The signing of the Reproductive Health Act by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo dealt a substantial blow to the Pro-Life movement. Unfortunately, the passage of such a bill, which allows abortion up until the day of birth, is far from isolated.
According to pro-life advocate Abby Johnson, this is bill is “nothing new.” She explains that similar late-term abortion implementations are already utilized in other states.
“I know that many are disheartened by the New York vote to legalize abortion through birth, but let me be clear, this is already happening in almost a dozen other states. THIS IS NOT NEW,” Johnson wrote in a Facebook post. “Babies have been aborted through birth for quite some time now. New York has just been added to the list.”
How Widespread is Late-Term Abortion?
In light of Abby Johnson’s comments on late-term abortions already being part of many states’ laws, it does make one wonder how widespread the problem already is right now. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the following states currently have no prohibitions on late-term abortions, and have laws like the one recently passed in New York already on the books:
- Alaska
- Colorado
- District of Colombia
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Vermont
In addition, some 24 other states allow some form of late-term abortions when it supposedly impacts a mother’s health in a negative way. This “health exception” that will allow late-term abortions is problematic, according to pro-life advocates as it allows “abortion on demand.” Furthermore, according to Will Maule of Faithwire, this allowance for health reasons basically means the following:
“Effectively, abortion will be available ‘on demand’ up until birth—if the woman wants to terminate her fully formed child because she claims it is too much for her to deal with financially, emotionally or otherwise, she will be allowed to do so.”
More Battles for the Pro-Life Movement
New York is not the only state that has recently advanced the scope of legal abortion. For example, a district court judge in Iowa recently ruled on the “fetal heartbeat” law, which was a pro-life effort to cut down on abortions within the state. He deemed the law “unconstitutional” and could not be enforced.(The law would have banned abortions on babies once a heartbeat was detected).
Due to the passage of the New York law allowing late-term abortion and the culmination of the pro-abortion efforts in Iowa, many abortion advocates see this year as a watershed year for women’s “reproductive health.” This is a narrative believers must face.
There is Still Hope
Even with the recent victories for abortion, Johnson still feels there is hope for the pro-life movement. She told CBN News that the focus on abortion, which is a byproduct of the victories abortion advocates have achieved, actually creates an ideal environment for furthering the pro-life cause.
“I think it is the right time to take a ‘personhood’ or ‘heartbeat bill’ to the Supreme Court,” Johnson said. “And so that’s sort of the hope—that a bill will be passed in a state that he pro-choice groups, like NAF, NARAL or Planned Parenthood, will then challenge the state law and then take it to the Supreme Court…And then, hopefully, the Supreme Court would hear that case and would then overturn Roe v. Wade and would allow states to make the decision whether or not they want abortion in their own state.”
Roe v. Wade Could be on It’s Way Out
Johnson isn’t alone in her theory that the recent pro-abortion gains could result in a Supreme Court battle that would overturn Roe v. Wade. Governor Cuomo also said as much. He believed that Roe v. Wade could be overturned soon. This was part of the motivation for him as a pro-choice governor to change the state laws of New York.
Late-term abortion is likely more prevalent that many would have imagined before it was brought into sharp focus recently by passage of the New York late-term abortion law. Thankfully, the cumulative effect might result in Roe v. Wade being overturned, which of course would be a huge victory for the pro-life movement and proof that God in fact always does work things out to the good of those who follow Him.
~ 1776 Christian
