With most abortions now effectively illegal in the state of Alabama, there has been some debate about whether the legislature should make changes to the current laws.
Last week, the director of Planned Parenthood Alabama, Stephen Stetson, argued there could be a “political reckoning” from Alabamians in the future from those who feel like their rights have been taken away because the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Friday on WVNN’s “The Yaffee Program,” Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth promised he would fight to keep the current abortion laws in place in the Yellowhammer State.
“I think it gets down to the issue of whether or not you believe life begins a conception,” Ainsworth said. “I certainly do and have always believed that. I’ve got three kids and going through the whole process for life and watching the baby develop, and no doubt it’s a life. So, I think I support the laws we have on the books, and my stance has always been that I believe abortion is murder, and so I think I’m certainly going to do everything I can in my role as lieutenant governor to make sure we keep the laws on the books, and our goal is to have the strongest pro-life laws in the nation.”
The lieutenant governor said his pro-life stance was backed up by the latest science when it comes to babies in the womb.
“Here’s what’s interesting on the life issue,” he said. “I really believe because of technology, I think that’s what’s changed the game here — when you look at technology and able to actually look at a baby as it’s growing and developing and want to make sure that we understand that it’s a baby, and so it’s a life. I know friends that are Republicans, I know people that are independent and people that are liberals that are pro-life. The reason why is the technology has changed the game, and you can prove that it is a life and it’s developing and growing.”
Responding to the idea of a “political reckoning” coming against Alabama’s current abortion law, he argued that anyone who believed that was “out of touch” with the majority of people in the state.
“I actually think that the majority of Alabamians, he continued, “whether they’re Republicans, Democrats or independents are pro-life, and so there’s not going to be a political reckoning.”
Ainsworth also defended crisis pregnancy centers from attacks by Democratic politicians who want to shut them down or add regulations that burden their mission.
“The crisis pregnancy center is there because that person’s in a crisis,” he explained, “and they go there to help and help them if they want to adopt to find a place, or if they’re not going to adopt, make sure they have a baby bed and have the supplies needs and get them picked up with all the resources needed to be a good parent and educate them on that. What a wonderful tool. That’s what government should be doing is helping these people become good parents.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” Weekdays 9-11am on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
