History is in the making in Mississippi! The life-affirming movement of our time finds itself at a pivotal moment with the upcoming case, Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization. This case will appear for oral arguments to the US Supreme Court on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. The final decision of our Supreme Court remains to be seen, but no matter the outcome Hope Clinic, and the 3,000 other pregnancy centers/clinics and adoption agencies across the US will continue serving with love and however called. Even if the Supreme Court overturns Roe vs. Wade, we will have a long journey politically to change our current abortion laws. The Mississippi law that will be reviewed in the Dobbs case bans most elective abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Mississippi also has various requirements within the law that continue to save lives, such as a 24-hour waiting period, ultrasound requirement, parental consent, etc.
The Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization case has been described as a better vehicle to evaluate Roe vs. Wade and Planned Parenthood vs. Casey. In Roe, the US Supreme Court held that a woman has a fundamental right to privacy which protects her right to have an abortion (i.e., it is granted by the United States Constitution), but acknowledged the government's interest in protecting women's health and prenatal life by restricting the time in which an abortion may occur (based on trimester). In Casey, the US Supreme Court upheld the previous "fundamental right" ruling in Roe but moved from a trimester-based restriction on abortion bans to a standard that enables states to restrict abortion rights based on "fetal viability." These cases challenged the notion that states cannot protect fetal life before viability. There are a number of purely procedural legal matters which are raised in the Dobbs case. Still, an important question that the Dobbs case will address is how the states can protect the unborn child's life before the child is considered viable--that is, whether all pre-viability bans on elective abortions are unconstitutional. The Jackson Women's Health Organization has also argued that women cannot participate meaningfully in our nation's economic and social life without the right to have an abortion. It was stated by Danielle White, General Counsel for Heartbeat International, that there are multiple potential outcomes of this upcoming case. One possible outcome is that the Supreme Court reverses Roe and Casey in full, holding that the right to an abortion is, in fact, not a fundamental right guaranteed under our US Constitution. Another possibility is that they uphold Roe and Casey with no changes. However, Danielle sees the potential for some change since the Supreme Court is hearing this case and what we need to determine is how Hope Clinic can serve with love, even more, no matter the outcome of this case.
History is in the making, and Mississippi is right in the middle of it all and under a microscope. Our adversaries are watching to see how we will respond to those we serve. We are a place of hope whether abortion remains legal or not. Even if abortion is outlawed in MS, women in our community will seek abortions in neighboring states. Even if a growing number of other states outlaws abortion, we recognize that an increase in the purchase of the abortion pill online will grow exponentially. If those on the other side are saying that women cannot participate in meaningful economic and social life without abortion, and since we know that 74% of women choose abortion due to a lack of support and financial resources, then how can we be there for those women even more?
How can Hope Clinic expand our help during their time of crisis so they will choose life? And how can the community and the church within it grow their resources so we can serve them well together? Together we can provide medical services, counseling, spiritual guidance, adoption information, material, and financial resources, and better our networking to provide a holistic approach. I believe in Philippian 4:13, which states, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' We can equip and support women considering abortion by providing these resources and instilling the same hope and trust in God that she can do all things through Christ who will strengthen her.
Together we can provide medical services, counseling, spiritual guidance, adoption information, material, and financial resources, and better our networking to provide a holistic approach.
Let's be in prayer and with God's hope that the courts overturn Roe vs. Wade but knowing that no matter the outcome, Hope Clinic will continue, continued prayers and support for Hope Clinic are needed as we carry on serving her with love however called.
Serving Him for LIFE,
Karen Sims
Executive Director
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