Any Day is the Right Day to Vote Yes on 1

              Today is a unique convergence in Tennessee for two groups of unborn children. As such, I think it appropriate to bring my views on one of the constitutional amendments that we Tennesseans are voting on to the screen today. Perhaps you share one of more of my angles. Perhaps I’ll throw you a new thought or two. Feel free to share. These are conversation worth having with yourself even if not with others.
               Today begins early voting in Tennessee. The first Tennesseans can now make their voices heard on (among other things) what is commonly referred to as “Amendment 1,” an amendment to our State’s constitution relative to the issue of abortion. Whether you vote “yes” or “no” on 1, today is your first opportunity. [And whether you vote today or not, be sure to vote if you are eligible.] I choose to vote “yes” on Amendment 1. I do so knowing that the passage of this constitutional amendment does not mean the end of abortion in my home state. However, as a person who wants to see legalized abortion end and who prefers to see laws made by legislatures and not judges, I would cast no other vote here. To those who consider themselves “pro-choice,” I remind you that the amendment to be applied to the constitution says nothing about ending or outlawing abortion in Tennessee. It simply states that:

“Nothing in this Constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of an abortion. The people retain the right through their elected state representatives and state senators to enact, amend, or repeal statutes regarding abortion, including, but not limited to, circumstances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest or when necessary to save the life of the mother."

                One could say that this is the unique codification of the ability of the people, through our duly elected representatives, to decide when and how they wish if something shall be treated as constitutional or unconstitutional so long as it is within the dictates of federal law. In the American framework of a democratic republic, that sounds like good policy to me, if exercised carefully. In short, it keeps the real power over a very sensitive issue in the hands of those who deserve it – the people. Judges don’t speak for the people individually or collectively and should not always be the final word on everything. Even some who disagree with me on abortion can agree on that. Vote “yes” on 1 for good government. Many who call themselves “pro-choice” make their primary arguments based on notions of women’s rights and health and safety. Under the current judicial climate in Tennessee, abortion providers are barely regulated, rarely inspected, and virtually unsupervised for purposes of maintaining proper safety and health standards. If the safety and health of women is really a chief concern to you, whether you are alright with the practice of abortion or not, then this amendment opens the door to offer that safety. Vote “yes” on 1 for women’s health. Whether you like abortion or not, there is reason enough for anyone to vote “yes” on Amendment 1.
              I am alive today to vote “yes” on Amendment 1, and to vote on anything else, because I was born (simple logic) and not lost as a fetus through any fault of my mother’s or by any occurrence apart from her or my father’s control. That leads me to the other significant point of today. As passionate as people get about the loss or potential loss of unborn children through abortion, they often forget those lost by natural causes. Today, October 15, is also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. So many parents, some with other children of their own and some without, have suffered the loss of children they did not decide or want to lose while many others simply declare it a matter of choice to give up the physical life for which they are responsible. Whether by miscarriage or stillbirth, the loss of a baby is tragic and should not be overlooked or trivialized, particularly by those who spend so much energy fighting for and talking about whether or not babies can or should be aborted (it happens all too often). To my pro-life friends, remember, if “life begins at conception” then an aborted fetus is worth just as much as the miscarried one or the stillborn child or the adult into which any of those could grow. While this is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day across the country, I find it ironic that it falls on the first day of early voting in Tennessee this year. I hope that my fellow Tennesseans recognize that as they begin the trek to their early voting sites and are reminded that while the issue of abortion has created a beast of political discourse and conflict over the last few decades, unborn children themselves are not political tools and can be lost by many means. They are equals. To my pro-life friends who plan to vote “yes” on 1 (though I reiterate that pro-choice folks and those without a label have ample reason to do the same), I encourage you to do it in honor of the unborn children whose arrival into this world would’ve had nothing to do with the issue on which you are voting - they had as little choice of their own as any other baby that was lost. And, if you have a friend or family member who has suffered a miscarriage or stillbirth, remember to pray for their comfort and strength today. Their loss was not a choice and their burden will never easily be forgotten. Casting a vote on an issue only takes a minute. But, learning about a situation you may never understand in your own life and helping others live with it can take a lifetime.
              This October 15, think about two things with me. Tennesseans, whether or not you’ve made your decision on the question of Amendment 1, I encourage you to learn more about the amendment, the issue, and why it’s the right idea to add this language to Tennessee’s constitution. The time to vote on it has begun. Yes, it’s about our state’s handling of the issue of abortion, but it is also about our state properly making its own laws. Start the process at www.yeson1tn.org. Second, whether you’re a Tennessee voter or not, learn more about this day that has been set aside to remember the babies who were lost before they got to see the face of their dad or mom. While there have been government proclamations recognizing this day (and, actually, the entire month of October), the real effort to solidify it and increase awareness has been through a volunteer force. The folks behind www.october15th.com have done a great job honoring their own little ones and millions of others. If you have ever suffered such a loss, they also make some beautiful items to honor your little one. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. And vote “yes” on 1 to take care of our state!