We are the Post-Roe Generation, and Now is Our Time!
VFL commentator Holly Anne shares her thoughts on the famous end to Roe v. Wade…
The US Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade (and Planned Parenthood v. Casey) - the law that has arguably been the most-often talked about piece of legislation in the duration of the abortion debate until now.
Now the power to regulate, legalize, or criminalize abortion rest solely in the hands of each individual state’s governing authorities, and many states are banning abortion already.
Overnight, thousands of lives will have been saved.
As key pro-life advocate Lila Rose posted: “There are children who were scheduled to die today that will live instead.”
This is a huge win for the pro-life movement, and we are privileged to be witnessing the turning of the tide towards life and justice.
This monumental decision serves as a beacon of hope to us; a much-needed reminder that truth and justice will win out and that the fight for life is not in vain.
But that is in America...and here in New Zealand, the overturning of Roe v. Wade has no direct correlation to the tragic reality of abortion here.
For us Kiwis, abortion is legal up until birth, sex-selective abortions are legal, there is no room for healthcare worker’s freedom of conscience rights, the so-called ‘safe areas’ Bill prohibits pro-lifers from demonstrating within a certain radius of abortion clinics, and thousands of preborn lives are being killed every year.
As each year passes, the government is cracking down more on the rights of pro-life advocates: our window of opportunity for free expression is rapidly narrowing to a close.
Our freedoms are slipping away, and if we do not speak up now, we may never regain that freedom to openly advocate for the unborn.
We have experienced defeat after defeat in recent years; now is no time to give up, but rather the perfect opportunity to continue to steadfastly fight for life with a renewed vigor and determination.
Truth and justice are on our side, and as we have witnessed with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the truth will win out eventually.
Our duty is simply to speak out for truth and to stand up for life.
The biggest question is how?
How can we be effective here in New Zealand as we stand up for life?
The main way to become effective is through education.
This is why talking to friends and family about abortion and the prolife movement is so crucial.
Many people are pro-choice simply because they haven’t been exposed to the facts about abortion, and it is up to us to change that.
Resources like Live Action’s ‘What is Abortion?’ video series is a powerful tool to use to raise awareness on the brutal reality of what an abortion looks like, the risks associated, and what actually happens during the procedure.
Abortion is a controversial issue, but it is also highly publicised and this means that we have more opportunities than we realise to discuss and debate it with others around us.
Another way to be effective is to simply make your voice heard: sign petitions, post on social media, contact your local MPs to discuss abortion, and support prolife organisations.
Even if, or especially if, your MP is a staunch pro-choicer, still talk to them; because their duty is to represent their people and if enough people in their electorate stand up and say ‘no, this is not who we are’, they may just have to listen.
Active involvement in your local prolife groups is another key way to enact change here in New Zealand: community is essential to ensure we are focused, active, and aware about the pro-life movement.
So sign up for your local Voice For Life Branch Network and invite others to join too; if you’re in Highschool, join the Voice For Life Youth; if you’re at Uni, you can join a pro-life campus group; and if you want to be more involved, attend training programs such as ACTIV8.
The final big question to face is: “Is it even worth it?”
You may be thinking: “It doesn’t feel like we’re making much progress; is the fight already lost here? Are we just going to waste time and energy when, the reality is, we’ve lost the cause already?”
I would urge you to remember that the fight is never lost until the day that you decide to accept that you have lost it.
Yes, our ability to speak up for life is being encroached upon, and yes abortion is just as prevalent as ever, but we still have a voice and there are still lives that need saving.
And, slowly but surely, we are seeing change: not political change, but individual minds being changed over this issue of abortion.
So yes, it is worth it.
It may be discouraging and hard, but fighting for the dignity and value of life is a struggle that has been fought and won before; the worthiness of the cause comes not from the change we see happen but from the knowledge that the cause is right.
Protecting life, dignity, and justice is always worth it.
This is a fight we can win, and we must win.
While there is still one more life to save, one more mind to change on the reality of abortion, one more mother to support, and one more opportunity to speak up for life, we will continue to strive for justice and the inalienable right to life.
Will you join us?
