After decades of losses kept them on the defensive, the pro-life movement has been caught flat-footed now that the ball is in their court in a post-Roe America.
Ohio voters dealt a blow to the hopes of pro-life advocates across the country on Nov. 7 when they voted to enshrine a right to abortion in their state constitution.
Ohio’s Issue 1, which was approved with the support of 57 percent of voters, is the latest in a string of abortion-related ballot initiatives to grab national attention following the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade last year.
And, as with the other initiatives, its passage marked another gut-wrenching defeat for the pro-life movement.
“The passing of Issue 1 is a heartbreaking loss for families and the unborn in our state,” the Ohio Right to Life group told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement. “Not only have parents’ rights been taken away to know if their minor child is making a life-altering reproductive decision, but children in the womb are now in danger of death by abortion through all nine months of pregnancy.”
The organization pledged to persevere in its efforts, especially heading into 2024.
“Ohio Right to Life will never stop advocating for the voiceless in our society, and the fight begins anew today to protect the innocent,” the group said.
Heading into a crucial election year in which similar citizen-led amendments are already being planned, the question for many is whether a change in strategy will be needed to yield the victories advocates have been anticipating for decades.
Flipping the Script
While a majority of voters in Ohio gave Issue 1 their approval, opponents of the measure contend that its language was overly broad and left too much open to interpretation, including whether abortion would be legal through all nine months of pregnancy.
Priests for Life National Director Frank Pavone told The Epoch Times that he believed that the amendment was deliberately crafted to deceive voters who would normally reject the idea of legalizing abortion through birth.
“There’s never been any poll anywhere, in any state or nationally, that shows a majority of Americans or any subset going for late-term abortion,” he said. “The other side spins a narrative to get these things passed.”
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