By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
January 28, 2014
RALEIGH — In what some are referring to as a Saturday surprise, North Carolina’s Governor, who claims to be pro-life, announced that he doesn’t think the state should appeal a judge’s decision against the ultrasound provision of the Woman’s Right to Know Law.
“The heart of the legislation remains intact, and patients will still receive access to important information and ample time needed to make decisions,” Gov. Pat McCrory is quoted as saying of the measure passed in 2011 to create a 24-hour waiting period, provide information about pregnancy resources to women seeking abortion and more.
But Tami Fitzgerald, executive director of the NC Values Coalition said that statement alone shows that McCrory doesn’t understand the importance of the “speech-and-display” provision.
“There were 26,192 abortions performed in North Carolina in 2011, the last year for which statistics are available. A very high percentage of the women who view an ultrasound of their unborn children change their minds. That is why Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and NARAL Pro-Choice are trying so desperately to stop these laws — they impact the abortion industry’s bottom line,” Fitzgerald wrote in her organization’s press release following the Governor’s announcement.
“Those who would stop enforcement of the ‘speech-and-display’ provision of the WRTK law or not defend it vigorously will be ultimately held accountable for the thousands of lives it could save.”
John L. Rustin, president of the North Carolina Family Policy Council, said the contested requirement “helps to ensure that women considering abortion in North Carolina are provided with accurate visual and descriptive information about their unborn child through an ultrasound — information they need before making a life-altering decision that cannot be undone.”
“As a critical part of this informed consent law, the ultrasound requirement deserves to be vigorously defended by the State, and we encourage Gov. McCrory to reconsider his position,” he added.
Judge Catherine Eagles, who had issued an injunction against the law’s ultrasound requirement before it was ever implemented, said in her Jan. 17 ruling that the portion of the law that would require a medical provider to describe a baby’s image as it appears on the monitor, violates constitutional free speech. But the NCFPC pointed out on its Web site that a similar law in Texas has been upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court, which ruled in part, “The point of informed consent laws is to allow the patient to evaluate her condition and render her best decision under difficult circumstances. Denying her up to date medical information is more of an abuse to her ability to decide than providing the information.”
Pro-life organizations across the state pointed to the fact that, should Attorney General Roy Cooper fail to appeal the ruling, the Legislature, as a result of a law passed last year, can hire outside legal counsel to defend the ultrasound provision.
The Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said they shouldn’t have to resort to such a move, especially since the Governor claims to be pro-life.
Dr. Creech said he chooses his words carefully when it behooves him to prophetically raise a voice of criticism at people in office. But he said, McCrory’s announcement on Saturday was nothing less than outrageous, especially considering other recent actions he has taken related to sanctity of life issues.
“These are the facts. Governor McCrory is the standard bearer for the Republican party — the party for life! Yet, as the standard bearer of his party and the state’s chief executive officer, he’s been a major obstacle to pro-life forces getting the strongest and most meaningful legislation passed — legislation that would actually protect life and a woman’s health. Granted, he signed the bills, but he also hung kryptonite around Superman’s neck while he did it,” Dr. Creech said Tuesday.
Dr. Creech said the original Senate bill, which passed 29-12 last year requiring abortion clinics meet regulations “similar to those for the licensure of ambulatory surgical centers,” was watered down by a threat of the Governor’s veto and that the Governor insisted the provision be written out of the law and the Department of Health and Human Services be allowed to write the rules for the abortion clinics.
“The concession was made, but now we are learning the people appointed to advise DHHS on making said rules are people from the abortion industry — one of which suffered a clinic closing,” Dr. Creech added. “Someone pick my jaw up off the floor. Let’s just give the keys to the liquor cabinet to the alcoholics in the room.”
He said Gov. McCrory can claim he is pro-life, but he has acted “as a collaborator and enemy of life while in office.”
“Faith without works is dead, the Bible says. A profession without real action is empty,” Rev. Creech concluded. “The Governor has done more to protect puppies from puppy mills than he has done to protect innocent unborn human life.”
