We celebrate a historic decision with you today—the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 6-to-3 ruling, sends the issue of abortion BACK to the states! In the 49 years since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, more than 63 million innocent, unborn human babies have been legally killed in the United States. That is equivalent to wiping out the entire population of Michigan six and a half times. Unthinkable!
We hail the courage of our justices for recognizing the 1973 ruling was patently wrong. Another wrongly decided Supreme Court decision was the 1857 case of Dred Scott v. Sandford, which said that all people of African descent were not citizens under the law, had no legal rights to sue, and that the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution protected the “property” of slave owners. As is the case with Roe v. Wade, this is just wrong! Thankfully, shortly after the Civil War, the Supreme Court reversed that decision by passing the 13th Amendment and abolishing slavery in the United States.
Writing for the court's majority, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. wrote “The Constitution makes no reference to abortion, and no such right is implicitly protected by any constitutional provision.” Prior to the court's ruling in Roe, Michigan was one of 30 states that prohibited abortion. Alito said the right to privacy, which supported the prior abortion precedent, is different from other freedoms, such as the right to marry or the right to contraception, because a human life is involved. “It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.”
More news will continue, and let us celebrate this one big victory today, but PREPARE for the BIGGER BATTLE NOW TO COME. Michigan finally has the right to return to its solid pro-life roots established in law in 1931. But we now have to DEFEND that law or we lose the war.
Many of you have been in the battle for almost 50 years, and we stand on the shoulders of so many who have never given up—let us resolve NOT to stop now! Much work and many voices are needed to KEEP Michigan a safe haven for our women and children. We will continue to support women in crisis pregnancies, facing what seem to be insurmountable odds—while defending precious innocent life as well.
As we move forward, we encourage you to review and remember our history. Michigan Right To Life has provided a good synopsis:
- 1846: Michigan passed a law that made it illegal for any person to perform an abortion in any manner, except to save the life of the mother. Abortions done after the point of quickening carried an enhanced penalty of manslaughter for the abortionist.”
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1859: The American Medical Association in calling for more robust laws against abortion wrote, “In accordance, therefore, with the facts in the case, the Committee would advise that this body, representing, as it does, the physicians of the land, publicly express its abhorrence of the unnatural and now rapidly increasing crime of abortion; that it avow its true nature, as no simple offence against public morality and decency, no mere misdemeanor, no attempt upon the life of the mother, but the wanton and murderous destruction of her child.”
- 1931: Michigan laws were amended to add greater penalties for abortion before viability and for death of the mother during abortion.
- MCL 750.14
- MCL 750.323
- MCL 750.15
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1972: Michigan voters defeated a ballot proposal to legalize abortion in Michigan 60% to 40%.
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1973: Roe v. Wade nullified all laws regulating abortion in all 50 states. 1973: The Michigan Supreme Court in People v. Bricker affirmed the validity of previous Michigan law stating, “It is the public policy of the state (Michigan) to proscribe (prohibit) abortion. Therefore, if Roe v. Wade is overturned, Michigan’s previous laws will be in effect and can be fully enforced again.
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2022: Governor Whitmer filed a lawsuit to declare Michigan’s 1931 law unconstitutional while at the same time Planned Parenthood and the ACLU launched a petition drive to add a “right” to abortion to the same Michigan Constitution. The MI Supreme Court’s decision will determine what the law will be regarding abortion. If the petition drive gains enough signatures, we will do everything in our power to encourage Michigan voters to resoundingly defeat the “Anything Goes” abortion amendment.
- JUNE 24, 2022 - The Supreme Court repealed pro-abortion legal precedents Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey, returning the matter of abortion to elected officials in each state.
Thank you for all you do, and your continued support for CTV as we are FULLY IN the battle for the hearts and minds of voters to protect the LIVES of our children.
