Down a Slippery Slope

When we think of pediatricians, we usually think of kindly people looking to care for infants, young children, tweens, and teens.

We tend not to call to mind the newly elected governor of Virginia, Ralph Northam. In a radio interview, Northam went beyond supporting abortion and beyond even supporting late term abortion. Northam espoused abortion after birth.

Northam’s comments came during a radio interview in which he supported an abortion proposal that would provide no restrictions until birth–clarifying that a woman could be in the throes of labor, preparing to give birth, and could still opt to terminate her child.

And that such a decision could even be made between a mother and her physician after the baby is born.

“If a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired, and then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”

He made little mention of fathers being part of the decision.

After a great outcry over his comments, he complained that opponents were taking his comments out of context since such a situation would happen only in “the case of tragic or difficult circumstances . . . [such as] severe deformities.”

Essentially, the governor proposes infanticide–the intentional killing of a born child–because of medical issues the child would face.

Except the bill makes no mention of exceptions–of disabilities that would disqualify a child from life. The bill would allow abortion for any reason at any time.

Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska is one of those criticizing Northam’s stance. “In just a few years pro-abortion zealots went from ‘safe, legal, and rare’ to ‘keep the newborns comfortable while the doctor debates infanticide.’”

It’s been quite a slide from safe and rare to several states giving an official stamp of approval on late abortions. Yet the slide toward infanticide is not over in Virginia yet. CBSnews reports that a majority Republican committee has tabled the bill.

This time.

The winds of politics blow to and fro. And the next election cycle could produce a committee in lockstep with the governor’s views of life.

Abortion is a big issue right now. As a nation, we are bracing as the SCOTUS decisions that removed all barriers to abortion hang in the balance. Most Americans don’t realize that, in 1973, Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton legalized abortion until birth.

In the wake of a more conservative court now–and in view of health problems the court’s oldest justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg suffers presently–some states are taking steps to put restrictions on abortion in place. Others, as New York has done and Virginia is considering, are moving to ensure that no restrictions exist in their states.

Should Roe and Doe die the death of the Dred Scott decision, in places where abortion will remain unrestrained, a culture against life will only continue to grow.

And even some doctors, whom we would expect to care for the welfare of children, will become those who ensure their doom. Doctors like Ralph Northam lead the vanguard of such a culture.

No civilization ever stands still. It moves upward toward a noble culture that values even the weak, or it turns downward into a morass of death.

The state of Virginia gave us Thomas Jefferson who crafted the Declaration of Independence and James Madison who developed the Bill of Rights.

Yet in tomorrow’s Virginia, life, liberty, and the ability to pursue happiness may belong only to the chosen. Virginia–and every other state who takes this path–will have fallen.

And the fall will be great indeed.

Nancy E. Head’s Restoring the Shattered came out in paperback on January 22, 2019! Get your copy here!

Photo Credit: Unsplash

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Disclosure of Material Connection:  I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the entities I have mentioned. Restoring the Shattered is published through Morgan James Publishing with whom I do share a material connection. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

30 Replies to “Down a Slippery Slope”

  1. So much sadness and evil! Praying that God would turn the hearts of our nation back to Him! Our nation needs God is great big ways!

  2. It is indeed a slippery slope! Sadly, we should have seen it coming. If we are willing to kill a baby at 6 weeks gestation then 42 weeks is just an extension. Until we convince people that abortion is murder and murder is a crime, we are banging our heads against a brick wall. Christians need to be willing to talk about it biblically with anyone who will listen, call it murder, and change people’s understanding…and judgement for all this shedding of innocent blood. Thanks for the reminder that we have work to do!

    1. The sad truth is that it has been legal to kill unborn children until birth since 1973. Most people just imagined that it only happened early–before a baby was formed. Except that all that happens from conception is cell specialization and time. Abortion kills a beating heart. A real heart. Growth—which all children do until about 18-21. Thanks, Beth, and God bless!

  3. SO heartbreaking. Thank you for writing about this. I cannot understand why some people look so quickly past the fact that these babies, born or unborn, are people. PEOPLE. God save us all.

  4. I’ve been reading up on New York’s abortion law, and what I find disturbing is that abortions aren’t just allowed to save a mother’s life, but also for health reasons.

    This quote is from Focus on the Family:

    In fact, Doe v. Bolton, the United States Supreme Court case that along with Roe v. Wade legalized abortion in 1973, allows abortion for virtually any or no reason at all under the guise of “health of the mother.”

    1. That’s right, Christopher. “Health” was defined so broadly to include financial inconvenience. People are outraged at these laws, but they are simply backing up what Roe and Doe set in place decades ago. Thanks and God bless!

  5. I pray we would move beyond the ballot and take action to preserve life in whatever way God leads us. I read the other day that “outrage is not enough,” and it isn’t. Thank you for addressing this – it’s not an easy topic, but it’s not one we can afford to ignore.

    1. That’s why I love the 40 Days for Life ministry so much! They gave and still give pieces of their lives to pray and pray until change comes. May we all be so dedicated. Thanks and God bless, Peggy.

  6. Depending on what the US Supreme Court does with the issue of abortion, I think our nation could be facing two divergent roads—either repent and receive the blessings from God, or to continue to reject His moral stands and receive just punishment because of it. It’s a no-brainer which way I think we should go, but it’s up to those who are in power above us. In the meantime, we can pray.

    1. You are so right, Lisa. And different parts of the country are setting us up for the divergent path. Some states are putting restrictions in place. Others eliminating them. We are two countries–two cultures.

      Please keep praying. Thanks and God bless!

  7. We live in perilous times. Our morals are collapsing around us. These statements could never have been publicly uttered a decade ago. Now they’re spoken on television, as if, of course, killing a newly born infant would have no moral ramifications. We’re headed down the slope of a collapsing culture, a civilization ready to plunge into anarchy and violent death. Lord, have mercy. We clearly don’t know what we’re doing. Thank you for facing into this gale force wind and speaking up for life.

  8. Yes for sure Sad Truth and also a sign of the times. Killing the innocent will they ever realize that someone gave them a chance to live….. God please Heal our Land, we are running out of time..

  9. Thank you, Nancy! I grew up in southwest VA. And this saddens and troubles me. My sister-in-law called Governor Northam’s office and the person she talked to said the Governor didn’t say what people think he said.

    It’s just him avoiding to deal with the outcry of Americans who are on the Pro-life side of this issue. Sad indeed!

    1. Funny how there’s unedited audio and videotape of him saying exactly that. He’s trying to brush it off as “I only meant the ones with serious birth defects–as if those lives are less than worthy of love. No way can he wiggle out of it. Thank you for your passion, Karen. God bless!

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