On 2 November, Ohioans will elect or re-elect many state officials. From governor to state representatives and senators, those elected will influence the outcome of a number of important and on-going issues including education, economic growth, jobs, health care, and others. Most importantly, the furtherance of fundamental rights like freedom of religion, free speech and press, and the right to life will be effected by those who Ohioans elect to office. Along with powerful special interest groups like ACLU, ACORN, AFL-CIO, NEA, Chamber of Commerce, Tea Party, Ohio Right to Life (ORTL), elected officials and their party shape the definitions of our inherent and legal rights.
However, the right to life was defined at the founding of the United States. In the Declaration of Independence, the right to life was “endowed by our Creator” (God) as an unalienable right,” which means neither government nor any other authority has a right to deprive any citizen of it. The only exception was first delineated in the Declaration and reiterated in the 5th and 14th Amendments. Government only has authority to deprive citizens of life for a capital crime i.e., murder, treason, etc. after due process of law (trial by jury for such crime).
The word “life” implies all developmental stages including conception, birth, and the like. From a developmental point of view, abortion is the deprivation of human life, and the only reasonable exception is when a pregnancy actually threatens the life of a mother.
The unborn can commit no crime. And, even if a pregnant mother did commit a capital crime, the unborn human could not be charged as an accessory because a developing child could not be regarded as a member (limb) of the mother’s body. Although attached by cellular DNA and umbilical cord, the developing child is still a separate human.
The views of those elected concerning life and abortion are important to the future of our state and nation. It is important because all other rights are contingent upon the right to life. Democrats tend to favor the right to kill the unborn and many Republicans tend to oppose it. Many Democrats often qualify their position by claiming they want to make abortion rare while failing to pass relevant legislation to achieve that goal. To achieve such a goal, legislation would have to make abortion legal only for a narrowly defined set of exceptions. If Democrats passed such legislation, they would be opposed by a majority of the political Left. Yet, not all Republicans oppose abortion. Many are closet proponents. They get elected by either avoiding the topic or by promoting the party position.
One can only hope those political candidates endorsed by the Ohio Right to Life are genuinely pro-life. Nevertheless, the following list are those men and women who the OTRL believe will defend Ohioans right to life.
Executive Branch
John Kaisch for Governor
Jon Husted for Secretary of State
David Yost for Auditor of State
Mike Dewine for Attorney General
Josh Mandel for Treasurer of State
Supreme Court
Judith Lanzinger for Supreme Court
Mareen O’Connor for Supreme Court
Ohio House of Representatives – Greene County
Jarrod Martin (Beavercreek) District 70
Robert Hackett (Springfield) District 84
For other Ohio District Representatives and Senators, go to Ohio Votes For Life
The ORTL also endorses several candidates for the U.S. Congress. They include
Steve Austria (Beavercreek) for U.S. House of Representatives and
Rob Portman for U.S. Senate.
For more information, go to The Ohio Right to Life (ORTL) voter website at www.ohiovotesforlife.org.