It was 19 years after the infamous Roe v. Wade decision, which was based on a lie, that the Planned Parenthood of Southeastern PA. v. Casey decision in 1992 was issued. The “joint opinion” representing the views of the Court was written by Justices O’Connor, Souter, and Kennedy. It contained a section that perked the interests of some legal scholars. One of them was Joe Tucker, a black law professor who said to me, “It’s a shame that at least one state had not outlawed abortion prior to this ruling.”
In the Casey decision, the U. S. Supreme ruled that states have a larger say than people had previously believed. Excerpts from that decision contains the following statements:
“Roe’s rigid trimester framework is rejected. To promote the State’s interest in potential life throughout pregnancy, the State may take measures to ensure that the woman’s choice is informed. Measures designed to advance this interest should not be invalidated if their purpose is to persuade the woman to choose childbirth over abortion.”·
“As we have made clear, we depart from the holdings of Akron I and Thornburgh to the extent that we permit a State to further its legitimate goal of protecting the life of the unborn by enacting legislation aimed at ensuring a decision that is mature and informed, even when, in so doing, the State expresses a preference for childbirth over abortion.”·
Professor Tucker explained to me that if a state that had banned abortion had a case in the works, based on Casey, that state’s attorney would have been in a strong position for the court to have ruled in their favor. After talking at length with Professor Tucker, I was meditating on the report Joshua and Caleb gave to Moses. I realized that the fearful mindset of some groups who call themselves pro-life have throughout the years hindered the passage of a state law to challenge Roe v. Wade. It has happened in Mississippi, South Dakota and Colorado. Now they are here in Ohio. These groups have come up with many excuses. “The time is not right.” “The bill is not quite right.” Whatever their excuse, in reality, they are too fearful to believe that they can win now. To not even try is a lost by default
From that tragic decision in 1973 to the present, it has been 39 years. Since we are going into the 40th year, I say that it’s time to start marching out of this wilderness. And if we are to win in the legal arena, at least one state will need to be strong and courageous enough to confront the decision which was based on a lie and realize that if there is a heartbeat, there is life and that life is worth protecting.
I say to all state legislators who are hesitant about passing the Heartbeat Bill, the serpent is whispering in your ear “Has God said…?” In the beginning, God gave mankind a garden to keep and the enemy of the man and the woman lured them to compromise on the life issue and they were seduced into choosing death. I say to the Ohio legislators, the Ohio churches, the Ohio people, do not be suckered into maintaining the status quo – be strong and courageous. It’s time.·
In the late sixties and early seventies, Black college students participate in various forms of nonviolent civil disobedience on campus, including taking over their respective administration. Our chant was “What do we want – FREEDOM! When do we want it – NOW!” Impatient Blacks had waited long enough. The lie of Roe v. Wade has run its course and left truth crushed down, women wounded for life and some dead, babies ripped apart and a nation facing the consequences of killing the innocent.
On the 25th of March, in 1965, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr spoke in Montgomery, Alabama:
“I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, because ‘truth crushed to earth will rise again.’ How long? Not long, because ‘no lie can live forever.’”
Pass the Heartbeat Bill. Let the baby live and let the lie be put to rest.
Press Statement of Dr. Johnny Hunter, DD National Director of LEARN, Inc.
Dr. Johnny M. Hunter is an Advisor for the Virginia Christian Alliance and the President of Global Life & Family Mission, a ministrydedicated to promoting traditional family values, racial harmony, and the survival ofchildren around the world. He is also the National Director of Life Education AndResource Network (LEARN, Inc.), a consortium of life affirming pro-family advocates,which is a prominent African-American evangelical pro-life ministry in the United States.
Related Video illustrating that life begins at conception and the heart chamber begins to form at 25 days and 20 days later a beatling heart.
