Elections have consequences. That’s what the people of New York are finding out this week. In an alarming move, the New York legislature, controlled by Democrats for the first time in years, made the decision to vote on a piece of radical abortion legislation that had previously been blocked by a Republican-controlled Senate.
In essence, the legislation would allow a woman to abort her child at any point during pregnancy, as long as a doctor determines that the death of the child is in the best interest of the “mother’s health,” which is a broad term that could mean her physical, emotional, psychological or financial health. Basically, this is abortion on demand at any point during pregnancy.
To celebrate this so-called progressive achievement, Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the One World Trade Center’s 408-foot spire, the Kosciuszko Bridge and the Alfred E. Smith Building to be lit up in pink.
We live in a day when many people think of our society as “more evolved,” as if we were somehow more progressive and enlightened. And yet, here is a state government celebrating the signing of a law that would allow women to kill their children. It is reminiscent of the order by Herod, the King of Judea, to murder all male children two years and under in Bethlehem after he was told about the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s appalling that barbaric acts similar to those that happened in ancient Rome would become sanctioned and applauded by a modern government.
Unfortunately, despite the obviously callous nature of this bill, the passing of this horrific piece of legislation isn’t a surprise. Radical elements in New York politics have wanted to pass this measure for years. The Republican-led Senate would usually act as a buffer to such laws, but in the last election the Republicans lost their majority and with it, the ability to block one of the most pro-abortion laws in the country.
It is a sad state of affairs, but it seems on brand for a party that has become more and more radical on abortion over the last couple of years. Losing elections now not only means that certain pieces of legislation won’t get passed, but often that the agenda becomes diametrically opposed to pro-life and other conservative Christian values. As a result, an election loss for conservatives and Republicans has become a life or death situation for unborn babies.
This wasn’t always the case. Although Republicans and Democrats often had different values or ideas, the schism between the two has become so great that now a pro-life Democrat has almost become an oxymoron. There are only three recognized Democrats who are considered generally pro-life in the House of Representatives—one of them is Illinois Democrat Dan Lipinski. His stance on life is so vilified in his own party, that he experienced significant challenges in the primary by a NARAL-endorsed candidate. NARAL is a radical abortion activist organization.
“Dan Lipinski is way out of step with his constituents and with Democratic party principles when it comes to women’s rights, LGBT equality and the basic freedoms that Americans hold dear,” Mitchell Stille, NARAL’s National Campaign Manager, said in a statement to Rollcall.
At one point, the policy and talking points from abortion advocates were that abortion would become “safe, legal and rare.” This was true just a couple decades ago under the Clinton Administration. These talking points have gone by the wayside. The “rights” of women have become more important than anything else to abortion activists, who seem to have taken control of the Democratic party. For the time being, this seems unlikely to change.
As politics become more divisive, the dialogue that allowed both sides to exchange ideas has been lost. Hopefully, those who hold a pro-life view within the Democratic party will continue to firmly stand upon their beliefs and maybe, just maybe, the party will once again recognize the life and value of the unborn child.
