Action Needed To Protect These Babies Targeted For Abortion

Lord, we pray that You would help us put a stop to the lethal targeting of prenatal little ones diagnosed with Down syndrome and other disabilities.

Two-thirds of prenatal babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted in this nation. And 20 U.S. senators this week demanded action to protect them.

In a letter to U.S. Senate leadership, Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and Steve Daines (R-MT) led many of their Republican colleagues in calling for a vote this June on the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act (S.75). Essentially, this bill would ban the targeting of Down syndrome children for abortion, and it includes the teeth of criminal and civil liability for providers who try.

The senators declared the “inherent value” of all individuals, “regardless of their age, status, disability, race, sex or any other factor.”

Lamenting the abortion of more than 62 million prenatal babies — “the most vulnerable individuals in our society”— since the infamous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling in 1973, these senators zeroed in on the particularly disturbing facts for babies diagnosed with possible genetic disorders. They note that for Down syndrome diagnoses specifically, 2 out of every 3 prenatal children are aborted in the U.S. And they highlight a cautionary tale in Iceland by referencing reports showing the Down syndrome population being “virtually eradicated altogether.”

“While all abortion is tragic, systematically targeting individuals with Down syndrome through abortion is eerily reminiscent of the eugenics movement,” they warn.

The timing of this push is important. Numerous states have already passed laws against such lethal prenatal discrimination, and more are taking steps. Arizona, North Carolina, and South Dakota recently enacted their own laws, and  Texas is considering action. Also, just this past Tuesday, Pennsylvania’s House advanced such a bill — though Gov. Tom Wolf (D) has signaled he will veto it.

A helpful report recently released by the Family Research Council identifies 12 states with statutes banning abortion based on a Down syndrome diagnosis, and 6 states with laws on the books to protect against any such genetic or chromosomal targeting. FRC notes that abortion after diagnosis of other disorders like spina bifida, anencephaly, and citric fibrosis also have staggeringly high abortion rates.

FRC’s authors Katherine Beck Johnson and Laura Grossberndt add, “If the abortion of unborn children diagnosed with disabilities continues to become the norm, born people with disabilities will face greater challenges as a result of this eugenic mindset. Therefore, passing laws that protect unborn children with genetic or chromosomal abnormalities also benefits those already born.”

While you would hope all people would find such targeting of disabled babies repulsive, zealots for unlimited abortion on demand do not like these laws and they have become hotly contested in the courts. A couple months ago, advocates for life celebrated when the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Ohio’s ban on Down syndrome-targeting abortions. But then, on June 9, Planned Parenthood and its pro-abortion allies got to cheer when the 8th Circuit cemented a block of Missouri’s ban.

That split means this matter could be ripe for U.S. Supreme Court review. And at least one justice has already expressed feelings on this matter. In a robust statement last year related to Indiana’s ban, Justice Clarence Thomas observed, “Put differently, this law and other laws like it promote a State’s compelling interest in preventing abortion from becoming a tool of modern-day eugenics.”

Let us pray now for legislative efforts to protect the lives of little ones diagnosed with a disability. And let’s pray for the success of judicial efforts to defend those laws. May hearts and minds of leaders and all Americans be touched with compassion and deep respect for the inherent value of all these precious individuals.

Now is a critical time to stand for a culture that honors the sanctity of life.

 How will you pray for the defense of lives diagnosed with Down Syndrome?

Aaron Mercer is a Contributing Writer with two decades of experience in Washington, D.C.’s public policy arena. He reflects on faith, technology, and the public square at FTPolicy.com. Photo by Joshua Gerlach on Unsplash.