Meet Jane Roe

On January 22, 1973 two landmark decisions were handed down by the Supreme Court. Roe v. Wade granted access to abortion on demand up to the first trimester of pregnancy and then made abortion in the second and third trimesters contingent upon the health of the mother. The second decision handed down that day was Doe v. Bolton, which effectively allowed abortion up until birth by its incredibly broad definition of "health":

We agree with the District Court, 319 F. Supp., at 1058, that the medical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors - physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman's age - relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.

The end result of these two decisions was that all women were now legally able to receive an abortion up until the moment of birth, if their doctor agreed that their physical, emotional, familial or psychological health were at stake. By now we all know the ramifications of these two decisions. In the past 39 years, approximately 50 million babies have been aborted. There are plenty of topics to delve into when discussing abortion, an endless supply of statistics to consider, but at the heart of this controversy were two women forever known as Jane Roe and Mary Doe. Their court cases have forever altered the moral landscape in the United States and likewise, they have forever altered the lives of these two women. Today I want to write about the story of Jane Roe, also known as Norma L. McCorvey.

39 Years and 50 Million Abortions Later: Things to Remember

On January 22, 1973, the Supreme Court handed down their decision on the case Roe v. Wade. With a 7-2 decision in favor of the plaintiff, abortion on-demand was legalized in the United States. Even though the Supreme Court made a ruling on abortion almost 40 years ago, the debate still carries on. As I have read through articles written to commemorate the decision, I've been reminded of the philosophy driving the Pro-Choice movement.

A Little Encouragement from Aragorn

My previous post dealt with changing sentiments on morality and religion.  For those of us convinced that truth can be known and is produced by a loving Creator, this development can be frustrating, sad, and disheartening.  We know the truth, and proclaiming that truth isn't a matter of prideful boasting (or at least it shouldn't be), it is driven by a belief in the importance of knowing, believing and living out that truth.

I've been re-reading The Lord of the Rings and I just began The Two Towers.  As I read a conversation between Aragorn and Eomer and I was struck by just how disheartening and confusing change can be sometimes. In a society where our basic belief system is under attack and where supporting fundamental tenants of the Christian faith are called intolerance, it is easy to begin to question our definitions of good, right, and necessary.  I don't want to be intolerant and I certainly don't want to be hateful, so just how necessary is it for me to stand firm on some of these issues... 

...And then, in the most unlikely of places, I read this:

After pursuing Merry and Pippen for days, who are captives of the evil and dirty Uruk-hai, Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas come across Eomer and the Rohirrim.  Aragorn gives Eomer sad and distressing tidings of Gandalf's death and Eomer proclaims:

It is hard to be sure of anything among so many marvels.  The world is all grown strange.  Elf and Dward in company walk in our daily fields; and fold speak with the Lady of the Wood and yet live; and the Sword comes back to war that was broken in the long ages ere the fathers of our fathers rode into the Mark!  How shall a man judge what to do in such times?

And then Aragorn responds in this way:

As he ever has judged.  Good and ill have not changed since yesteryear; nor are they one thing among Elves and Dwarves and another among Men.  It is a man's part to discern them...

 It is quotes like this that make reading worthwhile.  Who knew a person could be so encouraged by a simple Ranger from the North.