PROVIDENCE—On the 38th anniversary of the controversial Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the United States, the head of Rhode Island Right to Life says he is girding for a fight to cut off the potential flow of taxpayer funds to abortion providers before it can even start.
Barth E. Bracy, executive director of Rhode Island Right to Life, is imploring pro-life supporters to contact their legislators in an effort to thwart any attempts by Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s administration to direct the use of federal funds received through President Obama’s health care plan to pay for abortions in Rhode Island.
“We must prepare ourselves for a four-year-long struggle,” Bracy said during a pro-life rally in the State House rotunda last Thursday. “We must prepare ourselves to mount what is known in football as a goal line stand.”
Bracy is concerned that either the governor, or his new director of administration, Richard Licht, will support legislation that would allow for subsidies to be paid to clinics performing abortions, or that would oppose requirements for parental or informed consent for those seeking abortions.
Both Gov. Chafee and Licht are members of NARAL Pro-Choice America; a group that Bracy says is responsible for the Roe v. Wade decision.
According to NARAL’s official Web site, Gov. Chafee joined the NARAL board in 2008, while Licht has been a board member since 2001. Licht currently serves as the organization’s national chairman.
“There is cause for concern here in the pro-life movement in Rhode Island, and we must be more vigilant than ever before,” Bracy said.
“We need to get exclusionary language on every single one of these bills that is introduced. If we don’t specifically exclude it, the funding is going to be in there.”
According to Rhode Island Right to Life, the 5,000 abortions carried out in the state each year represent 23 percent of all Ocean State pregnancies.
Bracy said a NARAL report has given Rhode Island a low grade of D+ for not doing enough to promote pro-choice issues in the state.
“Getting a grade of D+ never felt so good,” said Rep. Jon D. Brien, D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket, who is determined to counter any further implementation of NARAL’s anti-life agenda in the Ocean State.
Rep. Brien gathered with about 20 of his fellow legislators on the steps of the rotunda during the rally to show their support for pro-life issues.
Carol Owens, coordinator of the diocese’s Office of Life and Family Ministry, spoke to the gathering in the Catholic tradition of responsible citizenship. She encouraged the group to live up to its obligation to uphold the life and dignity of the human person, born and unborn.
“Participation in the political process and responsible citizenship are virtues; a moral obligation,” Owens said.
“Whether we practice the Catholic faith and follow the Catholic tradition, or the religious persuasion of another faith, I believe we are all called to educate ourselves on the issues, become more proactive not just on election day, but every day.”
Several students turned out to show their support.
Mitchell Clough, a junior at Bishop Hendricken High School, and president of its Pro-Life Club, said the club’s 15 members are very committed supporters of the issue.
“It’s our priority right now to overturn the law,” said Clough, who attended the March for Life in Washington, D.C. earlier this week.
Rebecca Rogers, a junior at The Prout School, attended the rally with three of her classmates.
She said she feels that the pro-life issue is not at the forefront of issues that many of her friends and classmates usually discuss.
“I feel like they don’t care about it as much as they should,” she said. “I feel responsible to educate them.”
Rogers, and classmate Candice Kalil said they intended to start a very active pro-life club at school to better inform students about the issues that are at the forefront of their Catholic faith.
Bracy, meanwhile, vows to keep up the fight on the state level.
Since the new administration has come to power, Bracy said he is spending much more time at the State House with a keen eye to any proposed legislation that could possible provide federal funding for abortions in Rhode Island.
“Chafee and Licht will not back down, but neither will we. I think we can beat them.”
