On Tuesday, the state of Texas received a major pro-life victory that we can all celebrate! A federal appeals court ruled 2-1 in favor of the state of Texas’ decision to block most abortion procedures during the coronavirus pandemic.
On March 22, Governor Greg Abbott ordered health care facilities to cease all medical procedures that are considered “not medically necessary” as the state hospitals and doctors offices prepared for the coronavirus.
The following day, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that abortions were not medically necessary procedures and should not be performed until the order expires. The order, which is set to expire April 21, excluded procedures in which the mother’s life was in danger.
Because of the law, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas has reported that hundreds of abortions have been canceled.
While this was a win for pro-life advocates, other groups like Planned Parenthood, were not so happy. As a result, the group along with other abortion-rights groups sued the state, saying that abortion is a necessary procedure.
This past Tuesday, the court case was seen in the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, in New Orleans. The state won 2-1, and the court cited the governor’s interest in public health as the main reason for the ruling.
“In the unprecedented circumstances now facing our society, even a minor delay in fully implementing the state’s emergency measures could have major ramifications,” the court wrote.
“The bottom line is this: when faced with a society-threatening epidemic, a state may implement emergency measures that curtail constitutional rights so long as the measures have at least some ‘real or substantial relation’ to the public health crisis and are not ‘beyond all question, a plain, palpable invasion of rights secured by the fundamental law,'” the majority held.
Planned Parenthood executives have been extremely vocal about the decision, calling it “unconscionable.”
“Patients are already being forced to put their lives in harm’s way during a pandemic, and now will be forced to continue doing so to get the health care they need,” Alexis McGill Johnson, acting president of Planned Parenthood, said in a statement.
“Abortion is essential, it’s time-sensitive, and it cannot wait for a pandemic to pass. Instead of playing politics during a pandemic, Gov. Abbott should be focusing on the health care needs of his constituents,” Johnson added.
But Governor Abbott is not going to back down from his stance and will continue to stand up for the unborn at the same time.
The appeals court also said in their ruling that it was “unclear how long the crisis will last” but that their own opinions and research “reveals considerable evidence that surgical abortions consume PPE.”
This is an awesome victory for the pro-life movement and one we can all celebrate. It’s so encouraging to see a governor taking the lead on something so important as the right to life.
As Christians, let us be a voice for the voiceless and stand up for justice for these unborn children and give them the right to life. Every life is precious.
Comment and let me know if you’re pro-life too!
