TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

A Serious Threat

ADVERTISEMENT

Edgar R. Cronin

Published: February 11, 2009

The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) will write a woman's "right" to kill her pre-born child into law and will prohibit federal, state and local governments from enacting any type of law or regulation that would, in any way, interfere with a woman killing her pre-born baby.

FOCA prohibits any federal or state government entity from denying or interfering with abortion rights or discriminating against the exercise of these rights.

Even the most reasonable restrictions on abortion would be off limits as unlawful interference.

This means the progress made by the pro-life movement over the past 35 years in limiting and reducing abortions through modest regulations could vanish overnight. For instance, it would invalidate all state laws relating to pre-abortion counseling, parental notification for children under the age of 18, waiting periods, restrictions on late term and partial birth abortions.

By saying that government may not "discriminate" against the right to an abortion, FOCA opens the door to require the taxpayer in every state to fund abortions.

FOCA is the most radical of abortion legislation ever considered by the U.S. Congress. Its goal is to establish a fundamental right to abortion and would go far beyond what the U.S. Supreme Court ever contemplated in the Roe vs. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey (1992) decisions.

Experts agree that the modest restrictions on abortions that currently exist in state and federal law have been effective in reducing abortion rates and saving lives. A large majority of Americans, whether they are pro-life or pro-choice, favor restrictions on late-term abortions. Clearly then, FOCA is out of step with American public opinion.

We now have a new Congress and a president who has stated he will sign FOCA. Both the House and the Senate will have stronger pro-choice majorities than ever before; the serious threat that FOCA poses to human life; to mothers, unborn babies and family members should be a wake up call to all citizens who value the sanctity of life. We should be prepared to fight this latest version of the Culture of Death.

Edgar R. Cronin
Sebring

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT