By John Michener

The Associate Press recently reported about a woman who “arrived at a hospital Dec. 30 complaining of abdominal pain. She told medical workers that she had taken misoprostol…” The fetus, estimated to be 22-24 weeks old, survived for about an hour after being delivered at the hospital. The woman is quoted to have told the nursing staff: “I know my infant is suffering, because I am the one who did the abortion. I want her to die.” Clearly this woman is not ignorant, she is not naive, she is not deceived, and she is not a victim. The primary victims of abortion are the preborn boys and girls who are callously killed by their parents (see NotAVictim.org).

In Oklahoma, women like these are being protected from prosecution by Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert and Gov. Kevin Stitt. Currently, every woman in Oklahoma has a statutory right to kill her preborn child by abortion. In an effort to end this travesty, Rep. Gabe Woolley and Sen. Warren Hamilton filed a bill (House Bill 3038) to extend equal protection of the law to children in the womb, as guaranteed in the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The bill was coauthored by an unprecedented total of twenty-five legislators. Combined, these legislators represent 1.5 million Oklahomans, or 38% of the state’s population. Yet House Speaker Kyle Hilbert buried the bill deep in the hostile Criminal Judiciary subcommittee where Chairman Rande Worthen refused to hear the bill. Worthen has since announced he will not seek reelection. Of course, even if equal protection for the preborn passed in the legislature, it would still face the hurdle of Governor Stitt, who told an ABC reporter three years ago that he would not sign such language into law.

There are many reasons self-styled pro-life politicians refuse to extend equal protection of the law to children in the womb, but one of the chief reasons is the powerful influence of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC). Full-time lobbyists in each state work tirelessly to convince local legislators and candidates that every woman who seeks an abortion is a victim and that not a single person who kills her child by abortion should ever face criminal charges.

In Oklahoma, a Vice President of NRLC routinely communicates with state legislators, especially leadership, to oppose the bill of equal protection for the preborn. In fact, the NRLC is running hard-core interference in all twelve states currently considering equal protection. Space does not permit a recap of every state, but here are few recent examples.

Aside from passing a budget, the Arkansas General Assembly is off this year while everyone campaigns, so the local NRLC affiliate is gunning for candidates. Their survey asks this question: “Would you oppose all legislation that includes civil or criminal penalties to…a woman who has an abortion? YES____ NO_____”

We interviewed a grassroots candidate and homeschool mom who wanted to revoke the pro-life license to kill in Arkansas statute. Her “NO” answer generated a call from the local “right to life” lobbyist who explained that she had answered incorrectly and would not receive their endorsement. Her opponent did receive the endorsement and won the primary.

In Tennessee, as in Oklahoma, the bill for equal protection of preborn babies had broad support across the state. It boasted nine coauthors and was supported by Clint Pressley, the President of the Southern Baptist Convention and Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh, who lives in the state. Grassroots activists at the state capitol witnessed a Tennessee Right to Life lobbyist encouraging legislators to oppose the bill. The measure was refused a hearing in the House Population Health Subcommittee.

In Georgia NRLC affiliate Georgia Life Alliance has resorted to scare tactics. They sent a letter to Georgia legislators that blatantly lied about the Georgia Prenatal Equal Protection Act (HB 441), which has six coauthors. The letter falsely claimed the Equal Protection Act “does not address or hold accountable the abortionist, the pimp, the sex trafficker, and the irresponsible man who will face no consequence and continue to prey on women and girls for their own selfish gain.” This claim is wildly inaccurate. The bill would simply remove the exception that gives a woman complete legal immunity when she kills her own baby by abortion and extend the protection of existing laws to preborn human beings so that they are protected in the same way that born human beings are protected. The “right to life” letter was nothing but fear-mongering, and unfortunately, their deception has worked. The bill has not received a hearing.

While none of this is meant as an indictment of NRLC’s good work in years past, currently the NRLC is clearly the organization most responsible for keeping abortion legal in Republican-controlled states. In these states the NRLC is leading the fight to protect every single woman who kills her own baby by abortion, whether the baby is one hour old or nine months old. In February I debated Lynda Bell, Chair of the Board of the NRLC, and I put this question to her: “Is there a time in the future when you think it would be right for it to be a criminal act for women to perform an abortion. I’m trying to understand where you draw the line.” I asked this question multiple times in our one-hour debate, but she refused to answer. In her view only doctors and influencers should be considered for prosecution, but never a woman. After the debate this scripture came to mind: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov. 14:12).

The bad news is that we still have powerful gatekeepers like governors and legislative leaders who protect legal abortion by denying the voices of any number of righteous legislators and citizens. But the good news is that candidates are beginning to follow their consciences and snub the NRLC and its surveys. Sitting legislators are beginning to see through the empty emotional appeals and lousy logic of NRLC lobbyists. In spite of the pro-life political establishment, led by the NRLC, legislators in record numbers are adding their names and their voices to bills of equal protection for the preborn. The NRLC may finally be losing its stranglehold on the pro-life narrative. Before long, compromised pro-life organizations like the NRLC will have to conform to the views of their constituents or cease to be relevant.

A major key to success will be gaining the support and leadership of officials in high office. If a governor championed equal protection for the preborn, there would be little to stop the abolition of abortion in that state. Recently, God provided an opportunity for a grassroots activist to discuss equal protection for the preborn with Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders. Governor Sanders listened and responded that she would pray about it. This is a typical, well-rehearsed response from Republican leaders. We must realize that promises to pray are not enough from those with power and authority. Like the widow in the eighteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we will need to return again and again to every house speaker, every senate president, every chairman, every legislator, and especially every governor, urging each one to perform his moral and legal duty. They must move beyond pious prayer, to life-saving action.

I want to extend a special thank you to those brave legislators across the states who are rising up against the NRLC and the pro-life political establishment. Representative Gabe Woolley recently extended his thanks to his fellow Oklahoma legislators, but his words should be heard by all those legislators in every state who are joining the movement: “I’m deeply grateful to the [authors] for standing together for equal protection and equal justice for the preborn. Their courage and leadership are helping build real momentum for a culture that recognizes the dignity of every human life. This is a truly historic moment – we have never before seen this level of support or this many co-authors come together for this cause. As we work to stop the murder of God’s image-bearers, we affirm that every life is sacred – and honoring and protecting them ultimately glorifies God… I’m thankful for each member who has joined in this effort.”