On the Steps of Justice: Forge Student Fights for the Right to Life (4 Minute Read)
This week was a historic landmark for American women and the unborn as the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Dobbs v. Jackson abortion case. I want to share a special article written by one of our current Forge Mentorship Academy students, Anna Young, on her experience in D.C. this week and her insight into how these hearings could change the course of history.
Anna Young is a Nashville, Tennessee native and is currently a freshman at Concordia University in Wisconsin. Her passion lies within the pro-life movement and politics, advocating for and giving a voice to pre-born babies in policy and culture. Unlike most Americans, she loves to speak in public, and her most recent accomplishment was receiving first place at the National Right to Life Oratory Contest!
Enjoy what Anna had to share below:
Understanding the Case
“On December 1, 2021, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization — a case that has the potential to change the course of the future of the United States and her posterity. To give brief background, the Mississippi Gestational Age Act (passed in 2018) bans abortions after 15 weeks. The only abortion business in the state, Jackson Women’s Health Organization, unsurprisingly found issue with the Gestational Age Act and immediately filed suit against Mississippi. Shortly after, the federal district court struck down the law. There was an appeal, and the Fifth U.S. Circuit of Appeals upheld the district court’s ruling that the Mississippi Gestational Act is unconstitutional due to the act banning abortions pre-viability. Viability is currently around 21-24 weeks, but with modern medical technology always advancing, viability is a moving line towards conception. The Supreme Court agreed to consider the 15-week abortion ban appeal in October 2020. The Dobbs case presents a direct threat to Roe v. Wade and its sister case Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Roe is the cause for over 63 million preborn children being killed nationwide under the guise of “privacy”. It is long overdue for Roe and Casey to be overturned.
Fighting for Life in D.C.
I have been actively involved in the pro-life movement since my early days of high school. I fight every day for a post-Roe America, and this moment is pivotal. A lot has changed since the 70s when Roe v. Wade was decided. We are now blessed with advanced ultrasounds that reveal the pre-born’s humanity in great detail. We have safe haven laws, pregnancy resource centers, and a powerful movement of men and women ready to support women, men, and their children.
I had the honor to attend the Dobbs Oral Argument Rally outside the Supreme Court on December 1st. The Supreme Court was flooded with people from both sides of the issue. The pro-life crowd greatly outnumbered the pro-abortion crowd. It was such a comforting, visible reality that Americans truly do care about protecting the preborn. We heard from many speakers including Alveda King (the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr), Abby Johnson (whose biography was made into the movie Unplanned), and Catherine Glenn Foster, a 2021 Forge Summit Speaker. There was legislative support at the rally as we heard from Rep. Kat Kammack of Florida, House Minority Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Sen. Steve Daines of Montana and more. After the rally, I was speaking at an event and both the Mississippi Attorney General, Lynn Fitch, and her General Solicitor, Scott Stewart, were in attendance. They both gave brief remarks on how the oral arguments went and explained the significance of this case. They both felt very positive coming out of oral arguments and said that, regardless of whether the justices will side with them, they felt that all the justices understood their clean and articulate argument.
More liberal leaning justices such as Justice Breyer argued that to overturn Roe and Casey would “subvert the Court’s legitimacy.” Justice Sotomayor argued that the Court could not withstand “the stench” of Roe being overturned. Additionally, Justice Breyer and Justice Sotomayor pressed that because so much time has passed since Roe, so the court should not mess with it.
Solicitor General Scott Stewart sang a different tune as he stated, “the fact that so much time has passed is not a point in Roe and Casey’s favor. They have no basis in the Constitution”.
It seems as if there will be no middle ground in this case. The court did not seem interested in moving back the line of viability. The liberal justices stood strong in their conviction that the status quo must be maintained. Interestingly enough, this makes it seem as if this is an “all or nothing” case. Either it is reversed or not.
Although oral arguments are not the final indication of the case ruling, Justice Thomas, Gorsuch, Alito, and Barrett seem to be on the side of life. Justice Kavanaugh also seemed to make it clear that this issue should be brought back to the states. We are uncertain on the exact outcome of the Dobbs case, but one thing I know for certain is that Roe v. Wade truly belongs in the ash heap of history right alongside Plessy v. Ferguson and Dred Scott v. Sandford. The decision will probably be known in June 2022, and in the meantime…. we pray. We pray that the truth that life begins at conception and deserves protection is revealed to each justice. We pray that lives may be spared and women may be empowered with life rather than oppressed by a culture of death. We pray that America may right its wrong. We pray for repentance across the nation. We pray for the preborn to be included in the bold engraving sprawled across the front of the Supreme Court: “Equal Justice under Law”. We pray with thanksgiving that, regardless of the outcome, Christ Jesus has already won the eternal victory.
As we look forward to a post-Roe America, we know that there is still so much work to be done. Reversing Roe will not abolish abortion completely in the U.S., but rather bring the decision back to the states. So, what can you do? Continue to pray for America. Lift up your local pregnancy resource centers. Lift up your local maternity homes. Learn to sidewalk counsel. Contact your legislators and let them know you value life from womb to tomb. Donate your time, talents, or treasure. Support organizations like Forge that grow the future of the pro-life movement. I am so thankful to the Forge Leadership Program that has continued to support me as I go out and stand up for the most vulnerable. I gladly invite you to join me.
I hope you have enjoyed this article by Anna and been encouraged by her passion for protecting the unborn.
Forge is committed to equipping leaders like Anna with the training, relationships, and support they need to succeed in the public square. Would you consider making a tax-deductible year-end donation to raise up more leaders like Anna? Donate Here!
Thank you for your passion for protecting American and biblical values like life.
