We have been living in the shadow of Roe v. Wade for almost 50 years. In that time, more than 63 million children have been murdered by abortion. Our nation has been living in darkness, but today, we see the light shining through the clouds. Today marks the overturn of Roe v. Wade. This decision that has given us fresh hope in our battle for life. But our work in Minnesota is not done: in fact, it is just beginning.
Now that Roe v. Wade is overturned, the question of the legality of abortion will fall to individual states. Some states, such as North and South Dakota are working as we speak to ban abortion permanently. Other states like Tennessee, Utah, and Texas will soon follow suit in their attempt to preserve life.
Minnesota, unfortunately, will not become one of their number immediately. Instead, it will become an abortion mecca in the Midwest, with mothers seeking abortion flocking from neighboring states. This is the sad truth: abortion in Minnesota will increase, not decrease, in the short term. Sarah Stoesz, the former CEO of Planned Parenthood North Central States, has worked for decades to make Minnesota a sanctuary of abortion, aided by the 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court Doe v. Gomez decision, our own state’s mini-Roe v. Wade. But we have hope: Minnesota Family Council and other pro-life organizations will work tirelessly by every peaceful avenue to make sure that our state constitution does not promote a culture of death. Let us pray for that day to come quickly.
Let us celebrate this historic victory over abortion on the federal level. But pro-lifers in Minnesota also need to buckle up for the road ahead. We are so close to seeing abortion become illegal, and we will not let anything stand in our way. At Minnesota Family Council, no threats made against us will stop us from working towards our goal of an abortion-free Minnesota.
Our goals don’t stop at ending abortion, however. We want to raise up a pro-life generation that will seek to help mothers who are in crisis and promote a culture that honors the roles of both mom and dad. In this way we will make abortion not only illegal but truly unthinkable. In the end, we want to build a stronger Minnesota by protecting life, creating thriving families, and securing religious freedom.
Minnesota will become a battleground in the next stage of the conflict over abortion, and we are here to win the fight. We enter this new phase in the history of our state and our nation with renewed hope and commitment to seeing our country return to the principle that each of us is endowed by our Creator with the inalienable right to life, from conception to natural death.
