For those of us who have become aware of the facts regarding abortion and realize that it ends a human life, the desire to end abortion abruptly is very strong.
Many of us pro-lifers want to accept nothing less than an immediate reversal of Roe v. Wade, which has caused such great harm to the lives of millions of women, and millions of preborn children.
However, some of the advice provided by legal experts suggests that most major policy shifts do not occur overnight, but gradually over time.
Because of this, focusing on pro-life legislation in state legislatures is of critical importance.
In this view, abortion debate in the Congress, state legislatures, and courts may be thought of as battles in a larger war.
The implication of this pro-lifers is that we should appreciative of whatever legal gains we are able to make, building precedent for future rulings, and persistent in the face of setbacks.
As of today, there is evidence to suggest that the pro-life movement is on the right track to eventually gaining rights for preborn children.
For example, the state of Mississippi has passed more than a dozen pro-life laws, and the result has been a nearly 60% decrease in abortions and the closing of 6 out of its 7 clinics in the state so far [1].
The research of political scientist suggests that state laws can be very effective in reducing abortion, being responsible for a “17-19% decline in abortions nationwide during the 1990s” [2].
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References
[1] Americans United for Life. (2008). Defending Life 2008. 3rd ed. Chicago, Il: Americans United for Life, 2008. Print.
[2] Ibid
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