Written by Matthew Smith @boostermattyice
It felt like I had just woken from a bad dream. I walked over to my phone to check if there were any missed calls or notifications, and that’s when I saw the Breaking News. That news, of course, was the passing of Issue 1 here in my state of Ohio. My heart sank, and eyes filled with tears as I witnessed more evil within this country. Although I had just woken from a bad dream, I felt as if I was in another. This time a nightmare that I couldn’t wake from but had to live through. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, Issue 1 in Ohio now allows abortions to be performed through all nine months of pregnancy and, in a direct assault on parental rights, on girls under age 18 without their parents’ consent. Let me repeat: abortions can now be performed on minors without their parents’ consent. The same minors who are not allowed to vote, consume or buy alcohol, or get tattoos. The same minor who is not allowed to do any of those things due to her age and mental maturity is now allowed to make a decision that is much worse than any of those things—to take a life away simply because she feels like it.
To some, this seems to be a political statement, an issue on which one may be partially right, but in reality, this is a human rights issue, a matter of life and death. My feelings on this matter have nothing to do with my political affiliation or even my religion, despite the impact that has on my thinking and life decisions. They simply have to do with the fact that this is a human life we are talking about. A life that science demonstrates begins at conception. The killing of this human life is what voters allowed by passing issue 1 and cementing extreme abortion permissions into Ohio’s constitution.
To those who are blinded by the utter lies you have been sold, you need look no further than our northern border state of Michigan to see the reality. The Michigan voters passed a similar measure, which elected officials promised to implement as it was written. But they quickly changed their minds, broadening the law to take away parents’ rights. Now, we see Ohio going down this same road.
This is a big issue, and there is more to come. Nothing will change until we do something about it. Whether that is to pray, donate, research, or even protest—we must be that change if we want this horror to turn around. This is not just a Cry to Help but rather a Cry to Heaven. A cry that God hears—is hearing already—to comfort the parents, the children, and all involved in this troubling decision. A cry that He will not only show them a light but a path to make things right. Through the darkest of nights, always follow where He is leading you.