‘Killing fields’

RICHARD A. SOKERKA

As the 49th annual March for Life steps off down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. tomorrow and Marches for Life happen around our Diocese, we are learning that pro-life legislators in several states are calling for laws similar to Texas’ Heartbeat Law.

“Bills with language similar or identical to the Texas law have been introduced in Alabama, Florida, Missouri, and Ohio so far this year,” according to The Hill. “Most of the measures allow plaintiffs to seek monetary damages against abortion providers or those who ‘aid and abet’ an abortion that takes place more than six weeks after conception. The Ohio version would outlaw virtually all abortions.”

In Oklahoma, Republican state Rep. Sean Roberts announced that he would introduce his own bill along those lines. In Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said last week that he would be open to signing legislation similar to Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban, which is currently before the Supreme Court.

While more and more governors and legislators prioritize pro-life legislation at the state level, here in New Jersey, there is nothing but deep sadness. After shoving through expanded abortion legislation in the lame-duck session of the legislature to assure he had enough Democrat votes to pass it, Gov. Phil Murphy, who claims to be Catholic, couldn’t sign it into law fast enough. The legislation not only codifies abortion as state law, but also allows abortions up to the point of the birth of a child and ends any rights for the child in the womb. Even worse, he put his signature on the bill in Teaneck, steps away from the entrance to Holy Name Catholic Hospital!

This is the same governor, who in his first term in May 2019 signed two bills into law to expand animal rights across New Jersey. At the signing, he said, “As long-time dog owners, animal welfare is close to my and Tammy’s hearts. I am proud to sign these bills that will protect animals in danger of abuse and treat our four-legged residents with the compassion they deserve.” The new law made it easier for law enforcement officers to rescue animals whose life or health are in danger and changed municipal court requirements to allow more consideration of abusive circumstances in cases where dogs are at risk of euthanasia.

Welcome to New Jersey where our governor has given dogs more rights to life while stripping them totally from the child in the womb!

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), co-chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, recently said, “Abortion is not health care unless one construes the precious life of an unborn child to be analogous to a tumor to be excised or a disease to be vanquished — pregnancy is not a disease. Taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize abortion nor should anyone or any entity be coerced against their conscience to perform or facilitate the killing of an unborn child.”

Jan. 22 is the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual “Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children,” a day of prayer and penance in the dioceses across the United States.

During this day may all Catholics solemnly pray for our governor so he realizes the error of his ways and his morally wrong decisions that make our state’s cities “killing fields” for children in the womb.