Posted on 10/18/2006 8:10:26 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
Pro-abortion forces are converging on the bucolic state of South Dakota in unprecedented waves because they know that when voters go to the polls on Nov. 7, their future will be at stake, organizers on both sides of the critical life battle say.
"The next few decades in America are going to be shaped by what happens in South Dakota," David Bereit, a spokesman for the American Life League, told WND this week. "They (pro-abortion forces) know what's at stake, this is their ground zero. They realize this is going to be the fight that shapes what happens next.
"Unfortunately, I don't think as many Christians have recognized that yet."
He was talking about the election in which voters will decide whether to affirm or reject their state Legislature's ban on abortion. Approved by lawmakers and signed by the governor last winter, it immediately was challenged by Planned Parenthood, the abortion industry's largest operator nationwide with $272 million in income from taxpayers this year and the sole provider of abortions in the state.
South Dakota Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth, a prominent abortion supporter, told others during a strategy-planning telephone conference call with Planned Parenthood and others recently that it is important for the pro-abortion movement to win in South Dakota.
Herseth, a Democrat picked by the same voters who just a few years ago threw Senate Majority Leader Tom Dashle, another Democrat, out of office, said the new law just "forces one narrow set of opinions on others," and she fears that "red states" like South Dakota would not continue to allow abortions when Roe vs. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court opinion striking down state abortion limits, is overturned.
Bereit said the battle's importance is obvious. Planned Parenthood on a recent weekend held 220 fundraisers around the nation just for money to be poured into its campaign in South Dakota.
He said the pro-abortion forces are planning an $8 million flood of campaign ads to try to convince residents to reject the ban.
South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families, the group seeking to destroy the ban on abortions, has a TV ad calling for people to "honor and protect human life, reduce the number of abortions." But it also says the ban "just goes too far."
"This really is a David and Goliath story," Bereit, a motivational speaker, told WND. "There are 775,000 people in South Dakota and they are standing up against the Goliath of the abortion industry."
"This is the first complete abortion ban passed in America since Roe vs. Wade," said Bereit. "This is exactly what pro-lifers have been working for for 33 years plus."
Lawmakers in the plains state did their homework before approving the law, researching and attaching to the legislation a 72-page report with interviews from dozens of life experts, documentation of medical technology, the effects of abortion on America and vast resources of other information.
That means if the ban would end up in a court challenge, that information would be entered into the court record, since it was attached to the original legislation.
The longterm goal goes way beyond overturning Roe vs. Wade, Bereit said, because that would simply lift federal restrictions on abortion limits, and turn that responsibility back to the states.
Those states, he said, already are watching.
"We are aware of at least a dozen states waiting to see the outcome of the Nov. 7 election. If this law is upheld, (activists in those states) are prepared to launch similar abortion bans," Bereit said.
"South Dakota is a state with a small population but they've set the stage, they've raised the bar, set the gold standard for anti-abortion legislation," he added.
"There's a tremendous amount at stake in the vote in South Dakota."
No longer are people willing to wait for someone else – whether it be Congress or the courts – the determine the status of abortion.
There already are people on the ground in South Dakota reviewing its actions and advances, determining what to use in their own states, he said.
Even with the $8 million poured into the campaign by Planned Parenthood and its interests – against the $85,000 donations reported by those supporting the abortion ban – the issue still is a statistical tie in recent polls.
"We are calling on people to pray, go out and volunteer, and raise money to send to South Dakota," said Bereit, who recently returned from meetings in both Washington and Oregon where not only was support raised for pro-life South Dakotans but there also was interest generated in duplicate efforts.
Alan Keyes, a former Reagan administration official and 2000 Republican presidential candidate, has weighed in on the side of affirming the ban, noting that the original decision that created a federal "right" to abortion itself notes the possibility of its own downfall.
That 1973 opinion by Justice Harry Blackmun said the core of the original argument was whether a baby unborn is a "person" or not. If such a designation is achieved, Blackmun noted, the "right" to abortion collapses because "the fetus' right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment."
What Blackmun failed to acknowledge, Keyes writes, is that the U.S. Constitution specifically notes that the final and ultimate objective of the people in establishing the Constitution is "to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity."
"The word 'posterity' in both general and legal parlance, includes reference to those who will come after us, those who have not yet been conceived, much less born," Keyes noted.
"This means that in its very statement of purpose, the Constitution acknowledges the standard of God's will, and requires an interpretation that prefers, in our use of liberty, results that secure His favor," he wrote.
"The governor and Legislature of South Dakota have acted courageously on this obligation. Even if the courts decide against them, we the people should remember that the final judgment is our responsibility," he said.
"The Founding Fathers would be enraged to learn that the Constitution they wrote has been twisted to disgracefully assert that it guarantees a right to kill innocent unborn children at will," added Congressman Trent Franks.
"Our true heritage as Americans is breathtaking in its simplicity. We are not born equal. We do not become equal when we reach a certain stage of development or age or status. All human beings are created equal," he said.
Bob Ellis, editor of the Dakota Voice, said the fight was simple: it's over retroactive birth control.
"In an October 10 piece in the Washington Times entitled 'Giving Up Too Much on Choice,' Ruth Marcus has provided one of those rare moments of candor from the Left. After she goes on a while about how 'chilling' and extreme the ban is, she then cuts to the chase:" Ellis wrote.
"'Why does this matter? Because contraceptives fail – and not only in ways that can be remedied by resorting to emergency contraception.' That's what it's really about: retroactive birth control," Ellis said.
"Pro-life folks draw the line at killing another human being to achieve their goals of a bigger home, more income, a college degree, a career. Pro-life folks believe that the right to simply LIVE trumps the right to all the nice things another's life might interfere with. More money we can live without; more education we can live without; a bigger home or a new boat we can live with; LIFE … we can't live without."
The VoteYesForLife.com website supporting the abortion ban is simply presenting the stories of real people with real situations.
One is Kayla, who had an abortion several years ago. She recalls the procedure being over. "I lifted my head up and watched as the doctor took a silver metal basin, looked down into it, and sloshed around the remains of my child. 'What did she see?' I wondered. 'Did she see my child there?' … I wanted to scream, but my mouth couldn’t move. I wanted to cry, but my tears would not flow… yet. I wanted to go back – reverse everything I had just done. But I couldn’t go back."
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Good luck, South Dakotans.
Great words!
I will be saving this thread for a later, more thorough read! Go South Dakota!!! My prayers are with you.
Might be an oxymoron? You're being too charitable. I'm reminded of the late baseball announcer, Harey Carey's, 'IT MIGHT BE! IT COULD BE! IT IS...A HOME RUN!! The Roe v Wade Supreme Court opinion written by the infamous Harry Blackmunn is chock full of such oxymorons, including the one that you have observed here.
Cordially,
I suppose there is something positive associated with being too charitable.
Why did you leave off Charles' first name in the attribution?
A cut and paste error on my part, caused by my haste and my ignorance.
Sorry.
It's easy to go quickly, but I hope your claim of ignorance doesn't mean you haven't heard of Charles and Mary Beard. :)
Well, they're hardly my heroes politically, but when you're right, you're right! ;-)
I don't understand...you say except for the rape and incest part? What do you mean?
I don't think it is fair to label it a personal decision. Has the baby had anything to say about the decision? The voice of the baby, that is what it is, 2 days after conception everything is there, is never heard. Shouldn't they have a say in the PERSONAL decision??
Scripture says that God knew us and had a plan for us at the beginning of time. It also states that He knew us 'when we were knit togather in our mother's womb'! So, this in not a 'non-entity' being killed!
I think you all should hear the testimonies of the women who have had abortions, and the boyfriends who brought them, or the fathers and mothers who made the decision for their pregnant teen! When you hear their pain, their suffering, their guilt and shame...THEN, and only then, do you hear the TRUTH of abortion! Often the people that are showing anger and rage are the ones who have been hurt, or touched by the hurt of a loved one from the pain of abortion!
Story 1
I sat by a mother yesterday while volunteering at the VOTE YES headquarters. She was talking about her life...she has a daughter who got pregnant as a teen, kept the baby til birth, and then gave her up for adoption. While there has been struggles knowing there is a child out there they will not know or hold, there is not the pain and guilt of knowing they took a life. Her second daughter got pregnant, remembered the father's harsh words of "don't ever do this to me again" and aborted her child. The daughter who abort her baby has been driven by the pain, the guilt, the shame -- all of her life, 30+ years. In her running to escape the pain she has gotten into drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity, and life of misery! She is still struggling to find the forgiveness, and life free of shame and guilt.
Story 2
The story of a father from Florida was shared at a brunch I went to on Saturday! His daughter got pregnant as a teen. The boyfriend was going to marry their daughter, but his parents said NO, and turned their backs on the girl and her family. The boy was not allowed to be involved because of his parents. The girl's parents decided the best thing was an abortion....these are Christian people! After the deed was done, not a word was EVER spoken in that family about it again, until more than a decade later. The father couldn't take it any more, and he started to talk to his wife about it. Though he knew in his head there was forgiveness, and he had repented...he still did not feel forgiven! He grappled with it for years more. One day, the day of his birthday, he could take it no longer. How could HE have another birthday when his very first grandchild had never had even one? In his office, he cried out to the Lord, begging to know he was forgiven, pleading for a sign.
The phone rang. He was sure he was not going to be able to handle a business call at that moment. He tried to pull himself together, and reach for the phone. The small voice at the other end was his oldest (living) granddaughter. She had called to wish him a Happy Birthday and told him to have a good day! There was his sign!! His peace came, and his assurance that he truly had been forgiven, with the call from his grandchild. (She had never before called him at work, and never since.)
His daughter came down to visit shortly after that happened. They were able to talk about it, to cry, and to begin healing.
Add to this story - - This family had moved to Florida years ago. When the daughter who had had an abortion moved to SD, the father thought it was a punishment for the abortion. It wasn't...it was God moving her here, and moving to bring the father back to SD to give his testimony for healing and to reveal TRUTH .... "for such a time as this"!
In the telling of their stories, will be their healing.
In the telling of their stories, the TRUTH will be revealed to help disspell the blanket of deceit that covers the state, and the nation -- the deceit of abortion!
AMEN! on post 126
per post 131 ...
there are funds funneling in from a man in CA, Gillis(?), who is very much a part of the homosexual agenda. His aim here and in the 8 other states is to CLOUD the issue, so as to confuse the voters. (They know the truth, they don't want anyone else to know it.) Confused voters will either NOT vote, or VOTE NO! What did the Governor say in an interview...I thought he hit his head! He stated if a voter was not sure, to vote NO! Did someone "gas" the brain cells of the SD Governor??? I wish someone could get him to retract it, and get it right!! This is a spiritual battle working through a political one. The real enemy is ALWAYS out there twisting the truth, and clouding things. We see it evident even in this concern.
They KNOW that if they TELL everyone there is NO concern for the MEDICAL issues, or the RAPE / INCEST issues, and they cry it LOUD enough.... the people will believe what they HEAR! or perhaps, what they READ in the MEDIA!
For the really SMART people / voters, they will dig into, and KNOW the truth. The majority, will just continue to be drug around by the ring in their nose, believing the lies (deceit) being breathed out by "dragon" himself! (not refering to the governor, in any way!)
Nice quote, and who spoke it? Needs the name. :-)
The ramifications are much further reaching! There are nations (150+) that are watching and praying!! There are people that have come to the State of SD from many other states in the Union, and there are people who have come from other nations to SD "for such a time as this". They are here as prayer support, encouragement, reinforcements for God's army!
This is BIGGER than SD. Perhaps the quote should say it will shape the world?
How many nations is Planned Parenthood in? Anyone know?
per post 181 --- I am SICK!
"The people of South Dakota need not be ashamed of the spotlight they are under."
"It is the forces of darkness who fear the light."
And it was aptly said by a young Einstein, I believe, that darkness is merely the 'absence of light'!
per post 198 ...
AWESOME!
It has been likened to the Esther story in church, in Sioux Falls, by a well-known speaker!
Per the prior quote "Can we afford to carry the fight all the way to the US Supreme Court?" Perhaps the question should be can we afford not to?
This truly is a spiritual battle in a worldly battlefield. We shouldn't ask what the cost will be, as it truly is not OURS. Who gave all, when He gave His Son? "Greater is He that is in us that he that is in the world." God has promised to go before us, and I know and believe He is faithful!!
Thanks for the reminder of Esther, and bringing it to those who are reading here! WAY TO GO!!
EV, thanks for keeping this rolling!
There is much that has been happening!!
There is a group of college students from New York that was here this past week doing a documentary on the issue. As they were filming the crosses on the yard of O'Gorman Catholic High School, there was truck that drove by. For those of you NOT in Sioux Falls, this truck has HUGE signs on it, and gory pictures of aborted fetus'. It is definitely pro-life. They followed the truck to the parking lot of LEWIS on a major intersection and were filming the truck, the reaction of passers-by, and the police cars that pulled up. Oddly, it seems it takes more that ONE officer to ticket a large posted pick-up truck! As we pulled into the parking lot, a 5th and 6th squad car pulled in with lights flashing!
Those college kids got it all on tape. The police ticketing him, and all. After the truck and the police left, we got to talk to the kids! They had a few others that were getting the other side for the day (abortion). This group had spoken with a few pastors, those on the street that were willing, and then the above event.
They will be back before the election, and have more names to call to set up further interviews when they return. They chose this assignment because they "knew it was history in the making" and they wanted to document it!! (I am praying not only blessings on how the documentary is presented, but also for them ...that their lives will be forever touched. Seeds were sown!)
(An aside...I personally have a struggle with the gory pictures. They hurt me. I have had a still-birth, so those pictures pain me. I can't help but think that they cause pain to anyone who has had an abortion, or been involved with someone who has. The man who gave testimony even stated that part of his pain was increased whenever he saw the pro-life bumper stickers and signs because of the guilt and shame he had. His testimony verified my theory.)
SOUTH DAKOTANS ....
EVENT -- Come to Pierre on October 26th for a Rally on the steps of the Capital Building! I am not sure if it starts at 3 or 4. I have seen conflicting start times.
There is going to be a Pastor's Rally, but....
it sounds like there is going to be more than that there!! I know there is a bus going from Sioux Falls, and a group from Platte. I am sure there are going to be more!!
ANYONE living nearby, COME!!! Let us show the rest of the world!! (can someone put it on the SD board plz?)
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