The City of Albuquerque is already known to be a premier destination for women seeking late-term abortions. However, a soon-to-be-released HBO movie will feature Albuquerque as the next hotspot for the abortion industry’s latest target – underage girls, or as we appropriately call them – children.

“Unpregnant” is scheduled for release on September 10 and has been heralded by one movie writer as “an abortion buddy comedy.” The film tells the story of a high school teenager who discovers she is pregnant. After learning that she cannot have an abortion in her home state of Missouri without her parents’ knowledge and consent, she is referred to Albuquerque, where underage girls can obtain abortions without any parental involvement. From there, she convinces an old friend to take the long road trip with her from Missouri to New Mexico to “get the procedure.”

According to the Guttmacher Institute, a national pro-abortion research and policy organization, New Mexico has some of the fewest abortion protections and restrictions of any state in the country. With no parental involvement requirements for minors, no waiting periods, and no term-limitations, more and more women are crossing state lines and coming to New Mexico to circumvent pro-life laws in other states. AP data collected from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that “at least 276,000 women terminated their pregnancies outside their home state between 2012 and 2017,” and that “New Mexico’s share of abortions performed on women from out of state more than doubled from 11% to roughly 25%” during that period. Recently, the CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains noted that the Albuquerque Planned Parenthood parking lot is often filled with out-of-state license plates and that they “never turn someone away.”

Tragically, legal, elective abortion up to the moment of birth is nothing new in New Mexico. However, the recent efforts by the abortion industry to target children should have us all fuming. Just last year, Teen Vogue published an article titled, “How to Get an Abortion If You’re a Teen,” and this year, they highlighted the story of a young woman who flew to New Mexico to obtain an abortion when she was almost 7 months pregnant. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood launched an app and chatbot called “Roo” which interacts with children as young as thirteen about birth control and sex. The app has been praised by some as a tool for children to bypass their parents and skirt abstinence-focused education.

At one time, the abortion industry and pro-choice politicians promoted “safe, legal, and rare” abortions. Sadly, rare is no longer part of their pithy slogan or their radical agenda. With overall abortion numbers on the decline, they have turned their attention to indoctrinating children and promoting promiscuity, thereby fostering a new wave of customers to fund their multi-billion-dollar empire.

Shame on HBO. Shame on Teen Vogue. Shame on the abortion industry. And shame on us for allowing our state to become a bastion for their barbaric and cunning practices. I hope you will join me and other pro-life leaders in boldly proclaiming this year, “enough is enough.”

This November, all 112 seats in our State Senate and House of Representatives are on the ballot, and for pro-life New Mexicans, the stakes have never been higher. When we ring in 2021, will we face a progressive-dominated legislature that will quickly codify legal, elective abortion up to the moment of birth in state law? Or will we welcome a pro-life legislature that will protect women and children and help foster a culture of life throughout New Mexico? The choice is ours.

In the coming weeks, we will be partnering with our friends at Right to Life Committee of New Mexico to let you know who our pro-life Senate and House candidates are. While we may have many challenges facing our state, no issue is more pressing or morally urgent than the sanctity of human life, and our message this year is simple – “Vote as if life depends on it.”

This November 3rd, #VoteProLife and #SaveLives.

Have you heard of a group called The Satanic Temple (TST)? While they proclaim not to believe in Satan (which I found confusing to say the least), they state, “Satan is a symbol of the Eternal Rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority, forever defending personal sovereignty even in the face of insurmountable odds.” I presume the insurmountable odds they mention is God, which is ironically affirming for those of us who are Christian.

If that wasn’t bad enough, now they also champion the pro-choice movement. They state that the mother seeking a surgical or chemical abortion must look in the mirror and recite phrases that include “One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone”, and that, “By my body, my blood, by my will it is done”. Creepy and disturbing? You bet.

To take this even further, they recently launched a campaign to celebrate this abortion ritual and raise money. TST is raising funds through a raffle, with the grand prize being an abortion. It states that it will cover up to $2,500 for an abortion procedure.

What does this have to do with us here in North Dakota? Well, in case you thought those of us in the Midwest were immune, our next-door neighbor of Minnesota has a chapter of The Satanic Temple in their state. That’s a bit too close to home for me.

When a group of Satanists is endorsing a certain procedure, one needs to think long and about its moral implications. Will this introspection happen by Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers? Not in our lifetime. Will they accept the money from the raffle winner? I’m pretty sure they will.

In case you ever wondered who was behind abortion and approved of it, there you go. “It’s all about you” is the mantra of the abortion industry, and the abortion movement operates on the false premise that women have to choose between their dreams and their children. TST simply reinforces this lie.

What can we do? First, we can bring these facts to light. We cannot allow this horrible alliance to go unnoticed.

Second, we can pray. We need to pray that satanic influences in our world may diminish and not increase. Pray that these entities stop their support of killing preborn children.

Finally, we must pray that abortion itself not be “safe, legal, and rare”, but gone from this nation altogether.

There is plenty of evil to go around in this world, but by God’s grace, He has already prevailed on the cross. In that assurance, we must take the moral high ground and continue to fight for what is right.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:5

In Christ,

Mark Jorritsma
President and Executive Director

By Vince Torres, President & Executive Director

Last week, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) released a rough draft of their 2020 Democratic Party Platform, and if you are a pro-life New Mexican like me, this platform is “rough” indeed. Each year, the platform highlights the Democratic Party’s priorities and political agenda for the nation, and this year, the DNC was not coy about their support for radical policies that will expand abortion, overturn pro-life legislation, and ultimately continue the slaughter of millions of American babies – over 60 million since 1973.

Consider these problematic statements:

“We will repeal the Hyde Amendment…”
(2020 Democratic Party Platform, pg. 29, lines 43-44)

Though most Americans oppose taxpayer-funded abortions, the DNC platform states an intent to repeal the federal Hyde Amendment. The Hyde Amendment, which passed in 1976, prevents federal funding, including Medicaid, from being used for abortions except in cases of rape or incest, or when the mother’s life is at risk. According to a recent poll, 60 percent of Americans “oppose using tax dollars to pay for a woman’s abortion,” including 43 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Independents.

“We will restore federal funding for Planned Parenthood…”
(2020 Democratic Party Platform, pg. 29, lines 39-40)

In years past, Planned Parenthood, which performs over 300,000 abortions every year, utilized a regulatory loophole to access $50-$60 million annually in federal funds designated for pre-conceptive family planning services. Under the Trump Administration’s “Protect Life Rule,” the loophole was removed, forcing Planned Parenthood to withdrawal from the Title X family planning program. According to the DNC platform, these federal dollars would be restored to Planned Parenthood, allowing the abortion industry giant to again use taxpayer dollars to promote, perform, and refer women for abortions as a method of “family planning.”

“We will…protect and codify Roe v. Wade.”
 (2020 Democratic Party Platform, pg. 29, lines 43-44)

The future Roe v. Wade has never been more in question than it is today, and the DNC recognizes that one more U.S. Supreme Court appointment may very well lead to the overturning of the Court’s erroneous 1973 decision. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the DNC wants to both “protect” Roe (with pro-abortion judges) and “codify” Roe (with pro-abortion legislation) to secure elective, taxpayer funded abortion up to the moment of birth for decades to come.

“We will fight to enact the Equality Act…”
(2020 Democratic Party Platform, pg. 38, line31) 

Among the DNC’s top legislative priorities is the pro-abortion Equality Act. In addition to stripping conscience protections for medical professionals who object to performing abortions, this dangerous federal proposal could essentially gut every piece of pro-life legislation ever passed by establishing a federal “right” to taxpayer funded abortion on demand. In 2019, the Democratic-controlled House passed a version of the Equality Act with every single Democrat – including New Mexico Representatives Ben Ray Lujan, Deb Haaland, and Xochitl Torres Small – voting in favor of the bill. The legislation has since stalled in the Republican-led Senate.

“Democrats oppose and will fight to overturn federal and state laws…”
(2020 Democratic Party Platform, pg. 29, lines 42-43)

 With states continuing to pass and enact more pro-life legislation than ever, the DNC platform boldly asserts that Democrats will overturn pro-life laws at the state and federal levels. Imagine if the federal “Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act” was repealed, allowing for the intact dilation and extraction of an unborn child. Imagine of all pro-life state laws across the country – including late-term abortion bans, parental notification requirements for minors seeking abortions, and born-alive infant protection legislation – were suddenly wiped off the books.

Pro-Life Democrats Push Back

In response to the DNC’s radical, pro-abortion platform, some pro-life Democrats are now pushing back. Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats for Life of America, publicly chided the DNC for its “discrimination” and intolerance towards those who “support a whole life ethic.”

Meanwhile, a group of more than 100 “left-leaning, pro-life” clergy members penned a letter calling on the DNC “to recognize the inviolable human dignity of the child, before and after birth…. to reject a litmus test on pro-life people of faith seeking office in the Democratic Party…. [and] to end the explicit support in your platform for abortion extremism, such as taxpayer-funded abortion in America and overseas.”

#VoteProLife

At Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico, we are proud to have the support of Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Independents, and others in our effort to fight for the unborn children of New Mexico and our nation. Like the aforementioned clergy letter states, we believe “we have an obligation to speak truth to power in the face of injustice and inequality” and “to play a particular role in moving the conscience of the American people to end unjust discrimination against certain classes of people, as in previous civil rights movements.”

To that end, we invite you to join us – by speaking up, by taking action, and by voting for pro-life candidates this November. We will soon know whether or not the DNC amends their pro-abortion platform, but ultimately, it is up to the individual candidates to state their positions and many already have.

In New Mexico, for example, Planned Parenthood has already released most of its pro-abortion endorsements for President (Joe Biden); the U.S. Senate (Ben Ray Lujan); the U.S. House (Deb Haaland, Xochitl Torres Small, and Teresa Legar Fernandez); and the New Mexico Legislature.

Meanwhile, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico® released its New Mexico Legislative Pro-Life Scorecard, which documents the pro-life or pro-abortion position for every incumbent New Mexico State Senator and State Representative.

Please take some time to review these resources and stay tuned for more voter education tools in the coming weeks and months. Together, let’s #VoteProLife this November and ensure that the DNC’s “rough” draft on abortion does not become our “rough” reality in New Mexico.

 

Do you want your federal tax dollars to used promote abortion and to provide new grants to Planned Parenthood?

That’s what the U.S. House is considering this week, and we are urging all Americans who care about life to make your voice heard in Congress.

These pro-abortion maneuvers are part of a major appropriations bill that funds several departments, including Defense, Commerce, Education and Health & Human Services. It follows on the heels of another funding measure last week that weakened pro-life protections against abortion funding overseas. Despite all Republicans plus seven Democrats voting “no”, the Pelosi House passed that bill, sending it on to the Senate.

This week’s bill, H.R. 7617, goes even further:

It’s clear that the Democrat-controlled House is committed to undermining pro-life policies at every turn.  They have used the appropriations process to gut pro-life rules and roll back life-affirming executive orders.  While Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) clearly has a tight grip on the Democrat caucus, all Members of Congress need to hear from their constituents about the importance of protecting life in legislation.  It is true that the life issue is a mostly partisan one today, but it need not be that way forever.

As Rep. Chris Smith, chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, said during debate last week, “Someday, future generations of Americans will look back on us and wonder how and why a society that prided itself on its commitment to human rights precluded virtually all protection to the weakest and most vulnerable – unborn children.”

If you believe life should be protected in law by all lawmakers, will you contact your representative and ask him or her to vote against H.R. 7617 because of the many anti-life provisions it contains? It only takes a few moments on our Action Center.

Thanks for speaking up and spreading the word!

John Paulton
Mobilization Manager

An abortion-related study caught my attention recently. It talked about the results of a survey that was conducted on people’s attitudes towards abortion. While the results were not shocking, per se, they do represent new “data points” in the fight to end abortion.

The study was conducted by Notre Dame and looked at people’s attitudes towards abortion from a more in-depth perspective than many other studies. What is particularly interesting for us was that North Dakota was one of the six states chosen for the study. Of most importance was the finding that a majority (65%) of respondents said abortions should be completely illegal or legal only under certain circumstances. Results went on to show that, “five of the most salient sources Americans draw upon when talking through and explaining their attitudes toward abortion [are]: abortion experience, parenthood, facts, religion, and politics.”

It’s relatively straightforward to see how an abortion experience, parenthood, and quantifiable facts affect one’s perspective on abortion, but what about religion and politics? The study states, “Taken altogether, religion works to bolster ‘pro-life’ commitments…”. In other words, one’s faith values and how those values are reinforced are critical to a pro-life stance.

What does this mean, practically? At a minimum, congregants need to know and hear what their church believes regarding abortion. It must come from all areas of ministry: the pulpit, small groups, founding church documents, etc.

Do you know where your church stands on abortion? Has your pastor ever preached on the topic of abortion? I hope so. If not, we are here to help provide information on how to preach on this topic, and we can even speak on the topic ourselves, if requested.

The final source that people draw upon to inform their abortion attitudes is politics, which in the context of the study means ideology. “National surveys show that how someone positions themselves ideologically—from very conservative to very liberal—is strongly associated with attitudes toward abortion, even more so than political party affiliation.” All this underscores the truth: vote your values.

I greatly appreciate the study’s insights and results derived from all the states in the survey, including North Dakota. Family Policy Alliance of North Dakota® will always represent your pro-life values in policy, even if that is sometimes an unpopular stance. We represent you and your deeply held beliefs – it is why we exist. Thank you for always supporting us in our mission through your prayers, action, and giving. To God be the glory, and may we be faithful servants in all we do!

Sincerely,

Mark Jorritsma
President and Executive Director

In 2020, it’s easy to look around and wonder—is there anything good happening??

I’m thankful that the answer is YES, and you have been a part of making these good things happen!

Let me count some of the things we are grateful for at Family Policy Alliance, and I hope you will join us in praising God for this good news! And remember, these wins came about despite COVID-19 and all the challenges it brought right in the middle of when state legislatures were supposed to be busiest.

  1. First, do no harm.

    When we elect lawmakers to represent us and our values, the first thing we hope and expect of them is that when they get to our capitols, they first “do no harm.” In other words, please don’t mess things up.We know that politicians can often mess things up, but this year many states were able to block a lot of bills that would deeply harm the lives of children and families—in large part because believers and pro-family voices joined together to push back against these bad bills.For example, New Mexico was poised to pass a bill proposed by their governor and pro-abortion legislators that would codify abortion up to the moment of birth in state law. Believers of all denominations joined together in opposition. The bill’s defeat is widely celebrated as the greatest victory for New Mexico’s pro-life movement in modern history.

    In Georgia, the casino lobby spent major resources to lobby for unprecedented gambling expansion the Peach State, yet pro-family conservatives rallied enough opposition that the bill was pulled at the last minute.

    And, in Colorado where far Left activists have been having a field day with passing laws that are increasingly harmful to families, the state was set to pass the latest bill that would redefine what it means to be a “parent.” The bill would have, among other consequences, divorced child birth from parentage making the family entirely a creature of state contract law and encouraged the use of Artificial Reproduction Technology – in which many extra embryos are created and, in most cases, eventually killed – thus adding to the loss of babies in our state. A coalition of conservatives and believers rallied, and the bill was stopped.

  2. Saving girls’ sports!

    As you probably know, girls’ athletics are under attack by activists who would sacrifice girls’ athletic opportunities on the altar of a political agenda so that boys (who identify themselves as girls) can compete in girls’ divisions and steal girls’ scholarships. The state of Idaho had enough, and they became the first state in the country to pass a law protecting girls’ sports!Way to go Idaho! Their new law is under attack in court by the ACLU, so much work remains to be done to save that law so that other states can follow Idaho’s lead. Join the fight to Save Girls’ Sports if you haven’t already!The other good news on the girls’ sports front is that the Trump Administration has repeatedly clarified that to permit boys to steal girls’ athletic opportunities would be a violation of Title IX, the civil rights law that ensures girls equal access to academic and athletic opportunities with boys. And, the Trump Administration has also sided with Idaho in protecting its new law!
  3. Stopping Planned Parenthood & Nancy Pelosi, saving livesAs the COVID situation began to unfold, Nancy Pelosi’s COVID relief plan included a billion-dollar funding stream with a provision that would have excluded the Hyde Amendment — which has protected against taxpayer funding of abortions for decades. Thanks to tens of thousands of you raising your voice and to the White House, her plan was stopped.Then, while Planned Parenthood was seeking out masks and gloves in the thick of the crisis, they (and the broader abortion lobby) attempted to skirt regulations meant to protect women on the chemical abortion pill. With your support, Family Policy Alliance rallied a coalition of national and state-based allies to stop the effort in its tracks. Now that battle will continue to be fought in courts.

    Laws to save lives were also being advanced! In the midst of COVID, Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming helped shepherd a bill to protect babies who survive botched abortions. The bill passed all the way through the Wyoming legislature, even though Wyoming’s governor ultimately vetoed it. This fight isn’t over!

  4. Education freedom for families

    In America, our legal system is built upon recognizing certain God-given freedoms—including the right of parents to direct their children’s care and education. But sometimes, financial limitations prevent parents from being able to fully realize that right.Thankfully, in the midst of the COVID crisis, two major things happened to advance education freedom for families. First, President Trump’s Administration issued a rule to ensure that COVID relief funding would serve all students—those in public and private schools.Second, the Supreme Court struck down what’s called a “Blaine Amendment,” an antiquated law that has been used to prevent faith-based schools from being part of a school choice programs simply because they are faith-based. The ruling was a win for parents, for religious freedom, and most importantly—for children. We believe that children win when their parents can choose the best education for each child, and that no government should place limitations on a child’s future because of her zip code or her family’s income.

We hope this list of wins to be thankful for encourages you as it does us—and these were only a small sample of the good things happening across the country this year! Your voice makes a difference. Your vote can change lives. Your support is invaluable.

And certainly the fight isn’t over. Because of COVID, many state legislatures were cut short. This means that many, many good policies that protect lives and families were also not able to advance.

That’s why Family Policy Alliance is already gearing up for both the 2020 election and for January 2021 when most state legislatures get back to work. The 2020 election is critical to ensure that we have the right lawmakers representing us and our values in every state—so that we can advance those good, pro-family policies in 2021.

As you can see, the policies that are passed by good lawmakers can truly save lives and create a better country for our children.

No one’s claiming that any politician or law can be our country’s savior—only Jesus Christ can fill that role, and it’s clear today that we all need His saving grace. But we do claim that God has placed each of us in this country at this time to represent His truth in our system of government.

That is our calling and that is our unique form of ministry at Family Policy Alliance.

As we prepare for November 2020 and the life-saving policies we seek to pass into law in 2021, will you consider a gift to Family Policy Alliance?

For truth & for His calling,

Autumn Leva
Vice President, Strategy

 

One of the great pleasures in my capacity as the Director of Advocacy is the numerous opportunities to speak in churches on the importance of Biblical Citizenship. Recently, on one such occasion, a young man entering his junior year in a public university approached me after the sermon and said, “You made your position very clear.” My initial reaction of his compliment was one of perplexity. I mentally rehashed my message to scan for any key points that were purposely persuasive enough to account for his comment. As he continued to share his points of agreement and even disagreement with me, I was able to identify the specific claim that caused him to approach me and inquire further about my position.

Christians should pursue good public policy, in particular, the Biblical family structure as the foundation of society. In other words, every child has the right to live and experience the love of a father and a mother.

Yes, it is true. I firmly believe the biblical family structure is a non-negotiable position for Christians who claim devotion and loyalty to Christ. I am derided by some for remaining faithful to God’s perfect creative order for the family as established in the opening chapters of Genesis. These core universal, historical, and orthodox views include:

Yet, these long established acceptable and mainstream views are now scorned and routinely overruled in the pursuit of progress.  Postmodern activists want to erase what they perceive to be archaic oppressive ideas – such as male and female, as they reorient society for their new world.  They are relentless in their effort to redefine and reimagine every institution.

I refuse to allow those who seek to dismantle and destroy the biblical family unit to go unchecked and unchallenged. Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey® will advocate for your position because the future hinges on our joint engagement.

“Christians need to understand what is at stake. The end of parental rights
is the end of the family, and eventually, the end of human
civilization as we know it.”

Dr. Albert Mohler, The Gathering Storm – Secularism, Culture and the Church.

Standing strong,

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy

By, Vince Torres, President and Executive Director

In the opening to the 1859 classic novel, A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens famously penned:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us…”

As I spent some time this week pondering the influence and impact of the abortion industry in New Mexico, I could not help but think of Dickens’ masterful paradox contrasting the conditions of London and Paris at the time of the French Revolution. Since that time, Dickens’ words have often been used to compare and contrast the circumstances preceding a radical transformation or revolution. And given the state of New Mexico politics and the stakes involved in this year’s election, I believe Dickens’ paradox is quite apropos, particularly when it comes to the ongoing abortion debate in our state.

It was the best of times—In March 2019, 8 Democrats join Republicans to defeat the radical abortion bill, HB51, in the New Mexico Senate. The legislation, proposed by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and pro-abortion legislators, is an effort to codify abortion up to the moment of birth in state law. The bill’s defeat is widely celebrated as the greatest victory for New Mexico’s pro-life movement in modern history.

It was the worst of times—Just over one year later, in June 2020, 5 of the 8 pro-life Senate Democrats – Senators Mary Kay Papen, John Arthur Smith, Richard Martinez, Clemente Sanchez, and Gabriel Ramos – are defeated in their Democratic primary elections by radical, pro-abortion, progressive candidates. Their defeat comes on the heels of Governor Lujan Grisham’s promise to the abortion industry: “The second we have the votes in the Senate, that antiquated, absolutely outrageous law is gone” (in reference to HB51).

It was the age of wisdom—In 2020, pro-life State Representative Rod Montoya again introduces legislation to protect babies born alive after a botched abortion. Following the Governor of Virginia’s 2019 remarks condoning infanticide, public backlash erupts nationally and states around the country began to pass the “Born-Alive Infant Protection Act,” requiring medical professionals to provide appropriate care to any child who survives a failed abortion. At the federal level, the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives also introduce born-alive legislation during the 2019-2020 Congress.

It was the age of foolishness—In spite of overwhelming public support, born-alive infant protection legislation stalls in New Mexico and Washington D.C. Governor Lujan Grisham refuses to add the bill to the 2020 Legislative Session agenda. Meanwhile, in Washington D.C., all five members of our Congressional delegation block efforts to advance the bill through Congress. In February 2020, Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich vote against advancing the Senate version, and Representatives Ben Ray Lujan, Deb Haaland, and Xochitl Torres Small reject efforts to advance the House version.

It was the epoch of belief—In March 2019, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico® and our allies – Right to Life Committee of New Mexico, New Mexico Alliance for Life, and local churches – coordinate a mobilization campaign for citizens to call the Governor and express their opposition to HB51. In just two weeks, the Governor’s Office receives more than 10,000 phone calls with more than 98% of the callers stating opposition to HB51.

It was the epoch of incredulity—In spite of technological advances (including 4D ultrasound technology) and scientific evidence affirming the humanity of unborn children, paid pro-abortion activists flood the State Capitol in Santa Fe in 2019 and 2020 to lobby for the termination of human life. While loudly proclaiming “Abortion is Healthcare,” they advocate for abortion up to the moment of birth for any reason, while opposing conscience protections for medical professionals and reasonable healthcare protections for women and minors.

It was the season of Light—In 2018, thanks to the efforts of New Mexico Alliance for Life, pro-life legislators, and a Congressional panel, the University of New Mexico halts its fetal tissue research program which included the procurement, sale, and dissection of aborted baby body parts. The program’s closure comes three years after the University halts its training program at late-term abortionist Curtis Boyd’s clinic.

It was the season of Darkness—In 2017, 23-year-old Keisha Atkins dies during a botched, elective late-term abortion at Boyd’s abortion clinic. Though the original autopsy cites “natural causes related to pregnancy” as the cause of death, doctors who treated Atkins raise serious concerns about the autopsy and its accuracy. New Mexico Alliance for Life exposes the fact that women at Boyd’s clinic are routinely told not to call 911 during an emergency, but to call the clinic. In September 2018, pro-life attorney Michael Seibel files a wrongful death lawsuit against Boyd, his clinic, and the University of New Mexico on behalf of Atkins’ family.

It was the spring of hope—Ahead of the 2020 Legislative Session, Governor Lujan Grisham releases her agenda. Noticeably missing is her abortion up-to-birth bill. During an interview, the Governor concedes that the bill will not be introduced because she lacks the votes to pass it. During the final days of the Session, however, Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico is notified that the Governor is lobbying behind the scenes to resurrect the bill. Together with our allies, we quickly mobilize pro-life New Mexicans to call and email the Governor and members of the Senate. Our quick action diffuses the effort and the Session adjourns without any pro-abortion legislation being introduced.

It was the winter of despair—The U.S. Supreme Court overturns an important Louisiana law requiring abortion providers to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital, representing a significant blow to women’s safety. The Louisiana law in question was enacted to protect women from the abortion industry and its barbaric history of botched abortions by requiring abortion providers – like doctors at all free-standing clinics – to be able to admit and treat patients at nearby hospitals if emergencies arise. In response, pro-life attorney Michael Seibel and Abortion on Trial release damning evidence demonstrating how Keisha Atkins may have survived her botched abortion had the abortion provider been required to have hospital admitting privileges.

We had everything before us—Following the June Primary Election, attention shifts to the upcoming November General Election. With pro-life candidates for the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House, and the State Legislature on the November ballot, New Mexico faces the opportunity to send a pro-life Congressional delegation to D.C. and pro-life majorities to Santa Fe.

We had nothing before us—The November Election is up for grabs and New Mexico also faces the possibility of maintaining the status quo. And what is the status quo? – it is abortion up to the moment of birth for any reason; infanticide; no parental involvement when a minor child seeks an abortion; and continued efforts to force medical professionals to perform abortions against their conscience.

When it comes to abortion, New Mexico is “The Tale of Two States” – the state that values human life versus the state infamously regarded as the late-term abortion capital of the country. The state we choose to be moving forwarded will largely be determined by the outcome of this year’s election.

In his final contrast, Dickens’ rejoices and laments, “we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way…”

Practically speaking, New Mexico, we best move upward – and quickly – before our state continues its rapid downward spiral. I truly believe the “best of times” lie ahead, if we are faithful to impact the choices “before us.” This November, above all other issues and regardless of your party affiliation, vote pro-life and let’s restore a culture of wisdom, belief, Light, hope, and life in the “Land of Enchantment.”

It has been a busy week at the Supreme Court. This week we will look at how the Court has allowed women to be subjected to substandard care in June Medical Services v. Russo, a challenge to Louisiana’s admitting privileges laws.

In June Medical, the Supreme Court struck down a law designed to protect women by requiring an abortionist at least have hospital admitting privileges. However, the Court essentially said this was too high of a burden to place on an abortionist and that the law did not provide any real benefit. This is  similar to a law enacted in Kansas in 2011 that has been enjoined since that time.

Justice Alito aptly stated that this week’s “decision claims new victims.”

It did indeed. In Kansas we know the reality of women whose lives have been claimed by the abortion industry all too well.

There are real women in Kansas who have not received proper care during or after an abortion. Women have suffocated and died during an abortion.  Women whose lives have been permanently changed because of infections following a botched abortion. Women who have suffered through weeks of blood loss that required surgery. And sadly, these are just some of the stories we know about.

These are women who could have been helped by common sense laws like admitting privilege requirements.

The U.S. Supreme Court this week refused to value the life of mothers or babies. It is up to us, through our elected representatives, to continue to fight to pass laws that value both mothers and babies. As we do so, we change our culture and we build a testimony not just for the Court, but for those that come after us that these lives are valuable and should not be sidelined but should be cherished.

We already know we cannot count on our Kansas Supreme Court to protect mothers or babies. In the Hodes decisions of 2019 they removed our ability to enforce even the most basic regulations on abortion industry. This is something that we are working to change through the Value Them Both amendment.

The Court doesn’t get the final word on these questions. We will continue to work to protect life in our state and our nation!

For mothers and babies,

Brittany Jones, Esq.
Director of Advocacy

Women deserve better than the treatment they received today. In its June Medical Services v. Russo decision today, the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the radical abortion agenda by striking down a bipartisan law that protected women.

The law in question should not have been controversial. It was a bipartisan response to the horrors committed by abortionists like the infamous Kermit Gosnell. Gosnell was found guilty of manslaughter of a woman who died as a result of an abortion at his hands. He committed many other atrocities toward the women and unborn children in his clinic, treating them not as people but as mere commodities to be exploited.

In light of these horrors, Louisiana’s legislature passed a law requiring abortionists to have admitting privileges at a local hospital. This law, a bipartisan effort and the result of tireless work from the Louisiana Family Forum and other pro-life groups in the state, ensured that women would have the chance to receive continuous care if they suffered physical complications after an abortion.

Soon, abortion clinics filed a lawsuit on behalf of “women” – without actually representing a single woman in the lawsuit. This has never been about women. It has always been about the abortion industry’s bottom line. It’s the same reason the industry defied orders during COVID-19 lockdowns, and it’s the reason the industry will keep fighting against any restriction on abortion.

But today, the majority of the Court failed to recognize any of that. Instead, the Court fell back on an old, unworkable rule that virtually anything hindering access to abortion is an “undue burden” on women.

It’s a far cry from reality –Louisiana’s law was designed to protect women’s lives, not burden them. Today, the Court has allowed the abortion industry to continue putting profits over the health of women, providing sub-standard “care,” and appropriating the voice of its victims by illegitimately speaking for them in Court.

Abortion already creates victims among the unborn, but Justice Alito’s dissent in this case was right: “Today’s decision claims new victims.” Women lose when the abortion industry repeatedly gets a pass on following basic healthcare standards. Women deserve better than that.

Today, some may be left asking: Where do we go from here?

While we are saddened by this decision, it is a clear call to action in three ways.

First, we are called to prayer. As the family of believers, our hope does not rest on any law or decision of the Supreme Court. Our hope rests in the Lord, and we trust Him with the injustices abortion has done to women and millions of their unborn children.

Second, we are called to action in the November 2020 election. Today, five Supreme Court justices agreed to strike down a good law crafted by pro-life lawmakers in Louisiana. But four justices – including both Trump nominees – dissented from the majority’s decision. With one more courageous and conservative justice, today’s outcome likely would have been different. It takes good U.S. Senators to confirm these courageous justices.

Third, good policy work must continue at the state level. It takes prolife lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to pass a good law like Louisiana’s. While the Supreme Court continues to chew on old bones,  our mission is to work with good state lawmakers to pass good laws that protect mothers and their babies, and to change the abortion conversation in a way the Court can’t ignore. No matter what, we will continue to fight for the dignity of every human life—including the women the abortion industry continues to exploit.

Will you join us?

Brittany Jones, Esq
Policy Manager


Meridian Baldacci
Policy and Communications Manager