Every Republican candidate running for Governor has pledged to abolish abortion in Alabama, with the exception of Gov. Kay Ivey.
In light of the recent leak of a first draft opinion by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), abortion has been at the forefront of the political landscape in Alabama and the nation as a whole.
The Alabama-based abortion abolitionist group End Abortion Alabama (EAA) recently sent out more than 300 surveys to various political candidates in the state running for political office.
EAA did not disclose how each politician answered. However, every Republican gubernatorial candidate received a score of 100% from EAA, except for incumbent Governor Kay Ivey.
According to D.J. Parten, an activist with EAA, Ivey did not return the survey.
Lindy Blanchard, Lew Burdette, Stacy Lee George, Tim James, Donald Trent Jones, Dean Odle, Dave Thomas, and Dean Young all returned the survey with a 100% score.
Ivey did issue a statement shortly after the SCOTUS leak was made public.
“This unprecedented leak is concerning, outrageous and a blatant attempt to manipulate the sacred procedures of the U.S. Supreme Court,” Ivey said. “Those responsible should be held accountable. My prayer is that Roe v. Wade is overturned and that life prevails.”
EAA is a non-profit organization that is relatively new to the state.
The mission statement of EAA claims that the organization “exists to eliminate the abominable practice of abortion in the State of Alabama by mobilizing Christians to influence civil government in obedience to the Great Commission.”
EAA explicitly adopts the moniker of “abolitionist” as opposed to the traditional moniker, “pro-life.” Abortion abolitionists separate themselves from many whom they believe consistently attempt to compromise and capitulate to the American judicial system.
“God commands civil officials to do justice,” the survey read. “He specifically tells them to give justice to the fatherless. God also forbids officials from showing partiality and from perverting the justice due to the fatherless. Ultimately, providing justice to the innocent should be the most important function of civil government.
“Yet every year, more than 6,000 innocent preborn children are murdered in Alabama because our laws deny them justice and equal protection. In our country, more than 63 million people have died from abortion since 1973, and that is only those reported. Something has to change, and I hope and pray that God would use you to help abolish abortion in our state.”
The survey asked a series of questions related to the candidate’s philosophy on abortion and asked questions by which the candidates were rated.
Do you agree that human life begins at conception (i.e. fertilization)?
Do you agree that the Alabama and U.S. constitutions do not recognize a right to an abortion, and that the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court opinion Roe v. Wade is unconstitutional?
Do you agree with the “Equal Protection” Principle that preborn children should have the same legal protections as born children?
Do you agree that states have the authority to declare unconstitutional federal actions null and void and unenforceable in the state?
Would you publicly support and, if seeking legislative office, co-sponsor legislation to abolish abortion?
Would you agree to oppose legislation that discriminates against any preborn child and violates the U.S. Constitution by denying that person the equal protection of the laws?
EAA gave a definition of the “Equal Protection” principle.
“Human beings from the point of fertilization to natural death are created in the image of God and should be valued and protected under state law,” the survey read. “Our laws should protect children in the womb in the same way they protect children outside the womb. Abortion is murder and should be treated as such under state law."
"As the number of people who support these principles continues to grow, others are trying to co-opt the term 'abolition' and use it to describe something altogether different,” The EAA website said. “They advocate complying with Roe v. Wade while trying to pass whatever bills the federal courts will allow until the Supreme Court overturns Roe. No matter how much anyone tries to call that 'abolition,' it is not. It is still the same weak, failing strategy which the pro-life lobby has been telling us will work for the last 49 years. And it has not worked.
“Abolitionists believe that continuing to legitimize and bow down to judicial tyranny is the wrong way to try to end abortion. The federal courts are not the solution to the problem; the federal courts are the problem.”
To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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