I am reminded of the infamous Mark Twain quote as I write this.
“The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.”
Earlier this week, an unnamed blogger posted about an interaction that took place with a few pro-life people in Iowa.
One of the things that jumped out in their post was the assertion that the pro-life movement in Iowa “is dying.”
Is that true?
I am here to testify that NOTHING could be further from the truth!!! Seven years on the road (and counting), criss-crossing this beautiful State makes me an unofficial expert on this topic.
Rather than simply take my word for it — here are but a few random facts that show us the fruit of the pro-life movement in Iowa has never been more evident or more flourishing than now.
-Late-Term Abortionist, LeRoy Carhart, announcing his plan in 2010 to set up shop in Council Bluffs, NEVER DID. Why? Because the pro-life community rose up and made it completely clear — he wasn’t welcome here. At all. We knew, in 2015, when he dropped his plan to move into Iowa from his website that we had WON!
-Iowa abortions rates have plummeted nearly 50% since 2007!
-TWENTY Planned Parenthood clinics CLOSED FOR GOOD in Iowa between 2010-2017! In fact, we are second in the nation, only to Texas, for the number of clinics closing!
-None of the half dozen Iowa clinics scheduled to open shortly after 2011 ever did. In fact, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland (PPH) never got close to their goal of a walk-in abortion clinic in all 99 counties.
-The multi-billion dollar whistleblower lawsuit, filed in 2011 by former PPH clinic manager, Sue Thayer, is still winding its way through the Courts.
-Planned Parenthood of the Heartland recently announced their IMPLOSION, as they fold into a merger with nearby states.
-Life-saving ultrasound legislation was signed into law a few years ago. This was the first pro-life law to see the light of day in decades!
-In November 2016, 93 of 99 Iowa counties voted against the pro-abortion presidential candidate, retired 6 pro-abortion senators; flipping the Iowa Senate and maintaining the pro-life House.
-This resulted in the passage of an historic amount of pro-life legislation in 2017-2018, Iowa moved from “worse than New York State” to one of the most pro-life states in the nation in just two years with the passage of:
-The 20 Week Abortion Ban
-A 72-hour waiting period before an abortion*
-The defunding of abortion providers in our State Family Planning budget
-A first-of-its-kind Safe Haven Expansion Law
-An important ban on the trafficking of unborn baby parts
-The Fetal Heartbeat Bill*
-And the rejection of the Iowa Supreme Court decision allowing parents to sue a doctor for wrongful birth – wrongful life.
-Further, recent attempts by pro-choice “Compassion and Choices” and their legislative allies were beaten back as they aggressively pursued assisted suicide advances in Iowa.
-Since 2010, we have had a pro-life Governor, Lt. Governor and Legislature, who have sacrificed much to provide a safer Iowa to our unborn children and their mothers.
-Pro-life women in Iowa broke the proverbial glass ceiling as we saw the first female U.S. State Senator in Joni Ernst; our first female speaker of the House, Linda Upmeyer; and first woman Governor in Kim Reynolds and many others!
-Since 2013, down any given Iowa road, you will encounter a “Choose Life” license plate. I hope the sight of those make you smile as much as they do me.
As I said in the beginning of this article, this is by no means an exhaustive list of pro-life advances in Iowa in recent years. I trust, however, it gets you as excited as it does me! The assertion that the pro-life movement is “dying” is simply untrue. I know it and the majority of Iowans know it.
STAY TUNED!!
Pro-life victories in Iowa have only just begun!
Jenifer Bowen
*These laws, sued by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, are currently making their way through the Courts.
Note: I am choosing not to link to the blogger’s post, in large part, because I want to give them no traffic boost.
Know the facts. Speak the truth. Defend life.
I am a passionate pro-life advocate dedicated to defending the dignity of both unborn and born vulnerable populations. As a cancer survivor, my miraculous journey of faith fuels my mission to educate, inspire, and speak the truth. Through my blog, media appearances, and outreach, I strive to equip others to take a stand for life, ensuring that every human being is valued and protected.
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