Dear Friends:

On the heels of the signing of Georgia’s “heartbeat bill,” lawmakers in Louisiana are now poised to pass their own legislation to prohibit abortions on unborn babies with detectable heartbeats. Last Thursday, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards was publicly asked about the bill. Governor Edwards responded:

“In eight years in the legislature, I was a pro-life legislator, 100 percent with the Louisiana Right to Life. When I ran for governor, I said I was pro-life and so that’s something that’s consistent.”

In recent weeks, pro-life Governors across the nation have been signing pro-life legislation at a record pace. Governor Edwards, however, is different from the other pro-life Governors because…Governor Edwards is a Democrat.

Within hours of his public statement, my newsfeeds were flooded with headlines—“Louisiana Governor breaks with Democrats on Abortion.” But the headlines only tell part of the story. Most of the stories do not mention that:

As I was reviewing these facts, I was reminded of what took place during the recent Legislative Session here in New Mexico—when 14 Democrats in our State Legislature opposed the radical abortion bill, HB 51. Surely, the victories happening in legislatures throughout the country are encouraging. At the same time, I believe they represent a response to an even greater force at work—and that is, the power of culture.

For years, the radical, pro-abortion lobby has portrayed the life issue as a battle between Republicans and Democrats; between young people and older people; and between women and men. A recent poll, however, revealed that a majority of Americans now support laws that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected; that younger voters are more supportive of the laws than older voters; and that women do not differ significantly from men on the issue.

You see, this issue not a matter of Republican versus Democrat, young versus old, or even woman versus man. It is simply a matter of life versus death; and, thank the good Lord, life is winning in America!

It’s time that life wins in New Mexico too, and soon, we will have our opportunity.

Sincerely,

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

P.S. I want to personally thank every one of you who took time to read, forward, and reply to last week’s email – “Governor Lujan Grisham Sends a Message to Hollywood.” I have never received so many responses and I am deeply grateful for all your words of support!

Dear Friends:

On the heels of the signing of Georgia’s “heartbeat bill,” lawmakers in Louisiana are now poised to pass their own legislation to prohibit abortions on unborn babies with detectable heartbeats. Last Thursday, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards was publicly asked about the bill. Governor Edwards responded:

“In eight years in the legislature, I was a pro-life legislator, 100 percent with the Louisiana Right to Life. When I ran for governor, I said I was pro-life and so that’s something that’s consistent.”

In recent weeks, pro-life Governors across the nation have been signing pro-life legislation at a record pace. Governor Edwards, however, is different from the other pro-life Governors because…Governor Edwards is a Democrat.

Within hours of his public statement, my newsfeeds were flooded with headlines—“Louisiana Governor breaks with Democrats on Abortion.” But the headlines only tell part of the story. Most of the stories do not mention that:

As I was reviewing these facts, I was reminded of what took place during the recent Legislative Session here in New Mexico—when 14 Democrats in our State Legislature opposed the radical abortion bill, HB 51. Surely, the victories happening in legislatures throughout the country are encouraging. At the same time, I believe they represent a response to an even greater force at work—and that is, the power of culture.

For years, the radical, pro-abortion lobby has portrayed the life issue as a battle between Republicans and Democrats; between young people and older people; and between women and men. A recent poll, however, revealed that a majority of Americans now support laws that would ban abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected; that younger voters are more supportive of the laws than older voters; and that women do not differ significantly from men on the issue.

You see, this issue not a matter of Republican versus Democrat, young versus old, or even woman versus man. It is simply a matter of life versus death; and, thank the good Lord, life is winning in America!

It’s time that life wins in New Mexico too, and soon, we will have our opportunity.

Sincerely,

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

P.S. I want to personally thank every one of you who took time to read, forward, and reply to last week’s email – “Governor Lujan Grisham Sends a Message to Hollywood.” I have never received so many responses and I am deeply grateful for all your words of support!

Dear Friends:

In late-March, 80 actors and actresses sent a letter to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp threatening to boycott the State of Georgia if he signed the “Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act”—a bill which protects unborn babies from abortions once a heartbeat is detected.

Last week, Governor Kemp sent a clear message to those radical, pro-abortion Hollywood elites when he signed the bill and boldly stated: “We will not back down. We will always continue to fight for life.”

This week, our Governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham, also had a message for the pro-abortion Hollywood crowd. Her message: “Bring your cameras” to New Mexico.

“The situation in Georgia is appalling to me and, I know, so many New Mexicans. I hope film companies make the ethical choice and invest in states that are clear about baseline human rights, not least a woman’s autonomy over her own body. To those production companies and filmmakers across the U.S. and elsewhere I would offer a simple reminder: New Mexico is wide open for business. Bring your cameras.” -Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham 

It is a sad day in New Mexico when our Governor attempts to leverage the lives of unborn children for movies—when she publicly affirms that appeasing Hollywood is more important than protecting innocent life—when she describes pro-life legislation as “appalling”—and when she portrays abortion as both “ethical” and a “baseline human right.”

Has this really become our state’s best selling point? That we can kill unborn children up to the moment of birth in New Mexico?

Growing up, I always believed that one of our state’s best characteristics was our commitment to family and life. Never did I imagine a day when we would be infamously known for our culture of death.

We need change. We need it now. And we can make it happen.

Through faithful prayer and persistent action, let’s be the agents of change needed to reverse the culture of death in our state. Let’s be the answer to our own prayers. Together, let’s foster a New Mexico where life is cherished.

Standing for Life,

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

 

“…but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.” –Daniel 11:32 (ESV)

Dear Friends:

In case you missed it, there have been several stories in the news recently related to our core issues at Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico. One of our goals is to keep you informed on current events so we can anticipate some of the potential challenges and opportunities headed our way, particularly as they relate to religious freedom, the family, and life.

Religious Freedom – California State Legislature Passes Draconian Anti-Religious Freedom Legislation

Over the past several weeks, the California State Legislature has been rushing through one of the most controversial and anti-religious freedom bills on record. AB 2943, recently passed by the California Assembly, would make it illegal under California’s consumer protection law to offer “any practices that seek to…change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex.” The legislation, which has been misleadingly advertised as a mere “conversion therapy ban,” is so broadly written that it could cover any financial transaction. This could lead to a ban on Christian books, retreats, and conferences, and a ban on any paid Christian counseling that helps those with unwanted same-sex attraction.

 Family – British Toddler at the Center of UK Legal Battle Passes Away

 After weeks of debate and legal appeals, 23-month-old Alfie Evans passed away when his life support was withdrawn by order of a UK Court over the objections of his parents. Alfie was on life support in a UK hospital for nearly half his life due to a degenerative brain disease. The doctors at the hospital ultimately determined that it was in the child’s “best interests” to have life support removed. Alfie’s parents fought desperately in the Court system to save his life and requested permission to seek treatment outside the country. Unfortunately, a UK High Court Justice rejected their request and ordered the termination of Alfie’s life support. Contrary to expectations by the doctors, Alfie continued to breath on his own. His parents appealed to the government once more to leave the country for treatment but, once again, the Court ruled to ban their travel. Alfie passed away a few days later.

 Life – Iowa Legislature Passes, Governor Signs Heartbeat Bill

Let’s end this week on a positive note. Last Friday, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill to ban most abortions once a heartbeat is detected on the child.

After signing the bill, Governor Reynolds stated, “I believe that all innocent life is precious and sacred, and as governor, I pledged to do everything in my power to protect it. That is what I am doing today. I understand that not everyone will agree with this decision. But if death is determined when a heart stops beating, then doesn’t a beating heart indicate life? For me, it is immoral to stop an innocent beating heart. For me, it is sickening to sell fetal body parts. For me, my faith leads me to protect every Iowan, no matter how small. I understand and anticipate that this will likely be challenged in court, and that courts may even put a hold on the law until it reaches the Supreme Court. However, this is bigger than just a law. This is about life. I am not going to back down from who I am or what I believe in.”

These stories and many others serve as a powerful reminder of why we need elected leaders who are willing to protect religious freedom, family, and life. Next month, Family Policy Foundation will hold our annual Statesmen Academy to train elected officials to stand firm in their faith and advance these values through laws they pass. Two of our legislators from New Mexico have received invitations and confirmed their attendance! If you would like to support the Statesmen Academy, a generous Christian family has provided a matching grant, so every dollar given will be matched – now up to $120,000!

Thank you for standing firm and taking action with us!

For God’s Glory Alone,

Vince Torres
President & Executive Director