I’m taking a break from my vacation* this week to write this because I can’t believe the incredible news that is coming from SCOTUS!
First, and honestly not that surprising, is that in the NIFLA v. Becerra case SCOTUS ruled 5-4 in favor of NIFLA. What does that mean? It means that the Reproductive FACT Act in California was ruled unconstitutional, and that states can’t force Pregnancy Centers to advertise for abortion clinics. Not only that, but Pregnancy Centers will not be forced to clutter their advertising with state-mandated “disclaimer notices” in up to thirteen languages.
The bottom line here is that California’s law violated our First Amendment right to free speech. Because of this ruling, Pregnancy Help Organizations everywhere can breathe a little easier. We know, and Alpha Omega Center is included in that group, that we will not be forced to close down or advertise for abortions.
The most surprising part of this, to me, is that the ruling was 5-4. 5-4! How could anyone, anyone, truly believe that the Reproductive FACT Act isn’t a violation of free speech? Apparently, Justices Breyer, Bader Ginsburg, Sotomayer, and Kagan believe that it really isn’t a problem to force a very specific group of underfunded nonprofits to advertise for the exact service they’re working to end.
That part, to me, was absolutely crazy.
All of this happened, and I thought to myself, “Sarah, you’re on vacation. You can wait to write about this until you get back.”
So, I did.
Then today happened.
Today happened.
Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement.
He announced his retirement.
I may have lost my mind a little bit.
Now realize, I am not bashing Justice Kennedy. He’s surely a brilliant man. He has done many great things during his years of service. Unfortunately, he has been a bit back and forth on the pro-life issue. He did vote in favor of NIFLA in the most recent case, but in 1992 he voted with the majority who said that Roe v. Wade established a “rule of law and a component of liberty we cannot renounce.”
(I, for one, would love to renounce Roe v. Wade. And, of course, Doe v. Bolton.)
This is why this is such huge news.
Now, President Trump will have the opportunity to place a second Supreme Court Justice on the bench. When that happens, by the grace of God, this new Justice will quite likely be extremely pro-life. This new justice may be one of the votes that reverses Roe v. Wade.
This new justice could be the beginning of the end of legal abortion.
Do you see why I’m excited? This is big, big, news.
Pray for Alpha Omega Center, the fight will only get harder.
Pray for our President, that he makes a wise choice.
Pray for our country, that we would end the destruction of preborn children.
Together, we can not only make abortion illegal, we can make it unthinkable.
Changing Lives Together,
Sarah M. Bowen
P.S. Stay tuned! One of our former interns, Jamieson Weaver, is now the Director of Communications & Marketing of Ohio Right to Life! Jamieson will be writing a guest post on the future of the Pregnancy Help Movement next week.
*Let’s be real. My vacation is mostly writing papers for grad school, keeping track of 5 children, and doing laundry. Please send Dairy Queen**!
**Just kidding. Also, Dairy Queen has not endorsed this message.***
***But seriously, if I wasn’t kidding I would want a chocolate blizzard with M&Ms.