We have been living in the shadow of Roe v. Wade for almost 50 years. In that time, more than 63 millionchildren have been murdered by abortion. Our nation has been living in darkness, but today, we see the light shining through the clouds. Today marks the overturn of Roe v. Wade. This decision that has given us fresh hope in our battle for life. But our work in Minnesota is not done: in fact, it is just beginning.
Now that Roe v. Wade is overturned, the question of the legality of abortion will fall to individual states. Some states, such as North and South Dakota are working as we speak to ban abortion permanently. Other states like Tennessee, Utah, and Texas will soon follow suit in their attempt to preserve life.
Minnesota, unfortunately, will not become one of their number immediately. Instead, it will become an abortion mecca in the Midwest, with mothers seeking abortion flocking from neighboring states. This is the sad truth: abortion in Minnesota will increase, not decrease, in the short term. Sarah Stoesz, the former CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, has worked for decades to make Minnesota a sanctuary of abortion, aided by the 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court Doe v. Gomez decision, our own state’s mini-Roe v. Wade. But we have hope: Minnesota Family Council and other pro-life organizations will work tirelessly by every peaceful avenue to make sure that our state constitution does not promote a culture of death. Let us pray for that day to come quickly.
MINNEAPOLIS – As pro-life people in Minnesota and across the country rejoiced at the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, Minnesota Family Council CEO John Helmberger issued this statement on the Court’s decision, released today in Washington, DC.
“This is a historic day for our nation, but amidst all the headlines, it’s important to keep the actual significance of this decision front and center. Because of this decision, fewer children in the womb will be lost to abortion in the coming days. Because of this decision, predatory clinics like Planned Parenthood will be able to target fewer women at their most vulnerable. Because of this decision, more women will understand what is really at stake in an abortion decision and resolve to bring their pregnancy to term.”
“Make no mistake, women who are experiencing a pregnancy for which they’re not prepared are truly in a hard place. Their voices need to be heard, and their needs must be met. But now, my hope is that we can begin to address this difficult situation in a less destructive way. I hope we can show each woman and each child that we value them. I hope that we can create a nation where each expectant mother can confidently say she has the support she needs through pregnancy and childbirth—a nation, in other words, in which the brutality of abortion is unthinkable. I believe that a future in which life is truly protected in Minnesota, instead of a future where our great state becomes an abortion mecca, is what Minnesotans want, and what they will work towards—and I believe we will see this conviction in election results this fall.”
Minnesota has long been known as a trailblazer in women’s sports. By 1972, our state already had girls’ teams in both basketball and swimming, but the passage of Title IX ushered in a new era for women in sports across the country. Today marks the 50th anniversary of Title IX and a landmark victory for equality. But, even as we celebrate, we realize these hard-fought rights are being attacked by men who seek to create a false reality in which they must be allowed to compete on women’s teams.
For much of the history of the United States, higher education was dominated by men, especially in sports. Before Title IX was introduced in 1972, women seeking an education were often relegated to all-women institutions. Typically, if a woman were to come from a lower socio-economic background, their chances of receiving an education were low. Seeing a need for equality, Hawaii Representative Patsy T. Mink authored a bill that would soon become known as Title IX, which sought to allow women and girls equal access to federal funding in education. The bill was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on June 23rd, 1972. This legislation allowed for the creation of all-female sports teams that aimed to give girls the chance that they had dreamed of.
A study released earlier this year 43% of adults between the ages of 20 and 65 say that children and teens with gender dysphoria should not be subjected to puberty-blockers, cross-sex hormones, and so-called “sex reassignment” surgery. However, a more recent study asked a slightly different question. This study asked if people believed that transgenderism is a healthy condition and whether they were willing to say so publicly. 64% said that it was not a healthy condition, but only 30% were willing to say so publicly. 78% were opposed to children being encouraged to undergo gender transition. Similarly, 63% of American adults were opposed to redefining sex to include “gender identity.”
The majority of children who struggle with gender dysphoria become comfortable with their bodies by the time they reach adulthood if they do not undergo social or medical “transition.” “Transitioning” a child signs him up for a lifetime of invasive medical interventions that come with serious, lifelong consequences. Because God’s Word accurately describes his world, we know that the biblical view of gender and sexuality is the truthand that our bodies follow that design.
For many pro-life advocates, the excitement of the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade has been chilled somewhat by the news of vandalism and arson at our sister organizations across the country. Over the last month, three separate pro-life organizations have become the target of abortion activists’ rage. While these acts of violence should cause us to take precautions, we will never back down from this fight. We must be prepared to deal with fear, strife, anger, and destruction. But we have God on our side, who gives us unrelenting hope that allows us to face down our fears. While evil may prowl on this earth looking for prey, we know that we are secure in our Savior, and that He will return to crush sin forevermore.
When the news of the draft decision of Roe v. Wade broke, we saw pro-abortion activists take to the streets in protest. They marched through our cities, climbed skyscrapers, and claimed that abortion is a human right. But much of the violence came after dark. In a night that some referred to as the “Kristallnacht” of the abortion debate, Wisconsin Family Action saw its office burned and vandalized. “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” was the slogan spray-painted on the walls. Sadly, this was not the end. Two more incidents of vandalism occurred in both North Carolina and Buffalo, NY with similar slogans. A radical pro-abortion group known as Jane’s Revenge has taken responsibility at least two of the attacks.
While these acts may instill fear in some, we should never let this fear drive us from our mission. We should heed the example of Wisconsin Family Action President Julaine Appling, who defiantly stated “We will repair our offices, remain on the job, and build an even stronger grassroots effort. We will not back down. We will not stop doing what we are doing. Too much is at stake.” Indeed, our work is too important to give up amidst these threats.
In Bill Nye’s view, sexuality is no longer a “clear cut” subject, but can now be seen as a “kaleidoscope.” A kaleidoscope that should be explored by parents and children alike. Sadly, this once-beloved science educator has joined the ranks of those who, much like in the old story of the emperor’s new clothes, have embraced a fantasy. Through Bill Nye, this fantasy has even found its way into my hometown’s High School sex ed program. This week, parents in the Buffalo school district sounded the alarm, claiming that the school had begun “force feeding a flawed ideology over reality.”
Just last year, a transgender student in the Buffalo school district claimed they were banned from using a bathroom designated for the other gender. The student’s mother filed a suit, and the Buffalo-Montrose school district agreed to a settlement of over $200,000. Unfortunately, this settlement emboldened radical educators to bring fantastical ideas about gender into the classroom. One such idea can be seen in Bill Nye’s video, which according to the school administration was meant to share the “correct” gender terminology with the class. The Buffalo high school administration also informed the public that after significant backlash they will “no longer be using the video that was initially shared,” and that parents will have greater freedom to opt their students out of sex-ed assignments.
The video in question was published in 2017 and touts the idea that gender and sexuality are no longer binary. Bill Nye says “But people, we have to listen to the science. And the science says we are all on a spectrum.” In other words, the science of X and Y chromosomes determining a person’s biological sex no longer matters. Your gender is determined simply by how you feel. It should go without saying that this is not a particularly, well, scientific approach.
