This year I had the wonderful opportunity to become more involved in the For Life movement through my school, and I am now the president of our group Bulldogs for Life (which I invite you to check out and like on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Bulldogs4LifeCU). Here are a few things I wanted to share about the heartbeat bills and the For Life movement in general:
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The heartbeat bills do not criminalize the women who get abortions OR women who have miscarriages. Only the abortionist himself/herself can be imprisoned—up to 99 years.
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A common argument is that if we are For Life, we also must provide care for the women before, during, and after the pregnancy. For Life people do! That is the point of crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). There are also many organizations that support single mothers and their children. Many For Life people are foster parents or adopt children themselves. Others donate their time, money, and other resources to help parents who foster children or are trying to become adoptive parents.
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For Life people care about women as well and are not trying to take away their rights. We have compassion for women that are struggling or women that are victims of rape or incest. However, we believe that ALL life has value. Murdering the child does not solve the problem but adds further violence.
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Most For Life people are very peaceful in their actions. When we pray outside Planned Parenthood or talk to women, we are not trying to shame them but rather offer them support and let them know that they are strong enough to be a mother. We also pray that their hearts may be changed and they will see the truth that life is sacred.
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People who are For Life should not be attacked or ridiculed because of their convictions. Just like those who claim a right to abortion, we have freedom of speech—which is the beauty of living in the USA! (I come from a large family—13 children—and people have asked me if my parents know what abortion or birth control is. That is a wildly inappropriate thing to say and an insult to my family.)
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If you are going to describe a fetus or unborn baby as a clump of cells, please open a textbook. The development of a baby is a beautiful thing to learn about, and I’m sure you will be amazed.
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Please don’t tell me “my body, my choice” is a reason to have an abortion. There’s another body—another someone—within you!
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Finally, all For Life people should support the new laws in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. We have been blessed to see the bravery of these states during our lifetime, and they need our support now more than ever.