What if I told you that over the last 50 years in the United States, we have seen the systematic, intentional, mass murder of a group of individuals for no other reason than that society views them as an inconvenience? And what if I told you that the victims of this mass killing number ten times the amount of Jews who were massacred in the Holocaust? And what if I told you that this number is still increasing by more than a million each year in this country?

Well, I am telling you now that this is exactly what is happening through the practice of abortion. Since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Roe v. Wade in 1973, the American medical system has facilitated more than 60 million abortions. And even after the repeal of Roe v. Wade in June of 2022, abortion has remained legal in many of the 50 states. And what is the justification for the slaughter of all these unborn lives? Ultimately, there are only one of two arguments that a person can make when defending abortion. The first is to claim that pre-borns are less human than everybody else, and therefore of less value. The second is to argue that even though they are fully human, there are certain characteristics that differentiate them from people who are already born, and make their lives of less moral value. These characteristics include their size, their mental and physical capabilities, and the degree to which they are dependent on others. In other words, those who are bigger, those who are more developed, those who contribute more to society, are morally superior to those who are
not. Both of these arguments devalue the significance of what it means to be human, and both arguments are rooted in a rejection of the christian idea of ‘imago dei’- that all human beings are made in the image of God. Essentially, the debate over abortion comes down to one simple question: by whose standard are we going to determine the moral value and worth of the individual? Should we judge people based on the standards imposed by society, such as the size of a person, their mental and physical capabilities, or how much they contribute to the community? Or are we going to judge people based on God’s standard, which says that everyone is made in His image and is of equal value? If we choose to judge people by society’s standards, then we must conclude that the moral value of a person varies from individual to individual, because some people are able to contribute more to society than others. 

To argue that the unborn are less valuable than everybody else, simply because they are smaller, or less developed, or in a different environment, or completely dependent on the mother, is not only absurd, it is extremely dangerous. After all, this would mean that we have a right to murder anyone who is smaller than us, or less developed than we are, or in a different environment, or totally dependent upon other people. And unsurprisingly, this is the same sort of reasoning that was used to justify the mass murder of millions of Jews, as well as the euthanasia programs that were implemented by the Nazi regime in Germany in the 1940’s. The problem with almost any valid argument for abortion is that—if we are being consistent—they can easily be extrapolated outside the womb and applied to people who are already born: people whom society deems to be an inconvenience or a burden or a problem. And if it is OK for us to kill the unborn, then it is OK for us to kill these people also. If we accept the arguments in favor of abortion, we are only one step away from this dangerous idea becoming a reality. And many Americans have already fallen for these arguments hook, line, and sinker.

But how is it possible for this to happen in a nation which prides itself in defending the God-given rights of the individual? As the famous aphorism goes, “the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.’’ Here lies the answer. It is the sad truth that
all too often, those who oppose abortion and have the ability to do something about it, fail to make a difference, because they either don’t care enough to try, or they think that they are powerless to affect any real change. America has been overcome by a spirit of disinterest and disengagement. Again and again, we see evil triumph over good because too many people choose to ignore the moral dilemmas facing our society and instead go about their daily lives as if nothing were amiss. They either choose not to get involved in their communities because they think they are powerless, or they decide to quietly mind their own business and not do anything bold, because they are afraid of the controversy and adversity that will inevitably follow. And this apathy is especially prevalent among young people.
I am currently going into my junior year in high school, and I have found that many students my age have very strong opinions when it comes to politics. Almost all of them believe in freedom and liberty. Most of them are disgusted with the leadership—or lack thereof
—that occupies all levels of our government. Many of them are also firmly pro-life. But, all too often, these same people could care less about acting on their convictions and making a difference in their communities. This is because they think it’s impossible for them to make an actual difference. They don’t believe they can have a real impact on the people around them. And although I understand why they believe this, I also know that this notion is very wrong. Contrary to what they think, young people and students can have a huge impact on other people’s lives. They can accomplish real change in their communities, if they set their minds to it. Although one person cannot singlehandedly change the world in a day, he or she can join a movement of young people across America who are working together to influence government at the local level, and ultimately, change the entire trajectory of our nation. 

There are many things people can do to make a difference in society, and a great place to start is with the issue of life, because this is the most fundamental of all human rights. This is an important cause for people to get behind, even in states where abortion is already illegal. In the two years since the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, the lives of many babies have already been saved. This is a major victory for Christians and conservatives in this country, because we have a responsibility before God to protect those who can’t protect themselves and speak out for those who don’t have a voice. However, our responsibility doesn’t stop there. Instead, it is the duty of every Christian and every conservative who supports the pro-life cause, to do their part in making sure that these babies are able to live healthy, flourishing lives after they are born. This is how we will persuade more and more people to join our movement—by showing them that we really do care. We care about the babies whose lives are being saved. We care about the mothers who have brought these babies into the world. Unlike the Left, we believe in the sanctity and the beauty of each and every human life. The practice of abortion, and the arguments that support it, are an outrageous affront to most basic of all human freedoms. But unfortunately, a vast number of Americans are still pro- choice. Therefore, in order to maintain our civilizational grip on the most fundamental beliefs that are the perquisite for any free society, hearts and minds must be changed regarding the issue of the abortion. And one of the best ways for conservatives to do this is by showing people that we truly do care about the lives of others. We truly do care about these babies, not just before they are born, but after they are born as well. We must show people that we also care about the mothers who are then responsible for taking care of those babies. This is why the pro-life movement remains a very important cause even in conservative states where abortion is now a rare occurrence. People who advocated for the repeal of Roe v. Wade must now turn their attention to supporting mothers who are dealing with unplanned pregnancies and providing care and resources for women who are struggling to raise children under difficult circumstances. One of the best ways to do this is financially assisting the many pro-life pregnancy centers all across the country. These amazing ministries focus on providing mothers with alternatives to abortion, by giving them the resources, support, and information they need to be able to choose life. This is exactly the sort of outreach in which the pro-life community needs to be heavily invested, now more than ever. I am the co-leader of a Student Eagle Forum group in Cullman county, and we decided to begin organizing a fundraiser for the pregnancy center in Cullman: First Source for Women.

The event is scheduled for the 28th of September at the Fairview Town Park, and it will include a 5k race and Jogger’s Mile, as well as face paint, lawn games, and other activities. It will be open to anyone who would like to come, and if you want to sign up for either one of the races, you can go to THIS link to register. This is a cause that Christians and conservatives should be enthusiastic about supporting because we believe that all human life matters. And we should be willing to turn our deeply held beliefs into action. Not only should we stand for life in principle, but we must also support life in practice. We must become a movement centered around life; only then will others see that the opposing side is a movement centered around death—specifically the death of those who are too weak to defend themselves. Only then will people begin to see the dangerous assumptions that lurk behind every argument in favor of abortion. Only then will people realize how important it is for us to reject these assumptions and instead hold firm to the truth that all human beings have a right to life, regardless of the standards imposed upon us by society. Our right to life does not come from society. It does not come from any government. Rather, it is given to us by God, and therefore, it is worthy of protection. But if we judge people by God’s standard, then we must conclude that the moral value of each and every human being is the same for all people everywhere, because everyone is made in His image.