Salem, Ore.—The Senate Committee on Rules held a public hearing on Senate Joint Resolution 33, which seeks to enshrine abortion rights in the Oregon State Constitution. If enacted, the resolution would likely reinforce the current laws in Oregon that allow abortion for any reason until birth.Oregon Right to Life executive director Lois Anderson testified that, although offered as a solution for injustice, abortion has failed to achieve those aims.
“They told us that when they legalized abortion, our society would become a more just, more humane place for all of our citizens,” stated Anderson. “It is estimated that 60-90% of babies diagnosed with Down’s syndrome die from abortion in the U.S., compared to 18% of all pregnancies ending in abortion. We have more people with mental illness suffering and dying on our streets. Abortion has not solved society’s problems.”
The protection of abortion in Senate Joint Resolution 33 has been framed as protection for equal rights. According to Anderson, however, it will further abridge the rights of the unborn human beings whose lives are ended by abortion.
“So this bill, SJR 33, which purports to enshrine equal rights under the law for all people in Oregon, will actually do the opposite,” continued Anderson. “If adopted by the people of Oregon as its advocates hope, it will codify the legal discrimination that exists against developing babies under the guise of women’s rights.”
