By Matthew Mihelic,The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
Over a year ago, the series of awful videos emerged revealing that Planned Parenthood was selling the body parts of aborted babies. And this summer, the Supreme Court has reminded us once again that they claim to possess the authority to define human life. In its June decision, Whole Women’s Health, the Supreme Court struck down a Texas law that had successfully forced approximately half of the abortion clinics in the state to close. The Court’s decision was a major blow to pro-life efforts in recent years. What was thought to have been a successful step for pro-life legislative advocacy was brushed away with apparent judicial ease by five black-robed justices in the nation’s highest federal court.
In the wake of this decision, it would be worthwhile for pro-life Americans to pause, take a deep breath and ponder the steps necessary for future victory.
Rebuilding the foundation for human rights
Ending the legality of abortion will require that society recognizes humanity’s inherent value, a perspective that is being lost on the culture at an alarming speed. Therefore, it is vitally important to note the social context in which Americans presently find themselves.
A few years ago, I went to work on Capitol Hill during my first summer break from law school, presuming that I would be on the “front lines” of the pro-life movement. However, a tour through the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History taught me more about the battlefield for defining human life than the halls of Congress ever did.