Some historical events are seared in our memories. Everyone in my generation knows exactly where they were when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated. I also remember where I was when I heard that the Supreme Court had legalized abortion-on-demand. I was bathing our infant son … our first child.
The radio announcer reported the story on that January day as though it was no more consequential than the other news items.
I was stunned. After so recently experiencing a life within me, it was hard to believe that the court could deny protection to that child.
I remember calling the pastor of our church and pleading with him to do something to stop this. He assured me that as soon as people learned what an abortion was, that the public outrage would force the decision to be repealed.
While we know what an abortion is – the poisoning or dismembering of a unique living human being – the resulting public outrage has not been sufficient to bring about that predicted repeal.
Today is the 40th anniversary of that decision. My curly-haired baby boy is now a grown man with children of his own. In Biblical terms, 40 years is a generation, and an entire generation of other baby boys and girls have disappeared – close to 56 million – a number difficult to visualize.
Here’s what 56 million looks like. Here are the “Aborted States of America.” The population of these darkened states is almost equal to the reported abortions since 1973.
Today you and I mourn the loss of curly-haired, blonde baby boys and dimpled-cheeked baby girls, and little ones with sweet smiles, soft red hair, or mahogany skin and warm brown eyes. All fresh from the hand of God. We mourn all of these children whose lives were somehow not worthy of protection by the laws of our country.
We re-commit ourselves to never being silent, never being passive, to be active in the pro-life movement, to never stop defending life until all of these children are protected.
And you and I wait for the outrage.
Blessings,
Pam Fichter
President, Missouri Right to Life