By Hilary White
COLUMBUS, July 16, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – On Friday, LifeSiteNews.com reported that Ohio’s Rep. Tom Brinkman had reintroduced legislation to ban abortion that had, in 2005, failed in the state legislature.
Brinkman has reintroduced his bill, with some changes, at the request of a coalition of pro-life groups, legislators, medical professionals and pastors.
On Friday, LifeSiteNews.com also spoke with Mark Harrington, Executive Director for the Center for Bio Ethical Reform (CBR) Midwest, who said he was disappointed by what he had perceived as a mixed response coming from Ohio Right to Life, an affiliate of National Right to Life, in comments reported by the Columbus Dispatch.
The Dispatch quoted Denise Mackura, Director and General Counsel of Ohio Right to Life, saying, “With the governor that we have, I don’t think there is any possibility of getting a ban passed. While we do have a majority of pro-life legislators in the House and Senate, I don’t know that we have a veto-proof majority.” Governor Ted Strickland, although he supported the partial-birth abortion ban in Congress, has said through a spokesman that he would veto the state ban.
Mackura, however, clarified the position of Ohio Right to Life, asserting today that her group does “wholeheartedly” support the proposed legislation. She said to LifeSiteNews.com, “Supporting legislation and being realistic about its chances are two very different issues.”
Mackura said she was disappointed that the Columbus Dispatch chose not to use her comments indicating her group’s support of the bill. She said she told the Dispatch reporter, “We were grateful to Rep. Brinkman for introducing this bill, since it is proof that Ohioans have not accepted legalized abortion on demand.”
She did clarify in detail the reservations her organisation still has, however, saying that there were inevitably “dangers” to be expected with state legislative attempts to ban abortion. “If the political powers are such that failure is assured, then we risk establishing the conclusion that people don’t support eliminating legalized abortion,” Mackura told LifeSiteNews.com.
She said, “We must understand the necessity to establish a cultural foundation for an overruling [Supreme Court] decision.”
Mackura, however, also went on to point out the positive effects that state-level attempts at changing abortion law can have on public perception. She said, “Even if they have no chance of passing, it is important to keep reminding our political leaders and our citizens that there is something tragically wrong with abortion and it should not be protected by our legal system.”
“It is important to continue to publicly stand up for life, and to be witnesses for the children who are brutally killed by abortion.”
Harrington told LifeSiteNews.com that he welcomed Ohio Right to Life support for the legislation and looked forward to working with them.
Read previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Ohio Bill to Ban Abortion Gets Mixed Support from Pro-Life Groups
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/jul/07071301.html