Protect Women Ohio (PWO) has released a powerful video to galvanize Ohioans to stand for life and parental rights by supporting the effort to defeat the extreme abortion amendment currently proposed in the state.
Dovetailing with the recent Dobbs anniversary, the video titled, Our Chance, tells pro-life advocates that now, they have the chance to make a difference and save lives.
It details how the amendment pushed by the ACLU and other abortion advocates would mean no-limit abortions in Ohio, allow abortion for minors without parental consent, and remove all pro-life protections in the state.
“This video is a powerful reminder of the progress we have made to protect lives across Ohio, and a call to action to defeat the ACLU’s radical anti-parent abortion amendment in November,” said Molly Smith, PWO Board of Directors member. “We hope this video will inspire Ohioans to continue fighting to protect the unborn, women, and parents’ rights to make decisions about their children’s wellbeing.”
Protect Women Ohio is a coalition of pro-woman, pro-parent, pro-life advocates headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.
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Pro-abortion groups moved on step closer doing away with parental consent and outlaw abortion restrictions on July 5 when they submitted the necessary number of signatures to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to advance the abortion ballot initiative.
Legal non-profit Alliance Defending Freedom analyzes the Ohio abortion amendment HERE.
PWO provides specifics in a statement on the video on the ACLU’s history of opposing parental rights related to abortion.
“The proposed amendment will eviscerate parental rights and allow minors to obtain abortions and sex changes without parental consent; allow for painful, late-term abortions at taxpayer expense; and wipe out existing common-sense health and safety protections for women,” the PWO statement on the video release states.
The video is set to run on PWO’s website and social media channels, and also be shared with pro-life organizations and coalition members across the state.
Legal analysis of the Ohio abortion amendment by Carrie Severino and Frank Scaturro was published in National Review. Severino is president of Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) and Scaturro, vice president and senior counsel of JCN and a former special counsel to the House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives.
“The proposed amendment would outlaw virtually any restrictions on abortion and all other procedures, including sex-change surgeries, that touch on reproduction, for both adults and minors,” they wrote regarding the abortion ballot initiative slated for a November vote.
The article noted the ACLU’s proposal would cancel current parental-consent laws as well as parental notification.
Safety measures eliminated by the amendment include requirements that a qualified physician perform such services while removing limits on late-term abortions.
Severino and Scaturro’s article illustrates why PWO makes the statement in its video that, “As parents, it’s our worst nightmare.”
Parents who object to abortions or gender altering measures are not only cut out of the decision-making process but potentially they would be penalized for interfering in any way.
In their legal analysis, Severino and Scaturro wrote about their concerns for how broadly the proposed amendment is worded, likening the outcome to the worst of abortion scenarios.
“The proposed Ohio constitutional amendment would make the state into a haven for no-limits abortion and other procedures,” they said. “It would become a likely jurisdiction to harbor a future Kermit Gosnell, whether he is a practitioner of abortion, sex-change surgery, or other procedures under the umbrella of reproductive care.”
In August, Ohioans can take part in an effort to stem the tide of radical amendments in the state.
“Issue 1” is on the ballot for an August 8 special election and a "Yes" vote will support protecting the state’s constitution by increasing the measures needed to procure ballot initiatives and raising the standard to change the state’s constitution from a mere majority to a threshold of 60% in order to amend it.
Ohio State Representative Beth Lear spoke at a prayer gathering honoring the anniversary of Dobbs and to pray over State Issue 1 at the town square in Sunbury, Ohio. Pregnancy Help News spoke with Lear and others in attendance.
“The key focus, at least for me, is we’re raising the threshold to 60%,” Lear told those gathered.
“There are 32 states that don’t allow access to their constitution through ballot initiative,” she explained. “Only 18 do and of the 18 who do, there are only ten who allow 50% plus one like we do. Of those ten there are only eight who allow a simple majority without other caveats.”
Jenna Armstrong RN, BSN organized the gathering on Sunbury’s town square and viewed the PWO video.
“Abortion causes irreparable harm to babies in the womb but also can leave lifelong trauma, pain and mental anguish for women,” Armstrong said. “It’s heartbreaking to see those tormented and suffering in the wake of abortion. This cruel and inhumane practice needs to stop.”
“If we are to do no harm as medical professionals then this procedure should not be used as it most definitely causes injury, harm and death,” she added. “Issue 1 will protect our constitution and protect us from fringe groups passing legislation that we don’t want in Ohio.”
Jane Stites attended the prayer gathering and was inspired by PWO’s video.
“I pray that people vote after fully examining their heart,” Stites noted in reference to Issue 1. “Our tax dollars should be used for good not evil. So, it matters how we vote, because it matters how our tax money is spent.”
As the video concludes, “We’ll have a story to tell our children and grandchildren about the time we voted to save lives, voted to keep our rights as parents. This is our chance to save lives.”
