While it may have been cold outside this week, the fires are heating up for the pro-life movement that is eagerly awaiting the Trump presidency.
There is a new enthusiasm among pro-lifers this year because of the support given to it by Donald Trump during his historic election campaign to be chief executive. There has been no equivocation during this transition period and those who oppose abortion fully expect there will be changes to the pro-abort policy in the country.
Most important was Trump’s promise to nominate only conservative pro-life justices to the Supreme Court. This follows eight years of only pro-abortion nominees by the Obama Administration. Getting the Court under control since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia has been one of the pro-life camp’s major challenges and was probably one of the biggest reasons Trump won the election.
The people of the United States have always been anti-abortion, although they allow exceptions – contrary to Church teaching – in cases of rape or incest. The nation has shifted to such a pro-abortion mentality because people’s sensibilities have finally reached an end point. Most God-fearing Americans are revolted by the thought of third-trimester abortions and certainly partial-birth abortion – as the child is leaving the womb – is totally barbaric.
Americans have had enough and are no longer willing to push the limits to which such lunacy will go. Some in government, such as Gov. Andrew Cuomo, either don’t understand what is happening or they are completely ignoring the mood of the country.
Cuomo continues to push for a very dangerous reproductive health act that would expand so-called abortion rights. Instead, the New York Catholic Conference supports proposals that would restrict or prohibit the use of state taxpayers’ dollars for the purpose of performing abortions. The Conference advocates that the expenditure of these monies instead be directed toward the goal of producing healthy birth outcomes and providing income security to decrease the perceived need for abortions.
Greg Schleppenbach, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed the commitments from President-elect Trump, but said he would maintain a “cautious optimism” that they would be carried out.
“Certainly, based upon things President-elect Trump said he will do, there’s some reason for optimism. It remains to be seen if he follows through on what he said he would do,” Schleppenbach said.
Because of the Inauguration, this year’s March for Life will be held Jan. 27, five days after the anniversary of the disastrous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Expect a new spring in the steps of the marchers. Let’s hope for a message of hope from the new president.
At least we shouldn’t have to endure those pro-abortion celebratory messages that the outcoming president so cheerfully delivered on Jan. 22, a day on which we all should weep and pray for the innocent lives that have been lost.
