Following the Supreme Court’s June 24th decision in Dobbs, rioters in downtown Portland, Oregon, left a startling spray-painted message: “Death to SCOTUS.”
That message — after weeks of violence and deadly threats against pro-life pregnancy centers across America — sums up the central product of the abortion industry: Death.
In 2019, according to the woefully incomplete data of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 630,000 abortions took place in America. While these are the most recent federal statistics available, it leaves room for speculation that the true number is much higher.
By contrast, community-based pro-life pregnancy centers have partnered with women who were at-risk for abortion to save more than 800,000 lives since 2016, according to new research by the Charlotte Lozier Institute.
That’s what abortion advocates in Washington, D.C. and the legacy media choose to ignore as they refuse to condemn violent attacks on pro-life centers, which provide tangible and holistic help to pregnant women facing challenging circumstances.
Since the infamous leak of the draft Supreme Court opinion a few weeks ago, more than 40 incidents of violence, vandalism or intimidation toward pro-life individuals and organizations have been recorded by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. This includes the alleged attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and the illegal picketing of justices’ homes.
And that was before the Supreme Court’s final ruling.
One radical group known as “Jane’s Revenge” actually issued a statement declaring “open season” on pro-life pregnancy centers.
This amounts to incitement to attack, physically assault and even kill the 15,000 staff and nearly 54,000 volunteers committed to helping pregnant women at life-affirming centers in communities across our nation, per the Charlotte Lozier Institute.
What did President Biden have to say about this? Faint words and sluggish action.
House Speaker Pelosi? As silent as the grave.
Meanwhile, pro-life pregnancy centers from Los Angeles to New York, Seattle to Miami continue to help women facing unintended pregnancies and save thousands of lives every day.
2 Million Helped In A Year
In 2019, the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s robust study of 2,700 pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide revealed almost two million mothers, children, and families received nearly $270 million in tangible care. With compassion and empathy center-stage, pro-life pregnancy centers provided nearly 732,000 free pregnancy tests, more than 486,000 free ultrasounds, and free essential baby items valued at more than $26 million.
Of course, the abortion movement despises the pro-life alternative to Planned Parenthood’s abortion centers because, there, women see the miracle of their child growing inside their bodies, and eyes and hearts are opened to the precious gift of life.
Pro-life centers don’t just offer free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds. They also provide a full range of compassion-centered medical care, education, and practical support for women and babies. This includes childbirth classes, breastfeeding consultations, prenatal and parenting education, student sexual risk avoidance presentations, STI/STD tests, post-abortion support, and free baby outfits and diapers.
The research shows a huge majority of Americans, both those who identify as “pro-life” and those who identify as “pro-choice,” consider pregnancy centers to be a valuable community resource. And those who receive services from pro-life pregnancy centers overwhelmingly give them very high grades.
Pro-life pregnancy centers exist to support women in their courageous decision to choose life for their babies, even under the most difficult personal circumstances. About eight out of every 10 workers at pro-life centers are community volunteers. Many of them have walked in the same shoes as those they’re now seeking to help.
Why The Hate?
So why is the radical pro-abortion movement so incensed by these pro-life pregnancy centers and the big-hearted community volunteers and medical professionals who make their work possible?
In the handful of days since the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs, we’ve seen the abortion movement exposed in all its ugliness and violent, bitter rage.
In contrast, we see the quiet compassion of tens of thousands of brave and heroic Americans seeking to help vulnerable women and save babies in community-based pro-life pregnancy centers across the nation.
In spite of all the threats, intimidation and venom of radical abortion activists, compassion and decency are winning.
This is the beginning of a new America. An America that truly values life. An America that compassionately walks alongside women struggling with unintended pregnancies. An America in which women are no longer manipulated by the death-seeking abortion industry.
We’re now entering an era in America in which life is a human right.
Charles A. “Chuck” Donovan is president of the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Moira Gaul, M.P.H., is an associate scholar at the institute and lead author of the new study, “Lives Saved Impact at U.S. Pregnancy Help Centers.”
The views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.