The St. Louis area chapter of Planned Parenthood (PP) is setting up a mobile clinic just steps from the United Center where the Democratic National Convention (DNC) is happening this week.
I was shocked to learn that PP was offering free vasectomies, medication abortion and emergency contraception (the morning after pill) in the shadow of the convention center. A New York Times article says the idea is so popular that there is a waiting list for vasectomies.
The operation is sponsored by the Chicago Abortion Fund, an organization that “helps with the cost of abortion and related travel for patients across the Midwest and beyond,” according to Executive Director Megan Jeyifo. Their goal is to help women cross state lines to get an abortion at any cost.
The tone of the convention is a far cry from the days when Democratic President Bill Clinton said abortion should be safe, legal and rare.
The tone is also different from last month’s Republican National Convention (RNC) where the word abortion was “scarcely mentioned” and never spoken by former President Donald Trump.
The strategies of the heavyweight political parties could not be more different. The Democrats are forcing all observers to focus on the issue and are calling on their constituents to make it a priority.
Meanwhile, at a press conference last week, Trump said abortion is not a “big factor” and that he believes it will be “a very small issue” in November. The 2024 RNC platform places the responsibility on the states to protect life.
It is true that the abortion battle in many states is at the forefront. Last week, Baptist Press reported that Arizona and Missouri have added pro-abortion ballot initiatives to this year’s election, bringing the total number to eight states. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) is tracking the states with similar initiatives.
In May, long before President Biden’s reelection run was in question, Democrats were strategizing how to use pro-abortion ballot initiatives not only to codify abortion on the state level but also to rally voters and get Biden reelected.
Part of that changed this summer when Biden stepped back and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Within a month, she’d chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to be her running mate.
Walz is a trendsetter in the area of abortion rights. In January 2023, he led Minnesota to be the first state to protect abortion rights following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June 2022.
In April 2023, Walz signed more pro-abortion legislation expanding and protecting abortion access for those living outside Minnesota and protecting abortion providers within the state.
This past June, he posted on X, “To our neighbors in Iowa: Minnesota is and will remain a safe haven for reproductive freedom.”
In March, Vice President Kamala Harris became the first sitting vice president to visit an abortion clinic. It was in Minnesota. Tim Walz was with her.
CNN reported that Harris said, “I’m here at this health care clinic to uplift the work that is happening in Minnesota as an example of what true leadership looks like.”
That leadership is on full display in Chicago this week as Planned Parenthood’s mobile clinic provides free vasectomies, medication abortions and emergency contraception.
How do those of us who care about the sanctify of human life respond?
First, pray. Ask God to open the eyes of our fellow Americans to recognize the value of human life and to move them to vote accordingly.
Vote. We must get to the polls during this election cycle. If your state has abortion on the ballot, get educated about it and vote accordingly.
Serve. Most likely, there is a pregnancy support center near you. Get involved. Give financially. Respectfully ask your pastor if he knows the director of the center and look for ways for your church to come alongside them.
Engage graciously. You may know someone who is on the fence when it comes to this issue. The ERLC has resources. Many state conventions have resources. Southern Baptists have not been shy about passing resolutions related to the sanctity of life. Be familiar with those resources and share them.
Live according to Colossians 4:5-6: “Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person” (CSB).
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Brandon Porter serves as associate vice president for convention news at the SBC Executive Committee.)
