It’s becoming increasingly clear that the only way to protect innocent human life is to make it a constitutional guarantee.
“Pro-abortionists have found a successful legal strategy to challenge most, if not all, abortion laws across the country,” GRTL President Dan Becker said. “The only way to defeat that strategy is with constitutional amendments.”
For example, Georgia’s fetal pain bill has been challenged in the Fulton County Superior Court and will most likely be overturned because Georgia’s constitution does not guarantee that all innocent human life is protected.
Becker added, “While the goal is amending the U.S. Constitution, several states, including Georgia, are attempting to establish personhood protection in their state constitutions to protect current pro-life laws.”
GRTL’s proposed personhood amendment to Georgia’s constitution is currently before the 2014 session of the Georgia State Legislature.
Reacting to a new national initiative, Becker said, “I am greatly encouraged by the recent announcement of the ‘Declaration of Dependence’ that asks pro-life leaders across the country to commit to getting back to first principles; the Godly principles this country was founded upon.”
The declaration asserts our nation’s “…prevalent and callous disregard for innocent human life indicates that America has, in the words of Abraham Lincoln, ‘forgotten God.’”
“As a faith-based organization we are pleased to see the religious foundation being restored to the pro-life movement to defend all innocent human life,” Becker said.
GRTL is particularly concerned that the elderly and infirm will also be targeted under the new healthcare guidelines, as their utility to society is diminished in the eyes of some.
In addition to Becker, signees include: Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King; radio talk show host Steve Deace; Lila Rose, founder of Live Action; Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life; Alan Parker of the Justice Foundation; Thomas Glessner, founder and president of National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA); and Reverend Walter Hoye, founder and president of the Issues4Life Foundation.
The declaration further states that those who sign “…stand in unity to assert a firm, foundational and unwavering belief in the sanctity of human life and the legal personhood of all human beings.”
Claiming the devaluation of human life began with legalizing abortion, the document states that that decision “…opened the door for the societal acceptance of euthanasia, assisted suicide, human cloning, embryonic and fetal experiments and other serious practices…”
Noting that every human being “born and unborn” is created in the image of God, the declaration affirms the value of any person is not based on “…race, ethnicity, condition of dependency, circumstances surrounding conception, physical attributes, talents, or societal position…”
Becker said “We have a long struggle ahead, but our resolve should be strengthened by this development. GRTL has shown the way and I’m confident we’ll achieve the ultimate victory.”