"Roe (v. Wade) is no longer the dictator over the Supreme Court. This is a landmark ruling that slams the brakes on infanticide and the devaluing of human life." -- IRD President James Tonkowich
Contact: Loralei Coyle, 202-682-4131, 202-905-6852 cell, lcoyle@ird-renew.org; Radio Interviews: Jeff Walton, jwalton@ird-renew.org; both with The Institute on Religion and Democracy
WASHINGTON, April 18 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling, today upheld the Federal ban on the procedure commonly known as Partial-Birth Abortion. The ruling marked the first time that the court has upheld a ban on a specific abortion procedure.
The Rev. James Tonkowich, IRD President, commented:
"The Supreme Court has taken an important step today, establishing that infanticide is wrong and that abortion can be regulated.
"It's been 11 years and 7 days since President Clinton vetoed the first partial-birth abortion ban. It's been 11 years and 7 days that we as a Christian nation have had to endure a battle to protect the most innocent from a gruesome death.
"Roe is no longer the dictator over the Supreme Court. This is a landmark ruling that slams the brakes on infanticide and the devaluing of human life. Partial Birth Abortion is a perverse practice that dresses up infanticide with a technicality.
"For years, a clear majority in the American public and both sides of the aisle in Congress has agreed that this abhorrent practice had to end. It is gratifying to see the court permit the appropriate regulation of abortion when the people call for it.
"Now that the vague exception of 'health' can no longer be used to justify these kinds of procedures, legislatures can move forward on the state level to apply reasonable restrictions on abortion.
"In a country as great as the United States it was a national tragedy that we as a nation allowed such horror on our most innocent. I'm proud of the members of the Supreme Court who saw through the politics and agreed that a nation as great as ours should not permit this evil on our children."
The Institute on Religion and Democracy, founded in 1981, is an ecumenical alliance of U.S. Christians working to reform their churches' social witness, in accord with biblical and historic Christian teachings, thereby contributing to the renewal of democratic society at home and abroad.
