Lila Rose: “New North Star – Equal Protection For All Under The 14th Amendment”
TRANSCRIPT
We are here because we recognize the greatest human rights injustice that our nation faces today, which is the killing of our preborn brothers and sisters who share an equal right to life with each one of us. Ending this travesty, the travesty of abortion, is the greatest human rights battle we have before us.
Today is also a day to celebrate that almost one year ago, 364 days ago, Roe v. Wade was overruled.
This decision in 1973 led to the deaths of over 60 million of our most vulnerable human beings in this country, our brothers and sisters in the womb.
And so while we remember their deaths and we mourn them we also look forward with enthusiasm, with optimism, as we realize that the potential to protect every life in this country, to finally affirm human rights for all, is within reach. Now it is the time to turn our attention as a movement to the new north star which is equal protection for all as our Constitution promises.
You see, human beings as we know are guaranteed equal protection from the very beginning of our lives, not an arbitrary mark at birth. We don’t become human at birth, but from the very beginning, the moment of fertilization, and that this is promised by our 14th Amendment to our Constitution. Elective abortion, the indiscriminate killing of human lives, violates our fundamental human rights, our constitutional rights that equal protection is promised by the 14th Amendment.
Since the Dobbs ruling one year ago, there has been amazing progress to protect human life. We have seen over 24,000 children saved as a direct consequence of Roe v. Wade’s overruling. 24,000 children are alive today. 24,000 boys and girls are alive today because of life-saving pro-life laws.
These children will do amazing things. Their lives are a blessing and a gift worth fighting for and worth sacrificing for.
They will impact our nation in ways that we cannot predict or imagine. Since Roe was overruled we have also seen over 360 pro-life laws filed and 36 pro-life laws enacted across states.
This is a tremendous accomplishment and step forward for the movement. 13 states have completely banned elective abortion, the killing of our preborn brothers and sisters. 13 states already. This is amazing and life-saving progress. But as we all know, and the reason we are here today, we still have a ways to go. Abortion is also rising in some states. In my home state of California the abortion rate is spiking. In states like New York, a child is not protected even up until the moment of birth and some federal lawmakers falsely believe that our government, our federal government, can wash their hands and has no role to play in protecting the most fundamental rights of our brothers and sisters.
This we know is false. And that’s why we are here this morning to demand complete legal protection as promised by the U.S Constitution from our federal government.
You see, the lives of 2,000 children, over 2,000 children every single day depend on the action that this governing body takes. Our North Star is complete legal protection as promised by our 14th Amendment.
Right now in America today, abortion is unconstitutional. Abortion is unconstitutional and it is time for the federal and state law to reflect that. Representative Thaddeus Stevens, a representative from Pennsylvania who is a fierce advocate for abolition and for complete legal protection, said this about the 14th Amendment at the time of its passing: “A superstructure”-he called the 14th Amendment a superstructure- “of perfect equality of every human being before the law of impartial protection to everyone in whose breast God has placed an immortal soul.”
Live Action has led a coalition letter and movement to Congress and lawmakers across the country imploring them to ensure this equal protection for every immortal soul that is promised by our Constitution, including the most vulnerable, our preborn children and I am so grateful for this brave coalition of leaders, the leaders of our movement and others that fight with us like Dr. Rubaru who is here today to speak, and Dr. Alveda King.
And I’m also very grateful for the members of Congress who will be speaking today, who are carrying this fight in our highest governing body in the land. We stand on the precipice of a new era, an era when the darkness of Roe v. Wade has been vanquished by the light of truth and justice.
Let’s look forward towards our new north Star of equal protection, be inspired by the triumph of the last year, and demand with boldness, without compromise, demand complete legal protection and a country where every child is cherished and protected.
Join me in fulfilling the promise of our great Constitution and of our great nation for every single child.