Two years ago today, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, returning the matter of abortion policy to the states. In some senses, the Dobbs decision was the end of a nearly 50-year fight, while in other ways, it was the beginning of a new fight for life.
When the decision first came down, many of us who have fought for life were optimistic. My friend Elizabeth Edmonds of Alliance Defending Freedom wrote in a Facebook post today:
When the news broke, I was in downtown Atlanta, hosting the National Right to Life convention, and was surrounded by pro-life leaders from across the country. Abortion survivors, post-abortive outreach leaders, adoption, foster, and birth mother advocates, anti-trafficking outreachers, pregnancy help organization directors, ministry teams, pastors, political pundits, state and federal lawmakers, and community members wanting to get more involved and learn how to ignite their neighbors.
The news broke and the entire convention erupted in tears, cheers, prayers of awe and thankfulness, and celebration. Many in attendance never truly believed we'd see this day come, and here it was.
And the left went on the offensive. With its control of the narrative, the left shrieked from all corners that women no longer had control of their own bodies. The people who have fretted the most about misinformation and disinformation have relied on both to engineer electoral victories based on the falsehood that the Dobbs decision shut down all abortions.
In many ways, the pro-life movement has been like the dog that caught the car and doesn’t quite know what to do with it. We’ve often ceded the debate to the left rather than trying to counter the narrative. Legislators float national abortion ban bills, which are a great end goal, but it’s not yet the right time. We have hearts to change and other policies to enact before we can go that far.
Flashback: Don't Give Up the Fight for Life When Opposing Voices Threaten to Drown You Out
What breaks my heart is that some voices on the right are suggesting that we give up on the fight for life. Some people see it as the equivalent of “box-office poison” and think that we should surrender on the abortion issue. Never!
As my friend and colleague Stephen Kruiser has often said (and I’m paraphrasing him here), “If being a Republican means surrendering on life, I’m out.” And as my friend and our PJ Media fearless leader Paula Bolyard wrote earlier this year, “Let me say this as clearly as I can: Now is not the time to abandon the fight to protect the unborn. Now is a time for courage rather than fear.”
We cannot back down. We must not back down. There’s too much at stake, and we have so much work to do.
Edmonds encourages all of us to keep up the fight:
In every court where we are fighting to defend common sense pro life laws. In D.C. where we are fighting misinformation and a corrupt administration at every turn. In every state capitol where we are fighting to pass culture of life legislation and defeat measures that would undo our progress. In every campaign team where we are fighting to equip Godly leaders to speak and lead on this issue. In every newsroom where we are fighting for truth in reporting. In every pregnancy help organization where we are the very hands and feet of Jesus to women in crisis, [a] crisis exacerbated by an onslaught of misinformation and fear-mongering from our enemy. In every church where we are fighting in prayer and tithe to ignite and propel God's people in their work. In every home where we are raising our children to seek justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, training them up in the way they should go.
Keep fighting the good fight, my friends. Run the race set before you. Our God will complete the good work He started.
Albert Mohler puts it this way: “Now, when I was a boy growing up, I overheard many things, including the moral advice to choose your battles carefully. Let me just remind Christians, we did not choose this battle. This battle chose us, and there we are.”
I often quote the King’s X song that reminds us that “the fight for life is always real.” Let’s keep fighting, even when the battle seems to be uphill — even when circumstances are discouraging. We know we’re on the right side of eternity, so let’s keep fighting this battle together!
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