Abortion Activists’ New Plot To Target Pro-Lifers In Georgia
Georgia Life Alliance recently uncovered a secret plot by NARAL, a national group fighting to legalize abortion until and after birth, to target pro-life lawmakers around Georgia with “gotcha questions” that they can capture on camera and use out of context to attack them with later.
When we uncovered their plot, we exposed them to our pro-life lawmakers in the State House and Senate to warn them to be prepared to be attacked in their districts this summer. But, since their strategy could easily turn against pro-lifers in the community as well, we’ve compiled their own sample questions and laid out answers to study and be prepared for pro-abortion attacks this summer.
Question 1: Do you support criminalizing abortion in Georgia?
Abortion is already criminalized in Georgia after 20 weeks, with certain exceptions. The Heartbeat Bill would simply move the marker for a criminal abortion from 20 weeks (when a baby in the womb can feel the pain of being killed during an abortion) back to when a baby’s heart begins to beat and can be detected – typically around 6 weeks.
- Will there be cases where someone gets an abortion and then someone is held accountable for that?
- That is already the case for all abortions in Georgia. Abortions must be documented and reported by abortionists to appropriate agencies. Criminal abortions are often uncovered by investigations by concerned communities or women who were victimized by abortionists who violate the law.
- Who do you think should face criminal penalties?
- Abortionists who break the law currently face criminal and civil penalties in Georgia. Women are exempt from prosecution under previous court rulings and state law.
- How would you know who the doctor is? Would you force women to give up their doctors? How would you pressure them to do that? If a woman refuses to give up the doctor, could she face legal repercussions?
- As stated already, when a doctor commits an abortion, it is already reported to appropriate agencies. We know who commits abortions in Georgia and abortionists who violate the law can be easily identified and held accountable.
- What about women that self-induce an abortion?
- As stated already, women who self-induce abortions are exempt both in statute and in previous court rulings.
Question 2: Personhood: Should a fetus have the same legal protections as any human?
Yes, that’s current Georgia law for children over 20 weeks old in the womb who are targeted for abortion or for any child who is killed by a negligent third party under our feticide law. The Heartbeat Bill simply moves the marker for those legal protections back to when a baby’s heartbeat is detected (typically around 6 weeks) for babies targeted for abortions, adds additional protections under the feticide law, and adds those children into the state tax law and child support law.
- How does this bill affect incarcerated pregnant people? How is a fetus protected in prisons and jails?
- The Heartbeat Bill does not specifically add protections for children in the womb of a mother who is incarcerated. However, the Dignity for Incarcerated Women Act (HB 345) – which was championed by the leading pro-life organization in the state (Georgia Life Alliance), authored by the House HHS Committee Chairman who approved the Heartbeat Bill (Rep. Sharon Cooper), and sponsored in the Senate by the same Senator who sponsored the Heartbeat Bill (Senator Renee Unterman) – provides protections to pregnant incarcerated women from being shackled and helps ensure healthy mothers and healthy babies in our prisons and jails.
Question 3: Does [HB] 481 include any safeguards against pregnant people who experience a miscarriage from being investigated?
Women experiencing the tragedy of miscarriage and the doctors providing them care are already protected under Georgia law and in previous court rulings from investigation after miscarriage. The Heartbeat Bill adds additional protections for them and does not reduce current law.
- How would you go about investigating a woman who had just had a pregnancy loss? There have already been instances around the country of women who have been interrogated in their hospital beds, and imprisoned after losing a pregnancy. Is this something you want to see in Georgia?
- As already stated, Women and their doctors are protected from this in Georgia law and in previous court rulings from being investigated or prosecuted after pregnancy loss. A woman is not currently at risk of investigation and the Heartbeat Bill does not change that.
Question 4: How do you think this bill affects maternal mortality?
According to academic studies, abortion is one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide due to the number 1 complication of abortions after 6-8 weeks being obstetric hemorrhaging. Because 5 of the 10 worse Georgia counties for maternal mortality (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Cobb) account for 36% of maternal mortality cases as well as 56% of all abortions statewide, we can reasonably assume that the Heartbeat Bill will help decrease maternal deaths and injuries so long as abortion doctors do not commit abortions illegally despite the law.
- Georgia has the highest maternal mortality rate in the country and half our counties don’t have OBGYNs. Why were those issues not prioritized if we care about human life?
- While Georgia certainly has more work to do to improve our maternal mortality numbers and provide the best care for women and children in our state, I don’t imagine opponents of the Heartbeat Bill would suddenly support it if we had the best maternal mortality numbers in the country. This year, we did form a study committee of experts to work with providers and stakeholders around the state to find the best solutions rather than impulsive measures to help address the issue.
Contact Us
Send us an email:
Statewide Mailing address:
2451 Cumberland Pkwy SE, Suite 3205
Atlanta, Georgia 30339
Coastal Georgia Office:
1700 Frederica Road Suite 304
St. Simon’s Island, Georgia 31522
Give us a call:
(678) 597-8055
GuideStar and Foundation Center are Candid.
