbitrary standards of quality or care; rather, we must give each life the same objective value, based simply on its merit as human life.  

It’s important to remember that the vast majority of abortions take place between the seventh and twelfth week of pregnancy—long after the babies have beating hearts and detectable brainwaves. These facts might anger some people, but you can be confident in the knowledge that what you are speaking is true and has nothing to do with opinion, ideology, or religion. “Don’t force your religion on me” falls under this category of argument because it has the same answer: No matter what you believe about the existence of God, it’s indisputable science that at fertilization, a new life comes into existence.

One of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is the ultrasound image. Within the last several decades, the use of the ultrasound has gone from nonexistent to routine practice. As technology improves, so do the images of the unborn children. Today’s pregnant mamas can take home 4D ultrasound videos of their babies yawning, stretching, and sucking their thumbs! This is one reason why it is so important that all pregnant mothers have the chance to view an ultrasound of their baby. In your own conversations, have an ultrasound image or fetal model available to show people. “A picture is worth a thousand words,” and although your picture and words may not change minds, they may plant seeds in peoples’ hearts. 

Texas, North Carolina, and Pro-Life Legislation

It was a crazy week in Texas. On June 25, the Texas legislative session was winding down, but the Senate had yet to vote on a bill that would greatly increase regulations on abortionists and their facilities. Senator Wendy Davis became an overnight celebrity when her 10-hour filibuster, combined with the noise of the pro-abortion audience, pushed the final vote til after midnight. Because the legislative session ended at midnight, the vote was invalid.

The story doesn’t end there, though; Governor Rick Perry called a special session in order to give the bill another chance. Since Monday, July 1, thousands of Texans have swarmed Austin to voice their opinions of the bill. Supporters of HB2 wear blue; opponents wear orange. After hearing hours of testimonies, the House State Affairs Committee voted in favor of the bill, 8-3. Next week, HB2 will continue to the House, while its companion bill, SB1, will likely be discussed in committee on Monday.

In part due to the dramatic end to the legislative session, Texas has received national attention and attracted support, criticism, and debate from all over the country. However, North Carolina is fighting a similar battle, and it’s important for North Carolina citizens to be actively involved in what’s going on at home.

On Wednesday, July 3, in spite of hundreds of pro-abortion supporters who flooded the Legislature, the NC Senate passed H695.  This bill includes provisions seeking to prohibit sex selection abortions, to require physicians to be physically present during an abortion, and to opt out of abortion coverage in the federal exchange.  To pro-lifers, these measures seem obvious. Why wouldn’t people want to ban sex selective abortions, or to ensure that a doctor is in the room when a mother takes a deadly pill with risky side effects? To abortion rights supporters, though, such measures are merely obstacles between a woman and her “right” to choose, and they are desperate to protect that “right” to abortion for any reason, any time.

While H695 has passed in the Senate, it still has a long way to go before it becomes law. On Tuesday, July 9, there will be a vote to concur in the House Health and Human Services Committee, and the bill could possibly be on the House floor later that day for the full House vote.  If the committee and full House concur then it will be on its way to the governor’s desk. YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL! These measures will save lives, but our legislators need to hear from their pro-life constituents immediately. You can be sure they are hearing from those who want abortion to be legal without any restriction.  Please visit our website, www.ncrtl.org, and look under “Action Alert” to see how you can help!