As a nation, we recently mourned on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, the almost 62 million babies of all races killed by abortion since the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v. Wade. This solemn occasion is the result of President Ronald Reagan’s historic 1984 Presidential Proclamation of National Sanctity of Human Life Day on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Sanctity of Life Human Sunday, the third Sunday of each January, commemorates the lives lost to abortion and proclaims protecting human life at every stage
Life is precious and begins at conception. It’s heartbreaking and unfortunate that this is a controversial statement. I strongly believe that as a society we are judged by how we protect those who are the most vulnerable, and given the unborn cannot speak for themselves, there is no group more vulnerable. Having watched my children experience the miracle of life with their growing families and welcoming eight grandchildren into this world, as well as expecting two more, have only further cemented my unwavering belief in safeguarding the unborn’s right to life.
In 47 years since the Roe v. Wade decision, the medical community has made massive medical advances that clearly establish that life begins at conception. A heartbeat can be heard as early as six weeks after conception! Jeremiah 1:5 tells us that God knows the unborn, and God is growing that child with a purpose in our world. The black and white ultrasound picture clearly shows this growing baby.
The day after our tribute to the millions of unborn babies, the third Monday every January, our nation honors the most famous American civil rights activist, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King’s peaceful struggle against racial discrimination and civil rights was valiant, and the delivery of his 1963 speech “I Have a Dream” was the impetus of a movement that led to the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Is it coincidental that the day our nation honors the unborn, and the day our nation honors the man who was instrumental in the decision to outlaw discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex or national origin are on consecutive days? I think not. As a nation, we still have unfinished business to protect the lives of the unborn as we continue our nation’s civil rights fight.
This is a fight against the worst form of discrimination, discrimination against life.
Arnold Mooney is a State Representative representing District 43 and a candidate for U.S. Senate
