A letter from Dr. Land to President-Elect Obama,

I would like to end all abortions.  I have not seen that happen in conservative administrations and I don't think Roe v. Wade will be changed.  But there is hope for change from the bottom up grass roots and from the top down. 

When I spoke with folks about the election, pro-choice advocates said to me, "No one wants abortion." It's a permanent solution that alters many and destroys lives forever.  Some women move on.  Of course most cope because of the resilience of the human spirit. 

But I have spoken to fathers who had no say, grandparents who had no say, women who live in regret, women who after having several abortions, when ready to start a family, never were able to have children.  The scars are deep. 

Why else would a liberal, pithy show like Boston Legal have it's two liberal protagonists (James Spader and Candace Bergen) share that they NEVER got over the loss of their unborn.  Sure, they defended the "constitution."   But they spoke what many don't - the enduring loss.  Go to Silent No More and see the photos of women holding signs:  "I regret my abortion."  Do I want it to end completely?  Yes.  As I have said, choice is a great thing.  And as a feminist (mellowed) it is hard to swallow that women would have their bodies legislated, but men would not be forced to have vasectomies if they were "serial" fathers of the terminated children.  Like it or not, you can't be "fair."  Nothing is black and white.  But the rights of the unborn have to be defended.  If we don't speak on their behalf, who then?   A civilization that allows 50 million lives to be destroyed, is a civilization that has more problems than Wall Street/Main Street.

Just remember, that baby that the doctors say will be born with debilitating disease and may suffer, when born, could be the next Stephen Hawkins.  Could be the joy of a family, even if life is short.  Worse yet, as friends found out just before they terminated late in a pregnancy, the test could be wrong.  Saying you can't afford another child or a child seems a reasonable argument.  Except many of those losing jobs still have to find a way to support the children they chose.  Life has no guarantees. 

The ONLY hope we have is our moral compass.  What is the underpinning of everything?  Life.  A precious gift we are blessed with.   I would rather see an end to abortions and will be volunteering in many ways to help reach that goal. 

President-elect Obama has taught us all one thing:  we each have a voice.  We each have a responsibility to speak, to advocate, to work for change.  I am working for this change.  I am taking President-elect Obama up on his call to us for a grass roots participation. 

So Dear President-elect Obama, I ask that as a Christian, you look upon this country and the foundation of its freedoms - including the basic right to life.  The most basic of rights.  I ask you to look at the letter Dr. Land has sent.  It is a start. It's not the solution I want, but it's a start.   And in my view, people can't be pro-life and not offer solutions to the mothers and their children.

Finally, I pray that we never create stem cell embryo farms to help anyone ill.  I understand that if those embryos that are frozen now are going to be tossed out like trash because they will never be used, if redirected, they could save or heal life.  And I'm okay with that.  But it's a slippery slope.  If anyone ever opens the door to allow people to sell embryos, farm them like tomatoes, then we as a civilization are doomed. 

Below is a letter from Dr. Land that I support.  It's not a perfect solution.  But it's a start.  And I will work from the ground up to end abortions.

Dear President-elect Obama,

By Richard Land - Nov 5, 2008 - 41

First, congratulations on your successful campaign to become the 44th President of our beloved United States of America. This was a historic election in terms of the massive increase in voter participation as a percentage of the electorate.

I hope you know that there are tens of millions of Americans who did not vote for you who are still very, very pleased that an African-American has been elected President of the United States.

The fact that this could happen in a country with as tragic a racial past as America’s says something noble and fine about the American experiment and the glorious “opportunity democracy” it has spawned. After much struggle, we as a nation have chosen together to live up to the promises of our founding document, the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

For those of us who came of age during the Civil Rights Era and were inspired by Dr. King, it is very gratifying to watch our nation elect a person of color to the highest political office in the land, even someone for whom they may not have voted because of serious policy differences.

Mr. President-elect, the Bible exhorts us to pray for “kings and all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We, therefore, covenant to pray for you, your family, and your administration. We will pray that God will grant you godly wisdom in all your decision-making. We pray with faith and confidence that “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water; he turneth it whithersoever he will” (Prov. 21:1).

On issues which involve moral and ethical values, we will both pray for you and exhort you to apply biblical principles and values as you make policy decisions which will impact the families of America and the world. We will also pray that God will bless you with safety, health and all spiritual blessings.

On issues where we agree, such as standing against genocide in Darfur and protecting basic human rights around the world, we will support you.

On issues where we disagree with the approach your administration takes, we will do our best to persuade you to change your approach. When we are unsuccessful, we will stand by our convictions and will exercise our God-given responsibilities and Constitutionally-protected right to work for alternative solutions which are more in accord with our convictions.

Southern Baptists remain unalterably committed to the protection of unborn human life. The vast majority of Southern Baptists believe that a pre-born baby is a distinct human life, according to both science and the Bible (Ps. 51:5; Ps. 139-13-16; Jer. 1:5; Luke 1:41). The euphemism of “choice” or “reproductive freedom” cannot disguise or justify killing a baby. Government has a proper role in protecting lives, including the lives of the unborn. Southern Baptists, by national resolutions, have opposed abortion on demand, and have called for public policies which severely restrict abortion and which promote alternatives such as adoption.

Mr. President-elect, you have said you want to unite us as a nation. An excellent place to work for such unity and consensus on the life issue would be for you to put your full and vigorous support behind the Democrats for Life House Caucus initiative known as the Pregnant Women Support Act or the 95-10 Initiative (because its goal is to reduce abortion by 95% over a ten-year period).

This bill (H.R. 3192 and S. 2407), sponsored in the last Congress by Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) and Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA), would, among other things:

• Establish a toll-free number to direct women to places that will provide support during and following their pregnancy;
• Fund collection of accurate data on abortion;
• Provide child care to low-income and student parents;
• Provide parenting education in maternity group homes;
• Make the Adoption Tax Credits permanent;
• Ensure that pregnant women are not denied health care by insurance companies and that coverage is continued for newborns;
• Codify the regulation that extends coverage under the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to low-income pregnant women and unborn children;
• Improve services for pregnant women who are victims of domestic violence;
• Provide services to parents receiving a positive test diagnosis for Down syndrome or other prenatally diagnosed conditions;
• Increase funding for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program;
• Provide grants to institutions of higher education to fund pregnant and parenting student services;
• Provide new mothers with free home visits by registered nurses.

All of these measures would help fulfill the pledge made in the 2008 Democratic Party platform, which “strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre- and post-natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.”

Mr. President-elect, America needs moral conviction, not moral neutrality. America’s children need a model of leadership committed both to excellence and to virtue. May God help you, Mr. President-elect, and make you that leader. And may God bless America!

Yours in His service,

Richard Land

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission works to protect the sanctity of human life by supporting bills such as the Pregnant Women Support Act. If you would like to learn more about this issue, additional resources are available here.