Perhaps this is the first time you have discovered that there are several states pursuing efforts to restore personhood to the preborn children of that state from the first instant of the child's life. Among those states is Georgia, and the heroic leaders of Georgia Right to Life have been pursuing this goal for a couple of years now. The bill they support is House Resolution 536–a proposed amendment that would protect every single preborn child in the state as a person.
Sadly, however, it seems that the opposition keeps tossing roadblocks in their way, but even when that occurs, they just keep moving on. God bless Dan Becker and his organization.
At American Life League we praise pro-lifers with integrity like this for it means that they have understood the value of personhood and are willing to keep at it until they reach the goal. But sadly this is not the case with the Catholic bishops of that state.
In a prepared statement Archbishop Wilton Gregory and Bishop Kevin Boland tell the Catholic people in their care that "the approach taken by HR 536 to amend the state constitution does not provide a realistic opportunity for ending or reducing abortion in Georgia."
The bishops do not support the passage of the proposed amendment and have made it clear that they will not change that position. I find this a tragic event in the history of the pro-life movement and one that I cannot even begin to assess in terms of the damage it has done to the movement in that state.
If given the chance, I would ask these two shepherds: If not now, when? If not personhood, what?
Oh, but wait! Planned Parenthood certainly understands the impact of HR 536 and said so in a related news report. Metro Sprit newspaper published the statement of Mary Beth Pierucci, director of public policy for Planned Parenthood of Georgia, which says in part:
More Georgians need to understand the broad legal and medical ramifications of HR 536. Its supporters blatantly state that their intention is to outlaw legal abortion in Georgia. This amendment is so extreme that it could potentially prohibit the use of hormonal birth-control options that doctors commonly prescribe like the birth control pill and IUDs. It could even stop women from accessing in-vitro fertilization.
It is not extreme to work toward an end to any action, surgical, medical or chemical that kills a preborn human being! It is not extreme to outlaw in vitro fertilization which is a direct assault on God's procreative design for marriage. In fact, it is long past time that the entire pro-life movement took up this cause and worked hard to achieve personhood. It seems me, frankly, that the bishops of the United States, including Georgia, would be leading this struggle to defend each and every defenseless child at every stage of his development rather than running away from the very activity that makes Planned Parenthood shudder!
I ask you to join me in this prayer:
Dear God in heaven, please grace each bishop with wisdom, fortitude, and pro-life integrity. We ask this in Christ's name, Amen.