Stop back here often; this is a dynamic issue and information changes regularly!
What it is:
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade at the federal level and returned the decision authority for regulating/allowing abortions or disallowing abortions/protecting the unborn babies to the states, the abortion industry along with radical left political organizations have started an initiative to enshrine the “right to an abortion” in the Ohio constitution by crafting a proposed constitutional amendment to be voted on in the November 2023 election.
Issues/Why the amendment is wrong and needs to be defeated:
- Abortions will be made legal for entire 9 month term of pregnancy
- Amendment language is intentionally made vague or open to interpretation so any reason, however weak can be used to justify an abortion
- Amendment would abolish parental notification and consent requirements that protect minor girls from undergoing an abortion or even sex change therapy without her parents’ knowledge or involvement
- Abortion language is buried in or included with other non-lethal or non-controversial language or procedures in order to make the (real) desire for abortion “right” less prominent
- Funding for advocacy for the abortion initiative is largely from out of state organizations and donors; the real right for Ohioans to determine their own political/religious destiny is being undermined
- As in the days of Roe v. Wade, the abortion amendment language makes the entire issue focus on the “individual” i.e. pregnant mother’s “right” to have the abortion and completely ignores the baby’s real right to be protected and born and loved.
The November 7th general election Issue 1:
The Created Equal organization has constructed this Red Pen Flyer document to help “decipher” the deceptive amendment language: link here.
Our friends with the Greater Columbus Right to Life organization have also put together this detailed analysis of the proposed amendment and identified numerous legal issues or implied rights/permissions included in the language. If you want to understand what is really intended or will be approved with this amendment, you want to read this!!
November election important dates and deadlines:
October 11: Absentee Voting by Mail begins (ends November 6)
October 11: Early In-Person Voting begins
October 31: Absentee ballot applications must be received by your board of elections by 8:30 p.m.
November 6: Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date.
November 7: General Election: Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
November 7: Absentee Ballots may be returned by mail or personally delivered to your county board of elections. If not returned by mail, absentee ballots must be received by your board of elections by 7:30 p.m.
November 13: Last day for boards of elections to receive absentee ballots that have been postmarked on or before November 6.
The challenge is laid out for us folks! The unborn babies are counting on our efforts and our victory on November 7th!!
Depravity exults; science is impudent; liberty, dissolute. The holiness of the sacred is despised; the majesty of divine worship is not only disapproved by evil men, but defiled and held up to ridicule. Hence sound doctrine is perverted and errors of all kinds spread boldly. The laws of the sacred, the rights, institutions, and discipline — none are safe from the audacity of those speaking evil.
Pope Gregory XVI in 1832
What you can do:
- Pray!!! for a resounding defeat of the evil amendment proposal in the November election!
- Donate to an organization that is working to defeat the initiative. The Protect Women Ohio organization is particularly recommended for their state-wide reach and effective advocacy methods.
- Sign for a mailing list to get latest information about the issue and ways you can help. Again, any organization on this page will keep you informed of the latest developments and activities you can support.
- Talk to your family and friends about the initiative; let them know the issues and deceptive language that’s included in the proposal; point them to sources of information with the pro-life perspective. Lorain County Right to Life organization has also put together a page of useful resources to help you spread the word and educate people as to why the amendment is wrong. Link is here.
- Canvassing/Get out the Vote efforts – Susan B Anthony Pro-Life America is hiring paid Field Representatives to go door-to-door to help defeat the abortion amendment. See here for details.
- Canvassing/Get out the Vote efforts 2 – Created Equal is looking for volunteers to do door knocking and phone banking. See here for details.
- Host a speaker at your church or other organization to spread pro-life message further. For some help finding a speaker, contact the Lorain County RTL org here.
Some Useful Resources:
- Kate A. Makra opinion piece looking at organizations supporting the amendment: click here
- Carrie Campbell Severino’s and Frank Scaturro’s National Review article analyzing the proposed amendment: click here
- Flyer from the Protect Women Ohio organization breaking down the amendment text: link here.
- Guide to upcoming ballot initiative: click here