Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt of an opinion commentary that first appeared in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
(Sun-Sentinel) It rarely happens, but when it does, it makes headlines. The Supreme Court of Florida got it right and wrong, all on the same day.
On April 1, the Court announced its rulings on two different cases that pertain to the same contentious issue of abortion. Each decision, although made independently, helps both sides of the argument. One will ultimately allow restrictions on abortion after six weeks of gestation, when a baby’s heartbeat can be detected. This will go into effect on May 1. But the other could end these protections — all depending on what Floridians decide in November. With this decision, the Court took the weight of abortion off of their shoulders and placed it on the backs of voters….
The science is clear: Life begins at fertilization. After just 22 days, a preborn child’s heart will begin to beat. This is supported by nearly every medical source. Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration estimates that protecting a preborn child from abortion after six weeks gestation would save thousands of lives in our state each year, while also sparing the mother from life-long regret and trauma.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that the law may not stick, because a collection of organizations calling themselves “Floridians Protecting Freedom” have added a proposed amendment to November’s ballot that reads: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.
… If passed, Amendment 4 would allow abortions throughout the entirety of pregnancy as long as a “health care provider” says it’s needed.
The groups behind the proposal, including Planned Parenthood, gathered nearly one million signatures to put it on the ballot. But I guarantee these voters were not given the facts before signing. If they had, they would never have agreed to sign.
Two simple facts change minds on abortion every day. One: The “fetus” is an innocent human life growing inside the womb. Two: Abortion procedures violently and brutally kill that child….
Do we really want to enshrine this into our state’s constitution? Despite what these organizations say, people do not see the brutality mentioned above as freedom. In fact, polling shows that 79% of Florida voters want at least some protections for the children in our state….
Read the entire commentary at the Sun-Sentinel.
Bio: Kimberly Bird is vice president of external relations at Live Action.
