Recently, an alliance of pro-life groups came together to sponsor the Real Women's Voices Pro-Life Lobby Day in Washington, D.C. Their message was clear, "being pro-women means being pro-life."
Several hundred women from organizations including: the National Right to Life Committee, the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women for America, Silent No More Awareness, Eagle Forum and Family Research Council Action arrived in the nation's capital to lobby senators on pro-life legislation, (pro-life) judicial nominees and cloning. Thousands of other women around the country also pledged their support by contacting their congressional representatives on these issues as well.
Among those in attendance was Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R.-Fla.), sponsor of The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA), H.R. 748 - which the House of Representatives passed on a bipartisan vote of 270-157. This law requires that a parent or legal guardian, be notified when a minor crosses state lines to obtain an abortion. Ros-Lehtinen said: "Abortion is a crime against humanity… My legislation (CIANA) will close a loophole that allows adults not only to help minors break state laws by obtaining an abortion without parental consent, but also contributes to ending the life of an innocent child."
In a recent national poll conducted April 21-24 by the Polling Company, Inc., 1000 adults were asked, "Do agree or disagree that a person should be able to take a minor girl across state lines to obtain an abortion without her parents' knowledge?" Eighty-two percent disagreed.
"The Real Women's Voices" coalition believes that with pro-life majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, coupled with a pro-life President there exists a unique window of opportunity to take back the women's movement from the left and make a difference. Jane Abraham, president of the Susan B. Anthony List says: "Real Women's Voices is about just that: giving voice to what the overwhelming majority of American women believe regarding the heartbreak of abortion. There is a misconception among many that the majority of American women support abortion. This is not the case. Polls consistently show that American women are more pro-life than pro-choice and overwhelmingly support restrictions on abortion."
In that April poll by the Polling Company, Inc., 62% of respondents described themselves as pro-life.
Furthermore, according to a poll done by the opinion research firm, Ayers, McHenry and Associates - March 6-9, 2005 - when 800 respondents were asked if they agreed or disagreed with the statement, "If a well-qualified nominee is pro-life on abortion, he or she should be disqualified from serving on the U.S. Supreme Court," 79% of disagreed, including 81% of women. Additionally, Republicans disagree with this statement by 81% to 16%, Independents disagree by 79% to 16% and Democrats disagree by 77% to 17%.
Abraham adds: "The majority represented by our citizen lobbyists today urged, senators to confirm judges who support the Constitution."
Human somatic cell nuclear transfer, otherwise known as the creation of an embryo by "cloning," has now entered into the pro-life lexicon. It is reproduction, or more accurately, replication of an organism's DNA identity. It does not occur normally in mammals and at the present time the risks associated with the cloning of humans are considered immense. According to Dr. Pia de Solenni, Director of Life and Women's Issues for the Family Research Council, "Advocates of embryonic stem cell research are poised to create an industry built on the bodies of millions of women. The industry needs women because it needs our eggs… No matter whether the clones or embryos are created for research or reproductive purposes, they must be created by using a woman's egg… Women whose eggs are harvested undergo a long, uncomfortable, painful and potentially dangerous process called ovarian hyper-stimulation. Some of the drugs used have never been approved for this use by the FDA."
Carol Tobias, of the National Right to Life Committee says: "The women are here to urge their senators to support a ban on human cloning and to defeat 'clone-and-kill' type of legislation."
A poll done in April found that 55% of respondents believe that all human cloning should be banned. Of the 40% who support human cloning, 28% said that cloning that creates and then destroys human embryos for stem cell research should be allowed, but cloning human embryos which would result in the birth of children should be banned.
The complications and ethics of such advanced science could evolve into possibly the most controversial debate about reproduction ever.
