Roe Overturned: What Happens Now?

Jun 24

The moment we’ve all been praying for and working toward so long—for almost 50 years—has finally arrived. The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade. In his majority opinion, released June 24, Justice Samuel Alito eviscerated prior legal assertions that a right to abortion exists anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. This logic-defying attempt to legislate from the bench only further inflamed and deepened divisions in our nation, concludes the Dobbs’ ruling. That’s why the justices decided it was time to return decision-making power back to the states. In the weeks leading up to this moment, pro-abortion activists have indulged in hysterical reactions, including vandalism of pro-life organizations and illegal protests in front of Supreme Court Justices’ homes. But the overwrought reaction can, at least partially, be attributed to a lack of understanding of what overturning Roe actually means:

It does not mean that abortion is instantly and permanently banned in the United States.

It does mean that the issue returns to the states—where lawmakers will now decide whether to create a legacy of protecting the lives of unborn babies or continue sanctioning the barbaric practice of abortion.

What will Virginia decide? A lot depends on your voice. Polls show that most Americans oppose unlimited, unrestricted abortion—which is what Roe and its companion decision Casey gave us. Now that those mandates no longer apply, it’s key for you to be equipped on how to talk about defending human life with your neighbors. Below is a sample Q&A to help:

Question: What about claims I keep hearing that this prevents vulnerable women from getting life-saving healthcare and leads to policies that hurt women?

First, it’s important to understand that the overwhelming majority of abortions are “elective”—meaning, most women give reasons like financial, career or relationship pressures for getting an abortion, rather than a true medical issue or life-threatening emergency. Abortion is not healthcare. The term “care” should never be used to define an action that purposely ends the life of at least one human being and too often endangers the physical and emotional health of the mother.

As proponents of life, we are dedicated to protecting them both— the lives of the babies and their mothers. That’s why more than 40 pro-life clinics in Virginia—which is more than double the number of abortion clinics—work day in and day out to ensure no woman has to face an unplanned pregnancy alone. These clinics provide real care, like free prenatal services, baby formula, diapers, ultrasounds, counseling and more. To summarize, the pro-life movement’s first and foremost priority is to protect the lives of unborn children and support their mothers so that both can flourish in our culture

Question: But should we really get in the way if the majority of Virginians choose to legalize a state-level version of Roe, in other words “codify it” into our state code?

Again, keep in mind what the polls tell us—that most Americans, when given all the facts—do not support, unlimited abortion up until the moment of birth. But proposed legislation to “codify Roe” would return us to exactly that—sanctioning abortions to the point of birth and putting us in league with human-rights violators such as North Korea and China. Most of Europe limits abortion to the first trimester.

Though it was promoted as “codifying Roe,” recent legislation proposed at the federal level (the “Women’s Health Protection Act”) actually went far beyond Roe in its extremity: In addition to imposing abortion-on-demand nationwide, it would eliminate parental notification and informed-consent safety measures and jeopardize religious-freedom protections for medical professionals.

The bottom line is, while there is not a right to abortion in the Constitution, there clearly is a right to life. Life is a human right. Everyone deserves the opportunity to live, including those still in the womb or that have just been delivered.

Question: But what right do you have to impose your definition of life on everyone else?

The answer is, this isn’t about my definition or any other subjective opinion. We always hear people telling us to “follow the science.” Well, the science is pretty clear, thanks to 4-D ultrasounds—where we can see in amazing detail the heartbeat of babies in the womb and the fact that they react to things like sound or pain pretty early in development. We can even see them yawn or hiccup.

Add to that the scientific discoveries revealing that children have their own DNA at the point of conception. So anyone truly following the science can’t deny that a preborn baby is a human being. And that gets us back to how we determine the value of a human life—is it based on whether a person can survive outside the womb or is self-aware or reacts to pain? If so, that sends us down a really scary path as a society. After all, there are toddlers and adults who are dependent on others or not self-aware, or who may not feel pain.

And that in turn gets us right back to where to the Founding Fathers started: Our inalienable right to life is rooted in the fact that we are created in the image of God.

In the coming days, we can expect tensions to escalate in Virginia as abortion activists try to codify Roe into our state law. And defenders of human life like us will tirelessly advocate for policies that end inhumane practices such as leaving infants on the delivery table to die. Ultimately, saving lives requires an unwavering commitment to supporting mothers and their babies by changing the law and the culture—and we need your voice to do that. Here’s how you can make a difference: