If you have social media, you have probably heard about the new bills voted into place in New York at the beginning of the year. Now, our state, Virginia, had a similar bill put to vote in the state Congress. On January 30, 2019, a video of Delegate Kathy Tran came out that showed her discussing a new bill that would change the already lax rules of the abortion in the state of Virginia.
Currently, late-term abortions are legal in the state of Virginia. This particular bill would have allowed for third-trimester abortions. According to Delegate Tran, abortion would still be allowed even if the mother “has physical signs that she’s about to give birth, including when she’s dilating.” The Washington Post’s reported that this bill removed many restrictions on the already late-term abortions. It is reported that the bill will change the medical clearances that used to be in place. “Instead of requiring three doctors to sign off on the procedure, it would have required only one doctor. It also would have removed language requiring that the danger to the mother be ‘substantial and irremediable’.” Many pro-lifers are outraged that this bill would even get this far in Virginia, which is known for being a more red state. But in the last few years the state has become more blue. This past election brought in a blue wave of Democrats. Many Democrats gained seats in the Virginia state house and senate.
Within a few hours of Tran’s video being placed on the internet, it went viral. Many people commenting had a lot to say, including the Virginia governor, Ralph Northam. During a radio program, the host asked him if he supported the bill and he replied yes. He added that during a third- trimester abortion, “the consent of obviously the mother, with the consent of the physician, multiple physicians by the way, and it’s done in cases where there may be severe deformities or there may be a fetus that’s not viable.” It should also be noted that Governor Northam was once a pediatric neurologist.
What does this mean for the those us who are pro-life? This means that though we live in the south and there is a church on every corner, our state is not immune from some of the terrible laws that other states experience. If you truly care to promote life, then now is the time. Our country has begun going in a direction where life is not valued. The biggest problem that pro-lifers have with the bill is that when the words “substantial and irremediable” are removed it could lead to a loose interpretation of under what circumstances abortion can be performed. The biggest concern is that women can just randomly decide they no longer want their child and it is perfectly legal to kill it. And while the church has always had its differences and disagreements within itself, at the end of the day, we can all agree that killing a human being isn’t right. As the church, it is our responsibility to promote life and love. We are not meant to condemn and judge, but love like Jesus would.