El Paso County Commissioners Proclaim Sanctity Of Human Life Week
By Laurie Ciprianol.cipriano@krdo.com
COLORADO SPRINGS – Colorado’s pro-choice community prepares to celebrate the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, just as El Paso County Commissioners assert their belief in the right to life. Tuesday El Paso County Commissioners chose a side in a controversial topic that always sparks heated debate.
“I think it’s important that we as elected officials let people know about important issues in our community,” said El Paso County Commissioner Wayne Williams. Williams believes that the sanctity of life is one of those key issues. “I do have a pro-life stance,” said Williams.
County Commissioners proclaim January 17 – 24 Sanctity of Human Life Week in El Paso County, championing compassionate alternatives to abortion, such as encouraging adoption and promoting abstinence education.
“We adopt the resolution each year,” said Commissioner Williams. It coincides with the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. “I believe that might be part of the origin of it,” said Williams. “But in my case it happens to show up the week each year that I was adopted, so I think it’s pretty important.”
El Paso County Commissioners passed the resolution unanimously. “By celebrating this, by reminding people of the importance of life,” said Williams. “It’s our hope that we are continuing to be able to get families to come in and say we want to adopt and for those who are trying to make a decision as to what to do, to say yes, I’d like to place a child up for adoption.”
When asked whether the resolution blurred the lines between church and state, Williams said, “It doesn’t. Life is not a church and state issue that blurs some line. Life is one of the fundamental values that this nation was founded on. You don’t have to go very much further than the declaration of independence when we talk about the inalienable rights of life. I believe that Roe versus Wade was incorrectly decided. I do not believe there is a basis in the constitution for that decision.”
But critics say there’s more to it. “The United States Supreme Court has upheld abortion access and Planned Parenthood truly believes that women deserve access to all reproductive health care options,” said Monica McCafferty with Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
But Williams says there has been a federal precedent. “I’m not sure if President Obama did, but President Bush regularly did,” said Williams. “We also have adopted that just as it’s done at the federal level.”
There certainly are many components to this discussion. “At the end of the day, Planned Parenthood believes that it should be woman’s choice to decide what she does with her body,” said McCafferty.
Constitutional attorney Eric Hall told Newschannel 13 that the sanctity of life is a matter of public concern, and that county commissioners do have a right to take a public stand. He says it’s their right to free speech.
