43 Years Ago Today

       January 22, 2016, marks the 43rd anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a decision by the United States Supreme Court that has had tragic consequences and torn this nation apart in a manner not experienced since the days of slavery.  It is hard to realize that such a time period has passed and America still has not dealt directly with the proclamation of Roe that while unborn children may be human beings t they are not “persons” under the Constitution.  Thus, their lives cannot be protected under the law.

     I distinctly remember hearing the news on January 22, 1973 that the United States Supreme Court had issued a ruling that voided all of the laws in all fifty states that protected the unborn from abortion.  And I distinctly remember that as a young evangelical Christian I was apathetic at best about the matter.  Surely, I thought, abortion would have no impact on me or on those that I loved.  it would clearly be used rarely for  “therapeutic medical reasons” only by women who had no support and ability to raise a child.

    I have never been more wrong in my entire life.  The Lord woke me up to the horrific results of this decision a few years later and inspired my wife, Laura, and me in 1982 to start the first Crisis Pregnancy Center in the Pacific Northwest in Seattle.  We were on the ground floor of a movement that now numbers more than 2,500 prolife pregnancy centers in all fifty states, and nearly 1,100 of these agencies are operating as licensed medical clinics providing ultrasound confirmation to abortion minded mothers.

    Since Roe nearly 60 million abortions have occurred in America.  That number is tragic and heartbreaking, but we must look at the positive work that is slowly but surely ending abortion in America.  In 1992 it was estimated that annual abortions number 1.6 million.  Today, this number is estimated to be less than 1million annually.  That is nearly a 38% reduction in abortions over the last 23 years — a remarkable achievement.  And much credit for this reduction goes to the work of prolife pregnancy centers that provide alternatives to abortion and life affirming resources such as ultrasound so that mothers in crisis pregnancies are empowered to choose life.

    Roe v. Wade is being undermined by state legislative action as well as by the work of pregnancy centers.  And because of this we can be optimistic that in doing God’s work we will one day see an end to the awful destruction of innocent unborn children.

    I have written a document entitled The Declaration of Dependence, which declares our dependence and reliance upon our Creator for all things, including an end to abortion. This document is written to unite Christians everywhere in a statement of principles that will one day bring about an end to abortion in America.

   I encourage all reading this article to go to www.declarationofdependence.org  and sign it to show solidarity with thousands of other believers who are working for a praying for an end to abortion in America.  Please encourage your board, staff, and volunteers to also sign.

Thomas A. Glessner, J.D., President, NIFLA