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In 1983, an organization named Christian Action Council (now known as Care Net), founded with the help of Francis Schaeffer
and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, "asked President Ronald Reagan to create a special day to focus on the intrinsic
value of human life." That same year, "President Reagan issued a proclamation establishing a National Sanctity of
Human Life Sunday." Here's a portion of President Reagan's proclamation the following year marking the anniversary
of Roe v. Wade as "fitting ... [to] reflect anew" on our responsibility to "care for the lives and freedoms
of even the weakest of our fellow human beings." Since 1973, however, more than 15 million unborn children have
died in legalized abortions -- a tragedy of stunning dimensions that stands in sad contrast to our belief that each life is
sacred. These children, over tenfold the number of Americans lost in all our Nation's wars, will never laugh, never sing,
never experience the joy of human love; nor will they strive to heal the sick, or feed the poor, or make peace among nations.
Abortion has denied them the first and most basic of human rights, and we are infinitely poorer for their loss. We are
poorer not simply for lives not led and for contributions not made, but also for the erosion of our sense of the worth and
dignity of every individual. To diminish the value of one category of human life is to diminish us all. Slavery, which treated
Blacks as something less than human, to be bought and sold if convenient, cheapened human life and mocked our dedication to
the freedom and equality of all men and women. Can we say that abortion -- which treats the unborn as something less than
human, to be destroyed if convenient -- will be less corrosive to the values we hold dear?
We are poorer still. The 15
million "lives not led" President Reagan referred to has now grown to 50 million. And such a number can numb us
into believing that nothing we do matters. But I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful because pregnancy center ministries like Care Net
are increasing and initiatives like Focus on the Family's Option Ultrasound are making a difference. I'm hopeful because for
the first time in 15 years more Americans identify themselves as pro-life than pro-choice. I'm hopeful mainly because
I serve a great God. And God can turn a nation to protect the lives of pre-born babies. Even one that has shed their blood
for 37 years.
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