Ever since Roe v. Wade was passed in 1973, pro-life advocates have been working tirelessly in efforts to reverse the Supreme Court decision that allowed abortions to be performed for any reason up until the third trimester in the United States.
Conservatives now see a glimmer of hope for abortion to finally be made illegal in the America with states such as Alabama leading the way in pro-life legislation. Iowa also made headlines in January as the controversial Fetal Heartbeat Bill was declared unconstitutional by a federal judge. The law would have made abortion illegal as soon as a heartbeat was detected, which can be as early as 6 weeks. While a federal judge deemed this Iowa law unconstitutional, it laid the groundwork for future pro-life legislation.
This past Tuesday, the Alabama state Senate passed a bill that would make performing an abortion nearly illegal in the state. Republican Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill on Wednesday stating, “This legislation stands as a powerful testament to Alabamians’ deeply held belief that every life is precious and that every life is a sacred gift from God.” A common misconception of this bill is that mothers who would undergo the abortion procedure would not have any charges brought against her, instead, the abortion technician may face up to a life sentence in prison.
Conservatives view Roe v. Wade as not only one of the most heinous Supreme Court cases in our nation’s history but, also outdated. Pro-life advocates hold a negative view on Roe because the law allows for the murder of innocent children where they are supposed to be the safest, in their mother’s womb.
When Roe was passed, sonograms hadn’t been developed yet so mothers and fathers could not see the development of their own child. Science has also made huge strides with the awesome discovery of a bright flash of light bursting forth as soon as fertilization occurs indicating the moment when a new life begins and also the ability to perform life changing surgeries while in the womb such as correcting spina bifida in babies in utero.
If Roe v. Wade is overturned, God willing, the fight to outlaw abortion in the United States will not be over as the issue will shift from the Supreme Court to the state legislatures. Until then, generations who value life will continue to take the stand to protect the most vulnerable, our babies in the womb.
Author: Amelia Koehn
Amelia Koehn is the former founder and president at Young Women for America at Iowa. She studied political science at the University of Iowa.
