Remembering the Victims of Roe v. Wade
Today is the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the brutal Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion and stripped the right to life from unborn children in the United States.
Despite being the leader of a pro-life organization, I don’t dwell on abortion often. I find the horror of it too paralyzing. I know abortion kills human beings, and I know that killing human beings is wrong—so why not just focus on what I can do to change minds and save lives, here and now? Over 62.5 million lives lost to abortion is impossible to wrap my head around anyway; as the saying goes, one death is a tragedy, while millions is a statistic.
That emotional distance serves me well most days, but those millions of departed children deserve my sustained attention and mourning—especially on the anniversary of the injustice that sanctioned their slaughter. I offer this meditation.
In 1973, a baby boy was secretly aborted. His mother and the abortionist have both passed away. The baby’s memory died with them.
In 1974, a baby was killed in a saline abortion.
In 1975, a baby was aborted in Los Angeles.
In 1976, a teenager aborted her baby because she didn’t want her conservative religious parents to know that she’d been having sex.
In 1977, a teenager aborted her baby because her parents threatened to kick her out of the house.
In 1978, a baby was aborted because his mother feared losing her job. She did not know that the Pregnancy Discrimination Act would be signed into law just a few months later.
In 1979, a woman had an abortion; she never learned that she had been carrying twins.
In 1980, a baby girl was aborted because her parents felt they were too young.
In 1981, a baby boy was aborted because his parents felt they were too old.
In 1982, a baby boy was aborted because his father left and his mother lacked support.
In 1983, a baby was aborted in Chicago.
In 1984, a baby was aborted in Miami.
In 1985, a baby was aborted after a contraceptive failure.
In 1986, a baby boy was aborted after his parents made no effort to use contraceptives.
In 1987, a baby girl was aborted because her mother did not think she could finish college if she gave birth.
In 1988, at the very moment I was born and my parents joyfully welcomed me, another innocent baby girl was torn limb from limb before she had a chance to take her first breath.
In 1989, a baby was aborted in Nashville.
In 1990, a baby was aborted in New Orleans.
In 1991, a baby was killed in a dismemberment abortion.
In 1992, a woman had an abortion she deeply regrets.
In 1993, a woman had an abortion and has been “shouting” it ever since.
In 1994, a woman had an abortion and never spoke of it again.
In 1995, a baby was killed in an aspiration abortion.
In 1996, a baby was aborted in New York City.
In 1997, a baby was aborted in Houston.
In 1998, a young woman aborted her baby after being assured that “it’s just a clump of cells.” Years later, she conceived a planned child, scheduled her first ultrasound, and was horrified to discover that she had been lied to.
In 1999, a medical resident aborted her baby. She knew the reality of prenatal development full well, but callously disregarded her child’s life.
In 2000, a baby was killed in a partial-birth abortion.
In 2001, a baby girl was aborted. Her body was recovered by pro-life advocates and given a proper burial.
In 2002, a baby boy was aborted and his body was stored in an abortionist’s garage.
In 2003, a baby girl was aborted. Her little broken body was treated as medical waste.
In 2004, a baby boy was aborted and his body was exploited for laboratory research.
In 2005, a baby boy was conceived in rape due to sex trafficking, and aborted at the insistence of his mother’s pimp. The abortion business looked the other way.
In 2006, a baby was killed in a chemical abortion.
In 2007, a baby girl was aborted because her parents wanted a boy.
In 2008, a baby boy was aborted because his parents wanted a girl.
In 2009, a baby girl was killed in a “selective reduction” abortion. She had the bad luck of being the easier target for the abortionist to reach. Her twin sister survives, living with the vague sense that something is missing.
In 2010, a baby was aborted in Phoenix.
In 2011, a baby was aborted in Charlotte.
In 2012, a baby was aborted and the abortionist was paid with state taxpayer funds.
In 2013, a baby was aborted and the abortionist was paid by a private “charitable” abortion fund.
In 2014, a baby was aborted after he was prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome.
In 2015, a baby was aborted at a Planned Parenthood.
In 2016, a baby was aborted at an independent abortion business.
In 2017, the baby of a teenage immigrant in a government-run shelter was killed after the ACLU went to court to strike down the shelter’s anti-abortion policy.
In 2018, a baby was aborted in Memphis.
In 2019, a baby was aborted in San Francisco.
In 2020, a baby was aborted after her parents lost their jobs due to COVID-19 and feared that they could not afford to raise a child.
Today, a baby is scheduled to die in your town.
Image credit: 6-week ultrasound provided by a Secular Pro-Life supporter.
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