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Pro-Life Update As the Texas primary draws near, almost everyone is talking politics. While deciding which candidate you will support, we hope that you will seriously consider the candidate’s position on the Life issues. We have made great strides in the Pro-Life movement throughout President Bush’s two terms, and continuing this Pro-Life momentum is vitally important. A pro-abortion president, especially coupled with the Democratic-led U.S. House and Senate, would halt if not eradicate our progress. This is a huge national conflict. In Texas, we have remained strong: According to a 2008 Pro-Life ranking of states, Texas is the fourth most Pro-Life state in the nation. We pray that, by remaining strong in Texas, we can help the nation.
Please read this issue of the Pro-Life Update carefully to understand some of the challenges we now face and how you—an educated Pro-Lifer—can advance the Culture of Life. Please share this information with your family, friends, and church congregations. Make copies. Spread the news.
Voting Pro-Life: Single-Issue Voting? Often, those in the Pro-Life movement are attacked because we vote on just one issue—Life. We are criticized for supporting or rejecting a candidate based on his or her commitment to defend innocent human life. This position, however, is defensible in several ways.
Firstly, the Pro-Life position involves many issues. We believe in the sanctity of innocent human life from the moment of fertilization until natural death. In addition to caring for pregnant women before and after childbirth, the Pro-Life movement addresses not only abortion, but also euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, cloning, embryonic stem cell research, and much more. Unfortunately, today’s technology has introduced many more assaults on innocent human life than just abortion, and a coherent view of the Life issues recognizes the connection among these threats.
Secondly, Life is so important. Our country was based upon the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life is the first and foremost of these rights and is certainly necessary in order for one to enjoy any other rights. As the most basic and most essential of rights, it must be defended most arduously.
To those who accuse Pro-Lifers of single-issue voting, please share with them the following example. Imagine that there is one candidate who shares almost all your beliefs, except that this candidate does not believe that women should be allowed to vote or that minorities should be treated equally. A belief such as this should undoubtedly be reason enough not to support him or her! This is also true with the Life issues. Although other issues also carry great value, Life surpasses all.
Pro-Lifers must support politicians committed to advancing a true Culture of Life. When you are researching candidates for an election, remember this and please vote for Life! (See http://NRLC.org/Election2008/AllCandidatesComparison.pdf to learn what the current presidential candidates have to say about Roe v. Wade, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and partial-birth abortion.)
Texas Ranked 4th Most Pro-Life State According to Americans United for Life’s (AUL) 2008 National Pro-Life State Analysis, Texas is the fourth most Pro-Life state in the country, following Michigan, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania. According to AUL:
As a result of aggressive legislative action over the past few sessions, Texas has become one of the most protective states in the nation. In addition to fairly comprehensive protections for women and the unborn and the allocation of millions of dollars to abortion alternatives, the state also bans fetal experimentation and encourages nondestructive stem cell research. Texas is also one of the more protective states for people nearing the end of life.
AUL provides an annual in-depth analysis of each state and how protective or dangerous each is in the critical Life areas: abortion and protection of the unborn; bioethics and biotechnology; end of life; and healthcare providers’ rights of conscience. These rankings are based on each state’s legislature, public assistance to pregnant women, and the Pro-Life legislation passed. [Please see the .pdf version of this Pro-Life Update for the full state rankings: 02-08 PLU-Keeping our Momentum] The Pro-Life movement still has much work to ensure that all people throughout the world are welcomed into Life and respected. If you would like any additional information on the topics discussed above, please send me a note or log onto www.TexasRightToLife.com. If you ever have questions about any Pro-Life issues, please be sure to let me know. Yours for Life,
Dr. Joseph M. Graham President |
