May 8 (Reuters) – A case brought by anti-abortion groups seeking to ban the abortion pill mifepristone nationwide will be heard next week by a panel of three deeply conservative judges hostile to abortion rights, a federal appeals court revealed on Monday.
The Biden administration is expected to urge the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in New Orleans on May 17 to overturn a court order that suspended the federal government’s approval of mifepristone
FDA Acknowledges Harm of Oral Contraceptives While Its Own Panel of Advisors Push to Make Drug Available Without PrescriptionMay 15, 2023
WASHINGTON – On Wednesday, May 10, a panel of advisors to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) voted unanimously to make the birth-control drug, Opill, available to consumers over-the-counter in the United States. The FDA is reportedly poised to make a final decision this summer. In response to the FDA panel’s recommendation, Bishop Robert E. Barron of Winona-Rochester, and chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, urged the government agency to reject this advice as “not good medicine” and continue their efforts to protect women’s health.
“It is concerning that the FDA has a recommendation before it to approve over-the-counter hormonal contraception when there is strong evidence of the many harmful risks to women’s health. In fact, in May 2022, the FDA changed their safety prescribing protocols because of a Citizens’ Petition from healthcare professionals and educators that raised scientific evidence of the increased risk of breast cancer with the use of hormonal contraception.
“Fertility is a gift, not a disease. Contraceptives exist to suppress the healthy functions of human reproduction. The mounting evidence of the many harmful side effects of hormonal contraceptives demonstrates that they are not good medicine. And yet, now the FDA is faced with the decision on whether to allow access to hormonal contraception without medical supervision. Allowing this to go forward is antithetical to the Hippocratic Oath that guides physicians to first ‘do no harm,’ and I urge the FDA reject this recommendation.”
In May 2022, the FDA acknowledged the risks of breast cancer with hormonal contraceptive use by changing its safety prescribing protocols in partial response to a Citizens’ Petition submitted by a group of concerned healthcare professionals and educators that formed the Contraceptive Study Group (CSG). The Citizens’ Petition analyzed research about the risks of hormonal contraceptives demonstrating numerous harmful side effects and the CSG requested the FDA to inform the public of those risks through reasonable labeling (“black box” warnings).
The FDA posted a partial reply offering modest acknowledgment of the risks of breast cancer with hormonal contraceptive use, and quietly changed the safety protocols for prescribing, as well as information that should be in the inserts when the prescription is dispensed to patients.
Last November, the USCCB joined with the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC), Catholic Medical Association (CMA), and the National Association of Catholic Nurses (NACN) to oppose the non-prescription availability of Opill without the supervision of a healthcare professional, citing the potential for numerous negative side effects including organ failure, cardiovascular disease, or neurological issues among others.
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The pro-life argument is an overwhelmingly winning position for pro-life candidates. We wrote an entire blogpost which makes the case. The key: you have to stay on offense. Playing rope-a-dope (as Mohammad Ali did against George Foreman) won’t work in this arena.
Do NOT let the abortion candidate set the terms of the debate. YOU set the terms.
So read this if you are a pro-life political candidate. In the weeks to come, this blog will look at a number of scenarios you WILL face. Here’s one example.
When the abortion candidate says …
“Polling shows that Americans overwhelmingly support legalized abortion.”
… you should say:
“Yes, by all means, let’s take a closer look at the polls.
The Marist Poll asks questions with a high level of precision and detail.
It consistently shows that 3 out of 4 Americans oppose 2nd and 3rd trimester abortions.
Pew Research tells us that 79% of all voters DO want abortion regulated in some fashion, including 61% of rank and file Democrats.
And yet the entire leadership of the Democratic not only opposes a single curb on abortion, they even call for barbaric late term abortions which voters overwhelmingly oppose.
They call for taxpayer funded abortions, which the public overwhelmingly opposes.
And they call for the elimination of conscience protections for Catholic doctors, nurses, and hospitals (who view abortion as abhorrent and sinful), which the public also overwhelmingly opposes.
I believe that abortion ends a human life.
Until my opponent can prove to me and the American people, including Democratic voters, that the living being in the womb is not a human being, I will continue to stand up for the little guy and his human rights.”
[How do you convince people that abortion is the wrong answer? Education. Support Pulse’s pro-life educational outreach with your gift today.]
Supporters of abortion without limits back up their convictions by protesting, desecrating, and bullying institutions and persons who cross them. They show up in mass in public at all hours of the day or night to defend what they perceive is their right to abort (kill) the inconvenient human person in the womb. That is why the March for Life can save the world.
Without marches that stand up for life, abortion will spread like a cancer to every state, county, and village in the U.S. If passionate pro-lifers won’t stand up for society’s most vulnerable members, no one will. And without marches for life, Roe v Wade would never have been overturned.
The blessings of liberty
“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
Note that the word ‘Posterity’ is capitalized by our Founding Fathers. Who are our posterity? The unborn.
Marches for life defend the right of our posterity to be born and for our nation to thrive. Pro-abortion riots and protests are designed to tear away the human rights of the unborn.
Two opportunities to march
You have two opportunities to march for life in the next eight months.
Here in Iowa, Pulse Life Advocates is co-sponsoring an Iowa March for Life on June 24th at the Iowa State Capitol. It starts at 1PM.
We have big pro-life issues roiling the Iowa political landscape. We need a huge turnout to signal to our political class that pro-life Iowans are serious about passing laws that protect our unborn brothers and sisters.
Join us in a pilgrimage to Washington DC
The March ends at the Supreme Court
The March for Life isn’t just a get-out-of-school card for young people looking for a few days to hang out with friends in the nation’s capital. It’s a transformational journey … a pilgrimage … that expands their understanding of God’s relationship to man.
Many students begin the journey with ambivalent feelings about their faith and the pro-life movement. They return changed, transformed.
If you’ve ever wondered how to raise pro-life children, sending them on the March for Life hovers near the top of the list.
Why we need the March for Life
Some wonder if the national March for Life is no longer needed because Roe v Wade has been overturned.
Pulse Life Advocates maintains that the national March for Life is more important than ever. The overturning of Roe was the equivalent of poking the devil. You saw what happened. Pro-abortion zealots attacked pro-life pregnancy resource centers and Catholic churches across the country (including here in Des Moines). The FBI has only arrested two culprits out of 276 attacks. At the same time, the Justice Department has threatened and arrested pro-lifers.
The other side has no interest in compromise. They demand unregulated abortion for all 9 months of pregnancy; they demand taxpayers pay for abortions; they demand the end of all conscious-protections; and they even refuse to care for babies who survive botched abortions.
THAT’S why the March for Life is more important than ever.
The March changes hearts and minds
The March changes hearts and minds by emboldening decent people who have been on the fence when it comes to abortion public policy. It gives them courage to be more vocal and get more involved, because the March shows them they’re not alone. It is especially effective at stiffening the resolve of young people who have to contend with peer pressure. The March For Life gives them courage on steroids to stand tall for their faith and their unborn brothers and sisters.
The more people that attend marches for life, the quicker the world will be saved.
Will you join us?
[RSVP for the national March for Life here. These Marches for Life can only happen with your financial support. Donate to Pulse online now.]
Some conservatives are bearish on the pro-life political issue. They point to the midterm elections and the recent Wisconsin election as proof that the pro-life issue should be downplayed. Pulse believes they are absolutely wrong.
The esteemed columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Kimberly Strassel, warned:
“At some point, the GOP might want to acknowledge its glaring abortion problem—and do something about it … in Wisconsin this week an out-and-out progressive judge, Janet Protasiewicz, easily seized the swing seat on the state’s high court.”
Not so fast.
Daniel Kelly, her opponent, was ousted from the bench in a 2020 election by 11 points (before the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v Wade). If abortion was such a big factor in his 2023 loss, post-Dobbs, you would have expected his losing margin to have grown, but it didn’t. He again lost by 11 points.
Ms. Protasiewicz’s campaign outspent her conservative rival, Daniel Kelly, by close to $6 million. That’s a big edge, and it allowed her to keep Kelly on defense on the abortion issue to the point that he distanced himself from Wisconsin pro-life groups. And for the record, 2 out of every 3 dollars spent by Protasiewicz’s campaign focused on issues other than abortion, such as crime and security.
Mr. Kelly was also linked to former President Trump, a common thread with candidates in the midterm elections who underperformed.
So to label the pro-life political issue as the root cause of the Republican loss in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election is inaccurate. It’s more complicated than that.
What about the midterms?
Pro-life candidates who remained on offense by promoting gestational limits on abortion enjoyed great success.
Alabama governor Kay Ivey won reelection with 67 percent of the vote.
Sara Huckabee Sanders won the Arkansas governorship with 63 percent.
Idaho governor Brad Little won reelection with 60 percent.
Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt won reelection with 55 percent.
South Dakota governor Kristi Noem won reelection with 62 percent.
Texas governor Greg Abbot won reelection with 55 percent.
Georgia governor Brian Kemp won reelection with 53 percent.
Here in Iowa, governor Kim Reynolds won reelection with 58 percent.
And the list goes on: Ohio governor Mike Dewine by 62 percent; Tennessee governor Bill Lee by 65 percent; South Carolina governor Henry McMaster by 58 percent.
And perhaps the highest profile winner was Florida governor Ron DeSantis who supported and signed pain-capable limits and a complete ban on abortions after 15 weeks. He won reelection by 60 percent.
Since reelection, he signed a heartbeat bill into law.
Stay on offense
Each of these candidates stayed on offense. That’s the key.
Pro-Life is a winning political issue when candidates force anti-life zealots to defend their extreme abortion-up-to-the-moment of birth position.
Donald Trump demonstrated the tactic in his debate with Hillary Clinton in 2016:
However, Trump has since blamed the abortion issue as the root cause of Republican underperformance in the midterm elections. Pulse questions the assessment. Prior to the Dobbs leak last year, national polling showed Republicans with a three point advantage. Come election day, House Republicans held that advantage, winning the popular vote by about three points.
Some candidates underperformed because they were weak candidates or waffled on the abortion issue. Some were clearly affected by their embrace of Mr. Trump’s stolen election claims. And many won BECAUSE of their strong pro-life positions … don’t forget that.
The dozen governors listed above demonstrated that the pro-life political issue is a winner in the hands of strong candidates who focus on the extremism of their opponents.
The human rights issue of our time
And yet conservatives like Ann Coulter put ALL the blame for electoral underperformance on the abortion issue:
“The demand for anti-abortion legislation just cost Republicans another crucial race. Pro-lifers: WE WON. Abortion is not a ‘constitutional right’ anymore! Please stop pushing strict limits on abortion, or there will be no Republicans left.”
For the record, Pulse’s only concern with party labels involves dignity of life issues. Sadly, only one party consistently supports pro-life public policy. But to Ms. Coulter’s point, the evidence we laid out above contradicts her thesis. Abortion is a winning issue when candidates set the terms of the debate, as Kim Reynolds and her fellow pro-life governors listed above all did.
For the record, Republicans can’t win any elections without the pro-life vote. That is a fact.
And for the record, the pro-life position is just, right, and moral, in contrast to abortion which kills innocent human life in the womb. So pro-Life is not just a winning political issue, it is a just issue, THE human rights issue of our time.
[Be sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming Iowa March For Life on June 24th.]
By Lydia Parlee
Lydia Parlee is a 9th grade student at Grandview Christian
In 2021, 86% of sexually active 18-49 year-olds reported using some form of contraceptive.¹ This could include over 15 forms of contraception, ranging from hormonal birth control to condoms.² Some forms of contraception have lasting consequences and serious outcomes, but all of these have the same purpose: to prevent life. But what is the big deal? If everyone uses it, is it not safe and acceptable? Most would affirm it is not a big deal and is a safe way to prevent pregnancy. But safety is not the standard for Christians, and the likelihood is that most have not dug deeper into the roots and history of contraception.
Since the invention of birth control in the 1950s, the family dynamic has changed dramatically. The fact that women were no longer obligated to have children opened up a whole new world of freedom and supposed empowerment. Women were able to get jobs instead of being tied down to their families. They could focus more on their careers than their families. Contraception no longer tied sex to marriage but allowed men to have intercourse whenever they wanted, with whomever they wanted, with the false promise of no consequences. If there were no consequences, then who cared? When we divorced intercourse and children from marriage, sex became a purely physical interaction between two people. It became casual and common. It gave no obligation of loyalty or life-long commitment. Consent is now the only moral standard for our culture, but as Christians, we must understand that consent is not the standard. Just because something is available and accepted, does not mean it is good.
Contraception divides the God-given call to raise-up children (Proverbs 1:8-9). In Genesis 1:8, God tells Adam and Eve to fill the earth. We all have a God-given call to multiply, and women have a crucial role in the family. Deuteronomy 11:19 says,
“You shall teach them [God’s Words] to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”
Mothers need to be home to answer questions and train a child in the way of God. This is not some job that can be outsourced to daycare or schooling. A mother’s job is important and cannot be compromised for a career.
Most people take contraception for selfish gain. They try to justify taking contraception by saying,
“I am just not ready,” or “I can not handle this right now.”
But it should not be up to us to decide whether we are ready or not. You do not just get to tell God when you are ready, or what you can handle. That is God’s job, not ours. We do not get to tell God it is just too much.
We should not be comfortable playing God, acting as God, or pretending to know best what we can handle. He gives us strength and is glorified in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). Dependency on God for strength is a good thing, not a shameful thing to be looked down upon. It should not be up to us to limit our family size so that we can have the perfect Instagram-worthy number of children. You do not get to put children on hold while you follow your dream career. When we do this, we are essentially saying that our career and money are more important than the God-given call to have children. We should not demand the timing, God does. When we are thinking rightly, we want God to give us what is best for us and leave all doors open for Him. We can not fully say “I trust the Lord in all things,” if we will not trust Him with our wombs.
Many may argue that not all people use birth control or other contraception to prevent a child. I would agree, the prevention of a pregnancy is not always the case. One may use contraception for several reasons. However, this number is few. It is said to relieve menstruation cramps, regulate menstruation and also lighten acne and iron deficiencies. However, birth control is not a permanent fix to these problems and is only successful when taking it. Hormonal birth control has lasting side effects. These include weight gain, an increase in depression, and increased cancer risk. Then, when you do want to have children, it often makes it much more difficult to get pregnant. The potential consequences just are not worth it.
This topic is actually Biblical. The Bible does talk about trying to prevent pregnancy. This is a fact many may not know or try to ignore. In Genesis 38, Tamar’s husband passed away, and her nearest kin was obligated to take care of her. He would wed her and take on any responsibilities of her former husband. This would include giving her children. However, Onan, her kinsman redeemer, did not like this idea. He did not want to give her children, so he dropped his semen on the ground so as not to impregnate her. He was trying to prevent life. He did not want the obligations of a child with Tamar (the common motive today for almost every kind of contraception). He viewed it as an unwanted burden. God thought this was evil. In fact, God thought this was so selfish and wrong, He actually put Onan to death. Onan only wanted life on his own terms, not God’s. This is where he went wrong. We do not get to choose the terms. We can not want children and life only when it fits our schedule. We must find choosing life a joy, not a burden, no matter the timing.
Some may argue that if God wants you to have children, He will make you pregnant, birth control or not. Of course, this is true. God can do whatever He wants, regardless of the circumstances. We see over and over again in the Bible that God opens and closes the womb (Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth, Rachel, and Leah,). However, Deuteronomy 6:16 says that …
“You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.”
We are commanded not to test God. Just because God is able to make something good come from something bad, does not mean we should do it. Some women are legitimately not “fit” or “ready.” This does not neglect the fact that God is sovereign over the womb, and we should want whatever His plan is. If you get pregnant, God wants you to submit and get ready! He decides if you are suited or not. God knows and controls all of our circumstances better than we ever could.
When Christians take contraception, we are essentially saying that children are a burden, not a gift. We are putting our wants over the God-given call to have children. We do not get to choose the timing or say when we are done having children, that is God’s decision, not ours. We are not giving God complete control over every aspect of our life. We doubt His faithfulness to provide for our needs, even if we have an unwanted or unplanned child. As Christians, safety and manageability is not the standard, and we must filter every motive, action, and thought through His Word, even contraception. Power to Decide recently wrote an article saying that “people – no matter who they are, where they live, or what their economic status is – have the power to decide if, when, and under what circumstances to get pregnant and have a child.”3 I ask you, should we trust our sinful, fallen, human desires with limited knowledge, and distorted perceptions to hold to that power, or is it better to trust in an all-knowing, all-powerful, and all-loving, always-good God?
***
¹Brittni Frederiksen, U. R. (2021, April 21). Women’s sexual and reproductive health services: Key findings from the 2020 KFF Women’s Health Survey. KFF. Retrieved September 29, 2022, from https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/womens-sexual-and-reproductive-health-services-key-findings-from-the-2020-kff-womens-health-survey/
²Parenthood, P. (n.d.). Birth Control Methods & Options: Types of birth control. Planned Parenthood. Retrieved September 29, 2022, from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control
32021, A. (n.d.). Everyone Loves Birth Control. Power to Decide. Retrieved October 4, 2022, from https://powertodecide.org/what-we-do/information/resource-library/everyone-loves-birth-control
[Lydia Parlee is a 9th grade student at Grandview Christian. She selected this topic for an essay assignment in her Bible class.]
Pulse Executive Director, Maggie DeWitte, sat in on oral arguments at the Iowa Supreme Court as they considered lifting the injunction on the Heartbeat Bill.
Her reactions:
Pulse administrative assistant, Sarah Schiltz (left), and executive director, Maggie DeWitte at the IA Supreme Court
“Chris Schandevel Senior Council from Alliance Defending Freedom did an outstanding job representing Governor Kim Reynolds and the state of Iowa. The two main issues that were debated today was the ability of the Iowa Supreme Court to lift the injunction against our Heartbeat bill that was passed and signed into law in 2018, and secondly what the legal standard should be in the state of Iowa regarding abortion law. The Iowa Supreme Court has until the end of June to issue their ruling on this case.”
Demonstrating her passion for this law, Governor Kim Reynolds attended the hearing in person. Here is her office’s press release:
“I remain optimistic that the Iowa Supreme Court will allow the fetal heartbeat bill to take effect as the Iowa Constitution requires. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, decision-making power has been returned to the states. Our citizens and their elected officials have chosen to promote Life and end abortion at a heartbeat, with exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother.”
Pulse will keep you abreast of developments on this critical course case.
The pro-life movement long ago recognized that spiritual warfare lies at the heart of the abortion movement. Blaze TV host, Steve Deace, has teamed up with the crew that produced the movie, “Unplanned,” to create a subversive film called “Nefarious” that fittingly opens seven days after Good Friday.
On Good Friday, Pontius Pilate asks the question with which our culture continues to grapple, “What is truth?” Deace and team have crafted a terrifying film that answers the question, and they do it in a way that will shock the modern power structure that so dominates American life.
Straightforward plot?
The plot is seemingly straightforward: A serial killer is scheduled to be executed at 11PM. The state needs to confirm that the man is of sound mind before they electrocute him. They employ a psychiatrist to conduct an evaluation. The condemned man maintains he is possessed by a demon, and tells the shrink that he (the shrink) will have committed three murders of his own before the day is done.
The movie contains no sex, nudity, crudity, profanity, or serious violence, other than the depiction of an execution. Nonetheless, the Motion Picture Association imposed an R rating, which will surely hurt the film’s box office with Deace’s core audience: evangelical Christians.
Should teens see “Nefarious”?
For parents and pastors who wonder if their teens should see this film, the answer is a qualified yes. The film is an eye-opener for young people whose minds have been clouded by a secular religion that says right is wrong and wrong is right. The devil is scary, and some kids can’t handle it. But the devil is also real, and Jesus spoke about demons and confronted them on many occasions.
The genius of the film is its honesty in its presentation of spiritual warfare. There are no tricks. Special effects aren’t needed. Deace conceived the piece (which is based on his novel, “A Nefarious Plot) as a sort of follow up to C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters.”
Can you match wits with a demon?
In “Nefarious,” the secular psychologist attempts to match wits with a demon, in the guise of a condemned man. The former represents the smug, atheistic ‘religion’ of the progressives; the latter represents the reality of the evil that seduces and thrives in the wake of progressive secular theology.
The conversation between the two keeps you on the edge of your seat and slowly, but surely, opens your eyes to … the truth. That’s why parents and pastors should consider taking their teens to this film. They will quickly discover it opens up the potential for rich conversations on culture, religion … and what is truth.
The screenwriters, Chuck Konzelman and Cary Solomon, adapted the movie from Deace’s novel, “A Nefarious Plot.” They’re the same team that brought you “Unplanned,” the Abby Johnson story.
“Nefarious” is more compelling than “Unplanned,” because you’re not sure where it’s heading. By contrast, the Abby Johnson movie begins at the end of her career at Planned Parenthood, post-conversion from abortion advocate to pro-lifer. There are no big surprises.
Why Nefarious is subversive
“Nefarious” is creepy from the opening scene, making it an apt entry into the horror film category. Deace weighed in on why his film is so subversive:
“The culture is attracted to darkness. Make no mistake, this movie is a thriller with the intent of grabbing the culture by the throat and saying to them, ‘you’re right to the tip, to the tape line of the mouth of madness. If you take one more step, you’re belly-flopping and you’re not coming back.’”
“Nefarious” sucks you into a world of darkness, a world where abortion is considered ‘healthcare’ and pro-lifers are viewed as ‘haters of women.’ Yes, abortion is a sub-theme of this film. And the way they incorporate it into the plot is gripping and terrifying.
Secular filmmakers own the horror/thriller genre, which deals with spirituality, the occult, and demonic activity. Deace says that’s a mistake:
“The idea that we’ve surrendered all of that supernatural material to the world system is a terrible idea. Jesus cast out demons. That’s our home space. Those with a biblical world view should own the supernatural space.”
That’s why “Nefarious” is so subversive. It dares to compete in a space hostile to a Judeo/Christian worldview, horror films, and present a truthful reality that is hard to ignore.
Good work, Mr. Deace.
While we celebrate the end of Roe v. Wade and federal abortion law, we have work to do in our state! Abortion is still legal in Iowa.
The Iowa March for Life is an opportunity to proclaim the value of all human life and advocate for the protection of life in our law.
Saturday, June 24, 2023
1pm Rally • 1:45pm March for Life
Iowa State Capitol
Outside on the West Steps
Governor Kim Reynolds & Attorney General Brenna Bird, Legislators, & Pro-Life Leaders have been invited. We will march around the Iowa State Capitol and Supreme Court Buildings.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE DETAILS:
Sponsored by the Coalition of Pro-Life Leaders:
The Life, Learning, and Achievement of my brother with Down Syndrome
By JACINTA HAMILTON
March 21st marks the observance of World Down Syndrome Day—a celebration of the countless individuals that bless our world with this condition.
However, the fight to recognize the value of all life continues, and the statistics are staggering. 95% of babies with Down Syndrome in Ireland are reportedly aborted. Iceland claims to have “eliminated” Down Syndrome by killing 100% of babies with Down Syndrome by abortion. In the U.S, approximately 74% of expectant parents abort a child with Down Syndrome.
A stark contrast
This brutal landscape is in stark opposition to the beautiful experiences of families who choose to give life to babies with Down Syndrome. The reality is Trisomy 21 is not a death sentence, it’s a blessing. I believe that we are at a moment of grace in this country where we can call deeper, and more profound attention to human life with special needs. Ultimately, I think the personal stories and the faces attached to the diagnosis are how hearts will be changed.
Fourteen years ago, upon learning that my little brother was born with Down Syndrome and would do some things more slowly than his siblings, my eight-year-old self spontaneously responded with “It’s not a race!” Words cannot express the blessing that Gabriel is to his parents, six siblings, and to his many other family members and friends.
A fuller life
This young man has had an overwhelmingly powerful influence on those who know and love him. He makes life fuller and richer in every way! Gabriel is the most loving and self-giving person I know, and I believe he has his finger on the pulse of what life is truly about. There is not a thing about him I would change. The fullness of Gabriel’s life is not measured by his external abilities, but rather his eternal value as a child of God.
Just before we entered the hospital room, my dad told my siblings and I that there was something extra special about our new brother, Gabriel. In his words, we had a beautiful and healthy baby brother who was truly a blessing to our family. Dad told us that Gabriel had what is called Down Syndrome. He said that Gabriel was perfect and needed lots of our love. He also said that it may take him longer to learn how to do certain things.
Dad said it was not really a big deal because we were all going to help Gabriel. I distinctly recall telling him in a matter-of-fact way: “Well, it’s not a race, Dad!” Where that came from, I cannot tell you. But I do know that this mantra that life, learning, and achievement are not diminished by a “disability” still holds true today. Not knowing what Down Syndrome was at the time, I can now undoubtedly say that my knowledge of it would not have mattered. Without being able to express it at the time, I somehow knew Gabriel’s Down Syndrome was only a small part of him, it was not his identity.
A celebration of life
Gabriel
“I just felt blessed,” was my mom’s response to what she felt when she learned of Gabriel’s diagnosis at birth. This was a grace. This is not meant to indicate that other responses are not genuine or appropriate. However, my mom’s response shows that a special needs diagnosis does not need to be a moment of grief, but rather a celebration of life. My own experiences tell me that yes, a child with special needs will affect your family life, but in the best possible way! Even though Gabriel may not conform to the “ideals of society,” he clearly teaches me that life, learning, and achievement are not a race, and this has permeated all aspects of my life.
For far too long, persons with special needs have been targeted as not worthy of life. We were endowed by the Creator to reverence all human life. Seeing all life through a lens that celebrates the dignity, self-worth, intrinsic value, and above all the immortal soul of each person will enable us to strongly defend all human life from conception until natural death.
The right to life is uncompromisable and is an exercise of our free will in defense of the most vulnerable. I echo the words of St. John Paul the Great who said,
“Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.” (Pope John Paul II, Apostolic Journey to the United States of America, 1995).
My hope is that Gabriel’s story will inspire others to see the infinite value of individuals with special needs in their own lives.
[Jacinta Hamilton is a senior at the University of Iowa majoring in Elementary Education. Pulse thanks her for the opportunity to publish her essay.]