By Hunter Hines
Christian Action League
July 16, 2021
Here’s some important news on the front to end abortion in North Carolina. This week the National Abortion Rights Action League’s state affiliate, NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, announced the following:
“On June 28, NARAL Pro-Choice America’s board of directors voted to fully nationalize the organization, by eliminating all 11 independent state affiliate organizations, including NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina—a major change in the 50-year structure of the organization. We are disappointed by this decision, especially as it was made without our input and against our recommendation. We are troubled that a new DC-concentrated restructure will not leverage the success of state-based organizations like NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina, who has worked with our trusted partners to defend abortion access and reproductive freedom in North Carolina to defeat the anti-abortion SB 359 in 2019, keep abortion clinics open, and challenge state and local funding for anti-abortion fake clinics.”
The announcement was preceded by the state affiliate’s admission of its struggles against anti-abortion forces in the North Carolina General Assembly. It also noted, “this has been the worst legislative year on record for abortion access in the U.S.”
“Did anyone hear about this in the news? I haven’t found a report anywhere in the mainstream media,” said Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “This indicates so-called abortion rights are suffering. They’re losing ground in the country, and they have taken a major blow in the Tar Heel state.”
In an article in National Review this month, Jeanne Mancini, president of March for Life, a national pro-life organization, says the tide in America “is shifting toward life.”
Mancini notes that the Guttmacher Institute rightly argues, “2021 is on track to become the most devastating anti-abortion state legislative session in decades.” She adds, “According to the Institute’s analysis, 536 abortion restrictions have been proposed, and 61 have been passed across 13 states as pro-life legislators win victory after victory.”
Mancini further reports:
“In addition to the legislative and legal shift toward life, there is also consistent public support for abortion restrictions. Poll after poll shows this to be the case, with 58 percent of Americans supporting the Hyde amendment (which protects the American taxpayer from funding abortions domestically), and 76 percent are in favor of restricting abortion to — at most — the first three months of pregnancy.
“Americans realize that the Left’s abortion policy has gone too far. In reality, the Left is out of step with most of the country, focused instead on catering to its own base while losing the average voter. Pro-life Americans, meanwhile, continue to make crucial progress on the state level, in the courthouse, and with the public. We have already seen many important victories in 2021, and we look forward to those yet to come. But we will not rest until the day that abortion is unthinkable.”
Creech added that an important milestone for the “right to life” in North Carolina would be the passage of an override of Governor Roy Cooper’s previous veto of HB 453 – Human Life Non-Discrimination Act/No Eugenics. The legislation would prohibit the abortion of an unborn child based on race or a disability such as Down Syndrome.
The North Carolina House is expected to hold a veto override vote as early as next week.
“A veto override is possible if six House Democrats don’t change their vote from the last time,” said Creech. “If they do the political thing and fail to vote their conscience, but vote to uphold the head of the Democratic Party’s veto, babies will die because of their race or they have Down Syndrome.”
Here are the six Democrats and their legislative contact information:
James Galliard
Phone: 919.733.5802
Email: James.Gailliard@ncleg.gov
Charles Graham
Phone: 919.715.0875
Email: Charles.Graham@ncleg.gov
Garland Pierce
Phone: 919.733.5803
Email: Garland.Pierce@ncleg.gov
Amos Quick
Phone: 919.733.5902
Email: Amos.Quick@ncleg.gov
Raymond Smith
Phone: 919.733.5863
Email: Raymond.Smith@ncleg.gov
Michael Wray
Phone: 919.733.5662
Email: Michael.Wray@ncleg.gov
The Christian Action League urges pro-life Christians across North Carolina to contact their state representatives and urge them to vote to override the Governor’s veto on HB 453.
Furthermore, a little extra effort is encouraged. Contact the six Democrats above and thank them for having the courage to break from their political party to vote for HB 453. Then ask them to stay strong, hold the line, and vote again to override. Tell them it’s a matter of life or death for an innocent unborn child. Tell them a vote to override is also a vote against the worst form of discrimination: taking life because of race or disability.