Latest news with #prolife
The Independent
3 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Louisiana lawmakers reject adding exceptions for some rape cases to abortion ban
For the third consecutive year, Louisiana lawmakers rejected a bill that would have allowed young victims of rape to get an abortion. In an emotional and religious-laced legislative committee meeting on Tuesday legislators objected to adding rape, in cases where the girl is under the age of 17 and impregnated as a result of the sexual offense, to the narrow list of exceptions for one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. 'If we're truly pro-life, we should also be fighting for the life of those children who are raped and molested,' said the author of the bill, Democratic Rep. Delisha Boyd, who argued that under Louisiana's current law young victims of rape are forced to carry babies to term. Among those who opposed the proposed exception was Democratic Rep. Patricia Moore, who spoke publicly about being conceived after her mother was raped as a young teenager. While speaking against the bill, Moore discussed her religious beliefs and said she has struggled with her decision on the measure. Even ahead of the meeting she said she asked God to 'show me something in the Bible that can address this.' Moore said in the area of Louisiana that she represents, she is aware of a nine-year-old who is pregnant; 'I'm struggling because life and death, according to our Heavenly Father it's in his hands. I'm like, 'God are you wanting this child... to have a baby? What good can come out of this?'' 'I know we got to protect our children, but to this point right now, I cannot vote 'Yes' because I'm constantly hearing that God would take a bad situation and turn it into good,' Moore said. Like Moore, Boyd has publicly shared that she was born after her mother was raped as a teen. Boyd was born in 1969, four years before abortion became legal under the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. More than five decades later, rape survivors in Louisiana who become pregnant find themselves in a similar situation to Boyd's mother: forced to carry the baby to term in a state that has one of the country's highest maternal mortality rates, or to travel to another state where abortion is still legal. Boyd said while she is grateful to be here, her mother and Moore's mother did not a have a choice to get an abortion in Louisiana. 'I know the Bible. But I also know God gives people the ability to do right and wrong,' Boyd said, urging her lawmakers to give victims of rape and their families the ability to choose if they get an abortion in Louisiana. The bill failed 3-9, with two Democrats siding with Republicans on the committee. In the reliably red state of Louisiana, which is firmly ensconced in the Bible Belt and where even some Democrats oppose abortions, adding exceptions to the near-total abortion ban has been an ongoing battle for advocates — with similar measures failing the last few years. Currently, of the 12 states enforcing abortion bans at all stages of pregnancy, four have exceptions in cases of rape. A study released by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that between July 2022 and January 2024, there were more than 64,000 pregnancies resulting from rape in states where abortion has been banned in all or most cases. Louisiana's abortion law went into effect in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, ending a half-century of the nationwide right to abortion. The only exceptions to the ban are if there is substantial risk of death or impairment to the mother if she continues the pregnancy or in the case of 'medically futile' pregnancies — when the fetus has a fatal abnormality.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Louisiana lawmakers reject adding exceptions for some rape cases to abortion ban
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — For the third consecutive year, Louisiana lawmakers rejected a bill that would have allowed young victims of rape to get an abortion. In an emotional and religious-laced legislative committee meeting on Tuesday legislators objected to adding rape, in cases where the girl is under the age of 17 and impregnated as a result of the sexual offense, to the narrow list of exceptions for one of the strictest abortion bans in the country. 'If we're truly pro-life, we should also be fighting for the life of those children who are raped and molested,' said the author of the bill, Democratic Rep. Delisha Boyd, who argued that under Louisiana's current law young victims of rape are forced to carry babies to term. Among those who opposed the proposed exception was Democratic Rep. Patricia Moore, who spoke publicly about being conceived after her mother was raped as a young teenager. While speaking against the bill, Moore discussed her religious beliefs and said she has struggled with her decision on the measure. Even ahead of the meeting she said she asked God to 'show me something in the Bible that can address this.' Moore said in the area of Louisiana that she represents, she is aware of a nine-year-old who is pregnant; 'I'm struggling because life and death, according to our Heavenly Father it's in his hands. I'm like, 'God are you wanting this child... to have a baby? What good can come out of this?'' 'I know we got to protect our children, but to this point right now, I cannot vote 'Yes' because I'm constantly hearing that God would take a bad situation and turn it into good,' Moore said. Like Moore, Boyd has publicly shared that she was born after her mother was raped as a teen. Boyd was born in 1969, four years before abortion became legal under the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade ruling. More than five decades later, rape survivors in Louisiana who become pregnant find themselves in a similar situation to Boyd's mother: forced to carry the baby to term in a state that has one of the country's highest maternal mortality rates, or to travel to another state where abortion is still legal. Boyd said while she is grateful to be here, her mother and Moore's mother did not a have a choice to get an abortion in Louisiana. 'I know the Bible. But I also know God gives people the ability to do right and wrong,' Boyd said, urging her lawmakers to give victims of rape and their families the ability to choose if they get an abortion in Louisiana. The bill failed 3-9, with two Democrats siding with Republicans on the committee. In the reliably red state of Louisiana, which is firmly ensconced in the Bible Belt and where even some Democrats oppose abortions, adding exceptions to the near-total abortion ban has been an ongoing battle for advocates — with similar measures failing the last few years. Currently, of the 12 states enforcing abortion bans at all stages of pregnancy, four have exceptions in cases of rape. A study released by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that between July 2022 and January 2024, there were more than 64,000 pregnancies resulting from rape in states where abortion has been banned in all or most cases. Louisiana's abortion law went into effect in 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade, ending a half-century of the nationwide right to abortion. The only exceptions to the ban are if there is substantial risk of death or impairment to the mother if she continues the pregnancy or in the case of 'medically futile' pregnancies — when the fetus has a fatal abnormality.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Abortions remain outlawed in Kentucky as ACLU ends lawsuit challenging ban
A courtroom challenge to two laws behind Kentucky's near-total abortion ban has been dropped, leaving the procedure outlawed under almost all circumstances. The ACLU of Kentucky announced May 30 it has dropped a lawsuit it filed last in late 2024 challenging the "trigger law" banning abortions that went into effect immediately after the Roe v. Wade decision was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as a separate law outlawing abortions before determining whether a fetal heartbeat exists. In a release, the nonprofit's Kentucky branch said it would continue to push for the overturning of bans on abortion, as people "have the right to control their own bodies without government interference." "We are strategizing our next steps in this fight," Executive Director Amber Duke said. "In the meantime, our work to address the commonwealth's maternal mortality rates and lack of widespread paid leave coverage will continue as long as Kentucky remains a forced-birth state.' Attorney General Russell Coleman, who'd been named as a defendant alongside Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander, Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure Executive Director Michael Rodman and Commonwealth's Attorney Gerina Whethers, said Kentuckians "can be proud that our pro-life values won the day today, and innocent lives will continue to be saved as a result." The decision to drop the lawsuit was voluntary by the ACLU, according to a Friday filing in Jefferson Circuit Court. The class action lawsuit was filed last November on behalf of Mary Poe, a pseudonym for a woman seven weeks pregnant who wanted to end her pregnancy. It argued laws banning abortions in Kentucky cause "irreparable harm" and are "an affront to the health and dignity of all Kentuckians." "The inability to access abortion in the Commonwealth forcibly imposes the health risks and physical burdens of continued pregnancy on all Kentuckians who would otherwise choose to access safe and legal abortion," the lawsuit said. The law requiring an ultrasound before ending a pregnancy was passed by the Kentucky legislature in 2017 and upheld by a federal appeals court two years later. After Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, the state immediately banned all abortions unless the mother's life is at risk. Several bills filed by Republicans and Democrats in the state legislature in the years since have sought to add exceptions, including pregnancies caused by rape or incest, but the proposals have not moved. House Speaker David Osborne, R-Prospect, has cited the open lawsuit as a key reason why action hasn't been taken, though abortion exceptions remain "a very active topic of conversation among our caucus." "I think it's going to continue to be very difficult until that lawsuit plays its way out to replace a law that is being litigated," he said in a January interview on KET. The ACLU had argued the legislature could take action even with the lawsuit pending. Lawmakers did approve a bill in March outlining medical conditions and complications that are not considered an abortion under state law. Sponsor Jason Nemes, R-Middletown, said the bill removes "legal ambiguity" from state statutes, though opponents argued it didn't go far enough and was approved without consensus from the medical community. The GOP holds supermajorities in both chambers in Frankfort, even strengthening their hold this week when Eastern Kentucky Sen. Robin Webb changed her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican. Webb was the lone Democrat in the state Senate outside Louisville and Lexington. Floor Leader Steven Rudy, R-Paducah, said during the session that Republicans in the legislature "continue to have conversations over this issue." "I think (Osborne) said it best — we don't really have a clear direction where our caucus wants to go on this," Rudy said in January. Four states bordering Kentucky — Indiana, Missouri, Tennessee and West Virginia — have banned abortions. The procedure remains "mostly accessible" in Ohio and Virginia, according to Planned Parenthood, and fully accessible in Illinois. Reach Lucas Aulbach at laulbach@ This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky abortion ban still in place as ACLU drops lawsuit over ban
Fox News
29-05-2025
- General
- Fox News
Pro-life leader praises bill requiring Ten Commandments in Texas schools: ‘A step in the right direction'
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life President and CEO Shawn Carney praised Texas lawmakers for passing legislation that would require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom in the state. The bill, approved by both chambers of the state Legislature and now awaiting Gov. Greg Abbott's signature mandates that each classroom feature a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments that is at least 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall, and legible from anywhere in the room. If signed, the law would take effect in the 2025–26 school year. "This is great," Carney said. "The Ten Commandments are good. It's basically the moral code for most people who have ever lived. No matter what their belief system, most people don't believe we should steal, kill, or commit adultery. "It's a beautiful thing," he added. "I'm proud to be a Texan where they're supporting this, and it's something that we need in the classrooms." Carney, who leads what he describes as the world's largest pro-life organization, operating in 64 countries, linked the legislation to a broader cultural shift. On its website, the group explains it is "an internationally coordinated 40-day campaign that aims to end abortion locally through prayer and fasting, community outreach, and a peaceful all-day vigil in front of abortion businesses." "These are good things - allowing a baby to live is good," Carney said. "The Ten Commandments are good." Addressing constitutional concerns, Carney pushed back on the argument that the legislation violates the First Amendment's Establishment Clause. "We have Moses in the U.S. Capitol. Nobody's ever raised a stink about that," he said. "Having the Ten Commandments, something that has been celebrated throughout generations of Americans who have gone before us, having those in the school is just not a big deal." Carney also emphasized that the historical intent behind the separation of church and state was to protect religious freedom, not to eliminate religious references from public institutions. "Jefferson wanted separation of church and state to protect the Church," he said, citing recent federal actions he views as infringing on religious liberty. "We saw the Biden administration try to force Catholic doctors to perform abortions or prescribe contraception. We need to protect the Church." He framed the bill as part of a broader backlash against what he described as a secular, "woke mentality" that he believes has eroded moral clarity. "Our schools are violent. They are places that need the Ten Commandments," Carney said. "Even if you don't believe in God, you should be able to learn about God. "There's been this push that believing in God is archaic," he continued. "This bill is another step in the right direction." Although the Supreme Court struck down a similar law in Stone v. Graham (1980), Carney believes Texas's effort will survive legal challenges. "I do think it'll survive the legal battles," he said. "Revisiting this with a new Supreme Court is very wise and something that needs to be done." Carney also sees the law as a potential model for other states. "Texas has set the bar high," he said. "This does set a precedent. Most atheists believe in the Ten Commandments. They are the basis of Western civilization." Looking to the future, Carney hopes the bill encourages greater moral formation nationwide. "The ideal result is that more states do this over the next five or 10 years," he said. "We need guidance. We don't do very well on our own. "The Ten Commandments point us to good. To discipline. To truth. To love. And to mercy," he added. "They help us know what's right from wrong. We all grow in virtue by learning and following the Ten Commandments, no matter our religious background." Texas would join Louisiana and Arkansas, which have already passed similar laws. Supporters of the legislation say the commandments represent a foundational code of conduct, while critics warn it could face constitutional scrutiny in federal court, FOX 4 reported.
Telegraph
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Trump sends free-speech team to interview UK activists
Donald Trump sent US officials to meet British pro-life activists over concerns their freedom of speech has been threatened, The Telegraph can reveal. A team from the US state department spent days in the country and interviewed campaigners to feed back to the White House. The five-person team met with five activists who had been arrested for silently protesting outside abortion clinics across Britain. Washington launched the fact-finding mission after becoming concerned about the erosion of free speech in the UK. The visit is the latest sign of the Trump administration's willingness to intervene in domestic British affairs. The diplomats from the US bureau of democracy, human rights and labor (DRL) travelled to London in March in an effort to 'affirm the importance of freedom of expression in the UK and across Europe'. Led by Samuel Samson, a senior adviser in the state department, they met with officials from the Foreign Office and challenged Ofcom on the Online Safety Act, which is thought to be a point of contention in the White House. Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X and an adviser to Donald Trump, is among those inside the administration said to be concerned about online regulation in the UK. At the same time, the delegation quietly met with a handful of anti-abortion campaigners at an event held at a 'nondescript' office block, The Telegraph can reveal. Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, Rose Docherty, Adam Smith-Connor, Livia Tossici-Bolt and Father Sean Gough, a Catholic priest, described to the visiting diplomats their experiences of being detained while silently praying. Mrs Docherty, a 74-year-old grandmother, became the first person to be arrested and charged under a new law which creates buffer zones outside hospitals and clinics providing abortions in Scotland. She was arrested outside Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow in February. 'All I did was stand peacefully offering consensual conversation to anyone who wanted to take up my offer to talk. I didn't break the law, I didn't influence, I didn't harass, I didn't intimidate, she told The Telegraph. 'And yet, I was arrested just for standing there, peacefully, within 200m of a hospital. 'This can't be just. It's heartening that others around the world, including the US government, have realised this injustice and voiced their support.' Ms Vaughan-Spruce was arrested for praying silently outside an abortion clinic in March 2023 in Birmingham. She was not carrying a placard and did not say anything about abortion procedures aloud. She was later released without charge but her case was condemned by the US commission on international religious freedom for 'targeting religious expression'. 'Since I was arrested simply for the prayers I held in my head, the support from both here in the UK and around the world has been overwhelming,' Ms Vaughan-Spruce said. 'I'm glad that the US administration has highlighted this injustice and hope that UK politicians can be bold enough to make the changes necessary to restore freedom.' Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to defend Britain's record of free speech, which has become a point of tension with Trump administration officials. During his meeting in the Oval Office in February, the Prime Minister claimed Britain 'wouldn't want to reach across US citizens' in questions over free speech. 'We've had free speech for a very, very long time in the UK, and it will last for a very, very long time… Certainly we wouldn't want to reach across US citizens, and we don't, and that's absolutely right. But in relation to free speech in the UK, I'm very proud of our history there,' he said. During a speech at the Munich security conference, JD Vance, the US vice-president, cited Mr Smith-O'Connor as an example of why 'free speech in Britain and across Europe was in retreat'. The Army veteran was convicted in October for praying silently outside an abortion clinic. He was given a two-year conditional discharge for breaching a ban on protests within a legal buffer zone around the clinic in Bournemouth, Dorset. The case of Ms Tossici-Bolt, who met with state department officials, at one point threatened to jeopardise Sir Keir's trade deal with the US. The 64-year-old praised the Trump administration for its support as she was handed a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £20,026 in costs for breaching the same buffer zone as Mr Smith-O'Connor in Bournemouth. Her case alarmed leaders within the US state department, which made the highly unusual step of warning Sir Keir that it was 'monitoring' developments closely. At the time, a source familiar with trade negotiations insisted Ms Tossici-Bolt's arrest was being considered amid Britain's attempt to win an exemption from US tariffs, saying 'no free trade without free speech'. Earlier this week, Trump allies voiced concern over the state of freedom of expression in Britain. Charlie Kirk, a Maga influencer and ally of the president, raised the case of Lucy Connolly with the White House, saying it proved free speech was dead in Britain. Connolly, the wife of a Conservative councillor, was jailed for 31 months in October after pleading guilty to a charge of inciting racial hatred. After Axel Rudakubana went on a knife rampage at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport last July, murdering three girls last July, Connolly expressed her outrage on X, writing: 'Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f---ing hotels full of the b------s for all I care, while you're at it, take the treacherous government politicians with them. I feel physically sick knowing what these [Southport] families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it.' Three Court of Appeal judges threw out the 42-year-old's application on Tuesday, meaning she will not be freed before August. Lord Young, the general secretary of the Free Speech Union, which helped fund Connolly's appeal, said: 'If Sir Keir Starmer gave any promises to protect free speech in the course of negotiating the UK-US trade agreement, he doesn't appear to be keeping them.' Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader who has long been an ally of Mr Trump, said: 'The Lucy Connolly case alone shows that two-tier Britain is really here. My American friends cannot believe what is happening in the UK.' All those contacted by the state department have been defended by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a US conservative Christian pressure group, which is opposed to Britain's abortion protest laws. Lorcan Price, legal counsel for ADF International, said: 'Because these peaceful individuals held thoughts and beliefs of which the state disapproved, they find themselves fighting to defend their very right to free thought. 'Now, fellow Western nations are noticing this erosion of freedom – and we should take heed. 'We hope our own legislators, witnessing this injustice impacting citizens, will step up to clarify that silent prayer, and consensual conversation, are lawful activities in this country.' A state department spokesman said: 'US-UK relations share a mutual respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. However, as Vice-President Vance has said, we are concerned about freedom of expression in the United Kingdom. 'It is important that the UK respect and protect freedom of expression.'
