Episode 68: The Texas Heartbeat Law, The Flimsy Roots of Roe V. Wade, and Providing Real Help to Abortion-Minded Women
The Texas Heartbeat Bill went into effect on September 1, even after abortion proponents asked the Supreme Court to block it. On August 31, abortion providers raced to complete as many surgical abortions across the state as possible, and in the past ten days pregnancy centers have seen an influx in the women they serve.
On this episode of All Things we look at the positives and negatives of this new law. Of course we rejoice that 80-90% of abortions in Texas have now been prevented. Babies have been saved and women have been spared violence. For this we rejoice! But there are some things about this law that are troublesome, and it’s not likely to remain in effect for the long haul. We have work yet to do.
In addition to talking about the law itself, we look at the flimsy foundation of Roe v. Wade. Abortion proponents frequently refer to it as “constitutional” and “settled law.” And while it’s true that the Supreme Court deemed abortion a constitutional right in 1973, you’d be hard pressed to find where exactly in the Constitution such a right exists. Further, past laws that were deemed Constitutional and settled were rightly overturned—for example slavery, and preventing women from owning property and voting. Calling a law constitutional or settled does not make it just.
Next we take a look at the reality of how harmful abortion is to women. Things like: there is a 155% increase in risk of suicide for women who’ve had abortions; more than 80% of post-abortive women say they probably would not have aborted if they hadn’t been so heavily encouraged to do so; and 57% of women who receive an abortion do so because of a recent traumatic event such as unemployment, a breakup, or falling behind on rent or mortgage.
Vulnerable women who are unexpectedly pregnant need support, not abortions. Offering abortion is one-dimensional, uncreative, traumatizing, and lazy, whereas offering pregnant women wrap-around support leads not only to her child’s future life, but also to holistic health in the mother’s life as well.
A pregnancy resource center in Colorado responded to the Texas bill this way and I wholeheartedly agree: “Alternatives believes in the humanity of the preborn and the woman. We value legislation that protects both. We believe the Texas Heartbeat Act needs to be accompanied by other legislation that works to provide women with the support for affordable childcare, access to housing, protections for pregnant students in high school and on college campuses, and equity for pregnant women in the workplace. With legal protection and resources like these, women can make choices that are based on the amount of support they have versus being backed into terminating their pregnancy as their only option.”
Again, we have work yet to do. Let’s do it.
The following resources helped in the formation of this episode:
The Pro-Life Movement Must Transcend Politics - David French
How Americans Understand Abortion - Notre Dam study in 2020
What the Texas Law Really Means for Abortion in America - Politico
Pro-lifers minister to panicked women in Texas - World
Supreme Court Ruling Ends Most Abortion in Texas - Planned Parenthood
How a Texas clinic raced to provide abortion care before law went into effect
The Supreme Court,Texas’ Heartbeat Bill, and Millennials in Church – BreakPoint This Week
10 Legal Reasons to Reject Roe - USCCB
State Facts About Abortion: Texas - Guttmacher Inst.
A Web-Based Geolocated Directory of Crisis Pregnancy Centers - NCBI
Randy Alcorn, Why Pro-Life?: Caring for the Unborn and Their Mothers