NRPLUS MEMBER ARTICLE L ast fall, I witnessed thousands of Ohioans gathered in Columbus to march for life and advocate for women and children. These residents came from all walks of life. Many traveled from hours away. They showed unwavering love and support for their state’s most vulnerable and urged their elected representatives to advance protections for them.
Unfortunately, these Ohioans’ values are now under attack by wealthy, extremist, out-of-state special-interest groups seeking to enshrine a dangerous and radical abortion amendment in the state constitution. The abortion industry’s proposed amendment, which is out of touch with the mainstream, would virtually erase any existing or future protections for mothers and children. This November, assuming abortion proponents get enough signatures, Ohioans will be voting on whether to incorporate this radical abortion agenda into their state constitution. That means a 50 percent-plus-one majority could expand and entrench abortion as effectively permanent state law, beyond the reach of state legislators.
Pro-abortion proponents of the measure have shrouded the amendment’s language in euphemisms, starting with its title, “Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” which is fraudulent. In reality, if approved, the amendment would likely nullify health and safety protections for women when it comes to abortion. It could, for example, prohibit abortion businesses from being required to meet the same basic health standards that other surgical facilities must. And it would also likely eliminate the current law that ensures a woman is screened and counseled by a licensed physician who can transfer her to a local hospital if something goes wrong.
It would also be used to challenge parental-consent and -notification requirements before an abortion is performed on a minor, thereby cutting parents out of one of the most consequential decisions in their child’s life.
This radical amendment would allow abortions, for virtually any reason, right up until the moment of birth. History has shown that when a “health” exception is specifically left undefined, as it is in this proposal, courts have interpreted it to include mental, financial, and even “social” health — making it effectively impossible to enforce any protections for the unborn at any time during a pregnancy.
An unborn child’s beautiful life, complete with her beating heart and her fully formed body, could be painfully terminated just seconds before she takes her first breath. Ohio has a long history of being a strongly pro-life state. Yet with this initiative, the abortion industry is attempting to transform the state into another California or New York — states where there are virtually no protections for the unborn. Only 10 percent of Americans agree with this extreme position.
Additionally, under this amendment, Ohioans could well find themselves paying for these abortions they vehemently oppose. Language similar to that used in the Ohio amendment has been interpreted by courts in other states to compel taxpayer funding for abortions.
Ohioans deserve to know the truth of what this harmful amendment entails and what women and children stand to lose if it is approved.
Seeing the large crowd gather at the state capitol for the March for Life last fall confirmed for me that the people of Ohio are committed to protecting and defending the inherent dignity of the unborn child, not supportive of this dangerous abortion measure. They overwhelmingly want their home to continue to welcome and protect the most vulnerable.
This October 6, we will gather again in Columbus to bear witness to the beauty of every life. The women and children of Ohio deserve more than the deceptive and empty promises that this extreme amendment offers. I encourage all Ohio voters to stand firm and boldly reject it.