AFEC: The Battle Lines Are Now Being Drawn

By Larry Page, Executive Director • Arkansas Faith & Ethics Council

Arkansans for Limited Government is a ballot question committee that recently filed a proposed state constitutional amendment to legalize abortion throughout the entire pregnancy. If the initiative qualifies for the November 2024 general election ballot and is approved by a majority of the state’s voters, it will do away with all the hard-earned gains we have won in protecting the innocent and defenseless preborn in Arkansas.

After decades of struggle and intense efforts, we have managed to chip away at the illicit “right” to kill the precious unborn in our state. Today, our state’s laws impose a near complete ban on abortion, with the only exception being if abortion is absolutely necessary to save the life of the mother.

This amendment — should it find its way into our state constitution — would allow virtually unrestricted abortion for all nine months of pregnancy. The drafters of the amendment sought to craft it in such a way that it would deceive voters into thinking that it was not such an extreme expansion of a restored right to abort a child. They attempted this bit of subterfuge by providing that abortion would be allowed up to 18 weeks after conception. However, language was included in the amendment that would provide exceptions and allow abortions at any stage in the pregnancy for rape, incest, fatal fetal anomaly or to protect the life or health of the mother (Emphasis added).

What does the nebulous word “health” mean in the amendment, and what conditions might justify the performance of an abortion at any time — even up to the time for birth? Well, those with experience in parsing this kind of legal jargon in the context of abortion laws tell us that health can mean virtually anything a doctor construes it to mean. In other words, abortion could be permitted under this proposal in situations like mild depression, anxiety and in any number of nonserious, manageable conditions. And nothing would prevent a nonexistent condition from being put forward to permit the abortion to be performed.

As you can easily recognize, this so-called “moderate” abortion initiative is a stealthy attempt to allow virtually unrestricted abortion in Arkansas, make no mistake about it. The Arkansans for Limited Government committee is a serious, no-nonsense group of committed zealots who are set on a course to make abortion a wide-open proposition in Arkansas, and they will be well-funded.

Groups like Arkansans for Limited Government have already greatly expanded access to abortion in seven states — California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Vermont and, most recently, Ohio. In all these states, the pro-life groups opposing the efforts to increase abortion availability in their states have been vastly outspent by the pro-abortion groups, with funding coming from wealthy liberal groups and individuals.

From all indications, this battle will soon be on us. We must begin to organize, raise awareness and bring our grassroots network into the loop, raise funds and craft the proper messages to give people reason and purpose in helping to protect the precious unborn who cannot speak for or defend themselves. They must count on us to do that for them. Let’s please not fail them.

To everyone, thanks for allowing us to serve you. And to those who support us with your prayers and financial gifts, we appreciate that you have chosen to partner with us. Our gratitude for you runs deep.