Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he wants to make Alaska “the most pro-life state in the country” during his recent State of the State address, reminding society that children are a blessing, not a burden.
Protecting unborn babies from abortion has been an uphill battle in Alaska because of state Supreme Court rulings that have sided with the abortion industry. But the pro-life governor has not shied away from the issue. According to the Alaska Beacon, Dunleavy devoted a significant part of his Jan. 23 speech to his plans to promote life and family, including children “from the moment of conception.”
“Through the actions we’ll take together, when people ask which of the 50 states values children and families the most, from the moment of conception on, I hope they say Alaska,” he said.
Despite the court losses, Dunleavy expressed optimism that Alaska can become “the most pro-life state in the country,” and protect unborn babies from abortion again.
“I know this may sound strange to some, but we have to make it OK,” the governor continued. “We have to make it OK again to have families, to put a family together and to have children. Kids are a blessing and they shouldn’t be viewed as a burden.”
Among his plans are efforts to help new mothers by increasing support services through Medicaid and other programs, according to the report.
“We need more people in Alaska, not less,” he said. “We need more people in our jobs. We need more people in our schools. We need more people who create wealth. We need more families achieving the American dream.”
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In an interview afterward with Alaska Public Media, Dunleavy said he would like to see Alaskans pass a state constitutional amendment that would allow the state to enforce legal protections for unborn babies.
“I think that would be a good thing,” he said. “The question is, how does that happen? It only happens through a constitutional amendment. And if this legislature is not interested in passing a constitutional amendment, it makes it difficult.”
The legal situation in Alaska currently is very pro-abortion. Unborn babies may be aborted for any reason up to viability and taxpayers are forced to pay for their deaths. Underage girls also are allowed to abort their unborn babies – or be coerced into it by abusers – without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
Alaska Supreme Court rulings are to blame. Within the past few decades, the state high court repeatedly has struck down pro-life laws, including parental consent laws, limits on taxpayer funding for elective abortions and safety regulations for abortion providers. The rulings have been based on the claim that the constitutional right to privacy includes a right to abortion.
For years, other states like West Virginia and Tennessee also struggled to pass pro-life legislation because of similar rulings by their state Supreme Courts. Both passed state constitutional amendments to make it clear that there is no right to abortion, and now their laws protect unborn babies’ lives.
Currently, 14 states are enforcing pro-life laws that prohibit or strictly limit the killing of unborn babies in abortions, and others are fighting in court to do the same. Pro-life leaders estimate tens of thousands of babies’ lives have been saved since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in June.
Polls consistently show a strong majority of Americans support legal protections for unborn babies, especially after the first trimester or once their heartbeat is detectable.
