The Pro-Lifer’s State of the Union Address: What Obama Didn’t Say About Abortion

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jan 28, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

The Pro-Lifer’s State of the Union Address: What Obama Didn’t Say About Abortion

by Brad Mattes
January 28, 2010

LifeNews.com Note: Bradley Mattes is the executive director of Life Issues Institute, a national pro-life educational group. Mattes is a veteran of the pro-life cause, with over 33 years of educational, political and humanitarian experience.

“…I promised I wouldn’t just do what was popular. I would do what was necessary.” — President Obama, State of the Union 2010

Mr. President, what you’ve done has been neither popular nor necessary.

Not a word was said, during last night’s State of the Union address, about the administration’s pro-abortion ‘accomplishments.’ But they are many.

In January, just days after taking office, Mr. Obama rescinded a policy to keep US money out of international clinics that promote and offer abortions. Early nominations to the administration included the attorney who fought to starve and dehydrate Terri Schindler Schiavo.

By February, Mr. Obama took away protections for healthcare workers who could not in good conscience agree to assist in abortions.

In March, he lifted a ban on taxpayer-funded embryonic stem cell research — a move that forever cut short the lives of precious babies, in their earliest state of development, and forced us to pay for it. Then $50 million went to the United Nations Population Fund, which is heavily involved in limiting the population of China through forced abortions.

April brought a warning that pro-life advocates are “right-wing extremists” that need to be watched for terrorist activity.

In May, Mr. Obama chose a pro-abortion activist to fill an empty seat on the US Supreme Court. He also stripped all funding of abstinence-only education programs and proposed taxpayer-funded abortions in Washington, DC.

Over the summer, he called for “universal access” to abortion and nominated a science czar who supports forced abortion. The administration set up a snitch site, so supporters could turn in pro-lifers who opposed certain legislation, and sent out a highly-offensive veteran’s guide promoting euthanasia.

With September and October came more negotiations on a healthcare bill — a proposal that, if Mr. Obama has his way, will send our tax money to abortion mills.

In November, he formally endorsed House legislation promoting that, along with rationing of care.

He sent the Senate his seal of approval in December and paid for a second round of embryonic stem cell research with our money.

Then this January, he re-nominated the radically pro-abortion Dawn Johnsen to a top White House position. A former NARAL staff member, she’s likened pregnancy to slavery.

We have to ask: how could that be necessary, Mr. President? We already know it sure isn’t popular.

Most Americans are pro-life. Some 65 percent of us want to reduce abortions, not encourage, fund and force them. Why then is the state of our union a reflection of a pro-death mentality so contrary to our core beliefs?

Mr. Obama recognized, in last night’s speech, that “the only reason we are here is because generations of Americans were unafraid to do what was hard.” But may we add, also to do what was right. We’re here because our mothers said “yes” to life. Because their government didn’t push them toward the hands of abortionists.

Mr. Obama, you say those in public office shouldn’t “avoid telling hard truths.” Most of us listening hold no office, but we can tell you this: No economic stimulus, no energy initiative or healthcare overhaul can ever replace the millions of lives this administration is seeking to kill.

The value of America is its people. Please, Mr. President, stop ending so many of their beginnings.

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