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PEROUTKA SEES CAUSE FOR PRO-LIFE OPTIMISM

Is the death of Roe v. Wade imminent?

Troops on both sides of the abortion battle think that it may be.

But whether or not Roe is doomed, Steve Peroutka, chairman of the National Pro-Life Action Center and pro-life radio talk show host, thinks that the pro-life cause, in general, is on the upswing.

In a Defend Life-sponsored talk at the Patapsco Knights of Columbus in Catonsville April 26, he listed five reasons for his optimism:

1. South Dakota’s anti-abortion law

The law passed by South Dakota’s legislature in February banning all abortions except to save the life of the mother has engendered “the sky is falling” reactions from some pro-lifers, Steve said.

“They’re saying the time is not right, that we’ll be a vote short” if the law is appealed to the Supreme Court, he noted.

“We may be three votes short; I don’t have the confidence in [Supreme Court Justices] Roberts and Alito that some people have.

“But it really doesn’t matter if the South Dakota law doesn’t pass muster in the Supreme Court; it’s a platform from which so much education can emanate!”

All meaningful debate on abortion has been gone since the Roe decision 33 years ago, he said.

“In public schools you can’t talk about it.  And many of our Catholic and Christian schools have failed in their mission to educate our children – so you have two generations that don’t know what abortion is.”

But at every level, as the South Dakota law is appealed, the wide-open debate that is bound to ensue will expose the weakness and falsity of the pro-abortion argument, “like a coakroach in the basement when the light is turned on,” said Peroutka.

2. Pro-life youth

Since Steve began attending the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C., six years ago, he has been impressed by the numbers and enthusiasm of young pro-lifers.

“These kids, first of all, are survivors; they’ve been in the most dangerous place in the world – the womb,” he said.

They are also free from guilt, he pointed out:  they are not part of the generation that killed 42 million babies.

3. Pro-life seminarians

The pro-life youth are the soldiers; the pro-life “generals” will be the young men coming out of the Catholic seminaries and Protestant divinity schools.

“They are pro-life all the way; they can’t wait to liven up their churches with the pro-life cause!” said Peroutka.

4. Pro-abortionist gloom

One way to know you’re winning is when the other side is talking about losing, which the pro-abortionists are doing at their rallies.

5. Propitious timing

The last time God wanted to send a message to His people, he sent His Son – who was here for 33 years, Peroutka noted.

“It’s been 33 years since Roe v. Wade – and we have an almighty God working for a righteous people.  We can’t lose!”

But he warned pro-lifers that they need to avoid two things:  sloppy rhetoric and sloppy politics.

“You may be the worst people in the world to argue pro-life because you’ve been pro-life since you were a baby – it’s a gut feeling for you,” he told his audience.

But it isn’t for other people, he cautioned.

Steve encouraged all pro-lifers to seek out the writings and expertise of debaters like Scott Klusendorf and authorities like Dr. Jack Willke, and learn from them how to present a pro-life argument to a secular world.

We must also avoid sloppy politics:  we can’t accept political candidates who say they are pro-life, but who allow rape and incest exceptions, or “sit on the fence” in other ways.

“You know how to be sure you have a real pro-life candidate?  Run yourself!” he advised.  “You can do as good a job as any senator or delegate in Annapolis.”

We are no longer going to settle for half-victories like parental permission or a 24-hour waiting period, Peroutka vowed:  “We’re going for the whole enchilada!”