Lt. Governor Tate Reeves’ campaign for Governor of Mississippi launched a coalition today in Byram of over 150 pastors and pro-life advocates across the state.
“I believe with great responsibility comes great opportunity,” said Reeves. “We have an opportunity in this state to protect unborn children every single day.”
Reeves said radical liberals across the country are pushing for ‘late-term abortion’ policies and bring back government-funded abortions. He reiterated his belief that abortion is evil, and went on to stress it may be the greatest evil of our time.
“What we are witnessing across our country is not a political issue, it is a moral issue. It is good versus evil, it is right versus wrong,” said Reeves. “It is not an issue for compromise. It is not an issue in which we can bend to the national liberal or sit idly by and do nothing. If you believe that these are living babies than you believe lives are at stake.”
Reeves thanked Legislators and others who helped on the effort to pass the ‘Heartbeat bill’ during the 2019 Session. He said during his years as Lt. Governor other policies have been passed like the Child Protection Act, Women’s Health and Safety regulations, as well as the banning of abortion by dismemberment, defunding Planned Parenthood and tax breaks for those who are foster parents or donate to organizations that combat the issue.
However, he said that this will not be the last time Mississippians who are pro-life fight that fight.
“As national liberals gear up to expand abortion, even more, we have to be there to defend the innocent unborn child,” said Reeves.
He made clear that the fight doesn’t end once these babies are born, it trickles into the foster care system, education system and economy. He said that is why he wants to continue strengthening the economy so parents can choose to take care of these children.
Reeves addressed arguments made that abortion would be better than the hard life these children might have.
“They use the hardships of this world to excuse the slaughter of these children,” said Reeves. “That is a twisted ideology that frankly makes me sick. Every single one of these babies is a gift from God.”
In past public statements, it has been clear that Reeves groups Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Jim Hood in with other liberals who are pro-choice and approve late-term abortions.
While the Attorney General’s office has defended the 15-week abortion ban passed in 2018 in court and most recently Tuesday morning in the Mississippi Supreme Court while Judge Carlton Reeves presided over arguments surrounding the ‘Heartbeat bill.’ Some speculate whether or not he will uphold the laws if elected.
Hood’s campaign has not spoken out on his stance towards abortion. He has gone on record to say that he doesn’t believe the office of Governor would have much influence over the topic. However, the Democratic Governor’s Association has been vocal in recent days about their disapproval of the recent bills passed in states like Alabama.
Paul Barnes of the #Mississippi attorney general’s office: “When a fetal heartbeat is detected, our position is is constitutional” to ban #abortion. #msleg https://t.co/iDNKYDk0w9
— Emily Wagster Pettus (@EWagsterPettus) May 21, 2019
When asked if Hood has done enough to combat abortion, Reeves had this to say:
Dr. Freda Bush, a retired OGBYN with over 40 years of practice spoke from the crowd, reminding those in attendance that abortion is not only unsafe for the baby, but for the mother as well.
“The mother can be hurt emotionally and physically. As a matter of fact, women die of abortion. You never hear a number because the CDC doesn’t keep a record, it’s a voluntary telling about it,” said Bush.
She believes that everyone has been affected by someone who has had an abortion and that it is important to keep in mind that women have died from these procedures.
Reeves said he believes that it is vital to protect the lives of the unborn, saying, “I believe we can and in fact we must make Mississippi the safest place in America for an unborn child.”
Sarah Ulmer
