Perspectives from a recent gathering with national leaders:
I was privileged to be invited to present at a closed door gathering of national pro-life leaders in Washington DC. The theme of the event was an open discussion on the question of whether we should give aborting mothers total legal immunity or whether there should be some kind of accountability written into our laws – such as the Equal Protection Laws we have been helping to advance around the country.
The event was well attended, and much gracious discussion on all sides was had. We presented our case and fielded questions from audience members as well as fellow presenters. The crowd was very mixed on the topic. I think our side gave a well-reasoned defense of our position and why it is counterproductive to say that mothers are always victims and should always be granted total immunity. Not only does it undermine our core principle – that the preborn child is a human being, deserving of legal recognition – but also is simply factually untrue.
With the proliferation of self-managed “at-home” chemical abortions, comprising 65% of all abortions now in the U.S., mothers have become the primary abortionist. With the advent of ultrasound technology, our window into the womb and the glorious miracle of human life and early embryonic development has never been clearer.
Are we to say that female abortion doctors should go to jail for performing abortions on other women, but if they do so to themselves, they are victims? How about abortion clinic workers? Women who are well advanced in gestation? How about nurses, who’ve been through school? Are they ignorant? Med students in college? Pro-life ladies who grew up in the church, knowing what abortion is, but decide to get one anyway to cover their sin of fornication and their backsliding in college?
Sure, many women are lied to and are profoundly ignorant. Many other women are coerced and pressured. Statistics show 10% of women who get abortions claim they were coerced.
The law can and should grant leniency in such cases; this has been how the Church, and our legal system, has dealt with abortion throughout American history and back into our European heritage for nearly 2000 years.
Judges, juries, and prosecutors all have tremendous latitude to extend mercy for a wide variety of reasons – a principle we even see in Scripture. For example, upon their genuine repentance, God spares the city of Ninevah from the destruction and righteous judgment He had decreed against them for their grievous iniquities.
We must find the balance between mercy and judgment. God gave us the Law for a reason (Galatians 2:24) and instituted government to bear the sword and punish evildoers (Romans 13:3-4, 1 Peter 2:14). Just laws are good for society as they steer people away from committing crimes in the first place.
That is a great mercy.
We see in America today repeat violent offenders walking the streets and preying upon innocent victims after being let out time and time again by the misguided empathy of liberal judges.
That is not merciful for society.
A just law must both prohibit abortion and provide appropriate penalties, securing the value and dignity of the victims – preborn children – and deterring mothers from executing their babies in the womb.
This is a three-fold purpose of just law. In addition to providing punitive justice, the law is both a teacher and a deterrent.
The tide is turning within the pro-life movement in our favor as more and more leaders across the nation are agreeing with our principles, supporting our legislative efforts, and lifting their voice in defense of the full equal protection these little ones deserve.
May God grant us the continued strength and wisdom to defend life, love these mothers and fathers contemplating abortion, and hold our public officials and the silent pulpits accountable for their failure to love their neighbor in the midst of this great injustice plaguing our society.
Jason Storms
Director, Operation Save America
