By Tim Harfmann
Worshipers chanted ‘yes to life, no to death’ on the steps of city hall as Governor Andrew Cuomo pushes to expand abortion rights in New York State. “What they’re doing is killing lives!” said Miriam Rodriguez, who attended the interfaith rally on January 17th.
Cuomo’s so-called ‘Reproductive Health Act’ would write abortion rights into the state constitution. The wording would essentially allow for abortions for any reason during the third trimester of pregnancy — right up to a mother’s due date.
Councilman Reverend Ruben Diaz Senior of the Bronx led the interfaith rally. “The law says you could kill the children after they’ve been (conceived) in an abortion. Don’t tell me that’s not an assassination!” said Diaz. “Children are a blessing from the Lord. Anyone who says they believe in the Lord and His power can’t say that they don’t love children,” said Reina Marte, who attended the rally.
But Cuomo — who is Catholic — reiterated his agenda at the State of the State Monday, January 15th. “I believe we should pass a constitutional amendment. Not just a Roe V. Wade law — a constitutional amendment. Let’s write the rights of Roe V. Wade into the state constitution so it can never be changed,” said Cuomo.
The bishops of New York are fighting back.. The state’s Catholic Conference released a statement, reading in part, “The so-called ‘Reproductive Health Act’ will expand our state’s already radically permissive law, by empowering more health practitioners to provide abortion and removing all state restrictions on late-term procedures. With an abortion rate that is already double the national average, New York law is moving in the wrong direction.”
New York State has one of the highest abortion rates in the country. In New York City, nearly one-in-three unborn pregnancies end in abortion. “God is the one that puts life and takes life away. And once that child is in the mother’s womb, it’s alive!” said Rodriguez.
With democrats controlling both houses in the state, the bill is expected to pass by January 22nd, marking the 46th anniversary of Roe V. Wade — and Governor Cuomo has vowed to sign it. To date, an estimated 60-million abortions have taken place in the United States since the 1973 Supreme Court ruling.