By Susan Ciancio
If you’re like me, you have been rejoicing since the news that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Though our work is far from over, this will protect countless babies.
The decision now goes back to the states to decide, with conservative states likely banning abortion and liberal states likely welcoming in anyone and everyone.
But honestly, the joy at this victory is overshadowed by the protests, the violence, and by the idiotic, illogical, and utterly ridiculous comments of so many on social media and the supposed “feminists” and politicians throughout the country and in Hollywood.
Let’s look at just a few:
Apparently Taylor Swift is “terrified” at the decision.
Alyssa Milano says the decision will have “deadly consequences.”
Maxine Waters says, “The hell with the Supreme Court.”
Joe Biden said, “Let me be very clear and unambiguous: the only way we can secure a woman’s right to choose—the balance that existed—is for Congress to restore the protections of Roe v. Wade as federal law.”
I could pull several disturbing and ignorant quotes from my Facebook feed, but I won’t. You get the point.
Women are angry. Men are angry. As pro-lifers, it’s hard for us to fathom the anger over the inability of people in some states to kill their babies. Further, the people who are angriest actually live in states that will allow abortion. So nothing for them will change. Their indignation comes from the fact that some women in some states will not be able to get abortions in those states.
They erroneously believe that there is a “right” to abortion in the Constitution. There is not. In a paper entitled “‘Grievously and Egregiously Wrong’: American Abortion Jurisprudence,” Alyson M. Cox and O. Carter Snead examine this very fact. I won’t go into the details here, but I recommend you read this and then show it to those you know who think that there is a “right” to abortion. It will give you a greater understanding of our Constitution, of the 14th Amendment specifically, and how the country at the time of its ratification viewed abortion. It’s a brilliantly written article and very eye opening.
But now that SCOTUS has made its decision, we will see the true nature not only of our friends and family but of organizations and companies. For instance, the owners of Dick’s—the sporting goods store—penned a letter to employees stating that, if an employee who wants an abortion lives in a state where abortion is illegal, the company will reimburse that employee up to $4,000 for travel expenses to a state where abortion is legal.
Wow.
Sadly, Dick’s is not the only company doing this. Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Yelp, Starbucks, Tesla, Disney, and many more proudly claim that they will as well.
Despite the fact that this is a disgusting policy, women applaud it. But can they not see how this not only demeans women and motherhood but is merely meant to serve the organization’s bottom line? Organizations like Dick’s and these others don’t have the women’s best interest at heart. They don’t truly care about her. They certainly don’t care about her baby. They only care about themselves. Reimbursing travel expenses is much cheaper for these companies than giving an employee time off or providing maternity coverage.
When will organizations begin to understand that valuing their female employees entails respecting their motherhood by giving them paid time off, providing childcare on site, and supporting a woman’s desire to work AND be a mother?
Killing a child is never an acceptable answer.
Women today are not taught to think. They are taught to react. That’s why it’s important to talk to our children about these issues and to give them a foundation they can build upon so they don’t fall prey to the people who are screaming “my body, my choice.”
If we don’t teach our children to value themselves and their abilities—including a woman’s ability to become pregnant and give birth—then they are more likely to join the screaming masses. They will listen to the Hollywood stars, to the women “leaders,” and even to those in government who just can’t seem to understand the value of women and that women don’t have to be just like men to be successful. Forcing a woman to deny her inherent gifts and be more like a man is degrading. Women deserve better than that.
So as the violence ensues and as women continue to scream, I encourage you to sit down with your children, your family, or your friends and talk about the beauty of motherhood. Talk about the value of all people. Explain that a human being exists from the moment the sperm fertilizes the egg. And teach the truth: There is no “right” to abortion. But there is a right to life.
Visit the Culture of Life Studies Program’s website for pro-life lessons for all ages!