5 Things to Think About During Sanctity of Human Life Month

1. The History of Sanctity of Human Life

In 1984, then president, Ronald Reagan, issued a presidential proclamation designating January 22nd as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. This day marked the 11th anniversary since Roe v Wade. After 1984, Reagan continued the proclamation annually so that the third sunday in January would be recognized as Sanctity of Human Life Day. Reagan was a strong pro-life advocate and claimed that the Supreme Court had “struck down our laws protecting the lives of unborn children.” He is also quoted as saying in 1984 that, “Each year, remarkable advances in prenatal medicine bring ever more dramatic confirmation of what common sense told us all along — that the child in the womb is simply what each of us once was: a very young, very small, dependent, vulnerable member of the human family.”¹

His successor, George H.W. Bush, continued the proclamation. Bush’s successor, Bill Clinton, discontinued the practice throughout his entire presidency, and then George W. Bush reinstated the practice throughout his eight years in office. George W. Bush’s successor, Barack Obama, did not recognize this day throughout his presidency.

2. Who is Jane Roe?

“Jane Roe” of the Roe v. Wade case is actually Norma McCorvey, and she never intended for Roe v. Wade to become what it has. She was initially approached by lawyers who were interested in using her situation to gain access to abortions for women. Norma never actually had an abortion, and since 1995 she has become a Christian and been a strong pro-life advocate.²

3. Roe v. Wade’s Impact

Since abortion was legalized in 1973, there have been well over 58 million abortions in the United States.³

4. Changes in 2016

In 2016, states enacted 60 new restrictions regarding access to abortion. These “restrictions” include things such as requiring a 72-hour waiting period prior to receiving an abortion, or a ban on abortions after 20 weeks.

5. The Pro-Life Movement’s Impact

In the past eight years, more than 534,000 unborn lives have been saved as a direct result of the work of pregnancy resource centers affiliated with Care Net.⁴ Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center is committed to growing this number throughout 2017.

As you consider the above facts, we’d encourage you to consider what your role might be in upholding the sanctity of human life — not just one day out of the year, but every day of 2017.

Mary Holloman is the Communications Assistant at GPCC. She has a devilishly handsome husband and two kiddos: one almost 2-year-old and one due to arrive in May. When she’s not at the Care Center, Mary enjoys writing, making her son giggle uncontrollably, DIYing, and Diet Mountain Dew. You can follow her on her personal blog at www.AllMySpringsBlog.com.