(8/13/2006)

"Life and Liberty" Tells Hard Truth About Abortion

Event features testimony from people affected by abortion

BY BOB ELLIS
DAKOTA VOICE

First Assembly of God in Rapid City was host tonight to the latest “Life and Liberty” presentation put on by Western Dakota Families. The events are to provide information on how the South Dakota abortion ban (HB 1215, or Referred Law 6 on the November ballot) came to be passed in the state legislature, and about abortion in general.

Pastor Jeff Anderson of First Assembly of God welcomed Pastor Wes Labrier of Union Center, who was joined by the other Circuit Riders singers who led in singing the Star Spangled banner, then sang as a quartet.

Pastor Labrier said the purpose for their visit to First Assembly was to let people know that the love of God is there for them, no matter what. He told of how the people who testify in these events have been touched by abortion, and that in each telling of their stories, yet another layer of hurt gets peeled back and more healing comes. The crowd roared applause as Labrier commended the legislature for their courage in passing HB 1215 and Governor Rounds for signing the bill.

Rep. Larry Rhoden of Union Center spoke next about how HB 1215 began and eventually reached passage. He recounted how he had been in the legislature for six years and shared that time with Matt McCauley who had a vision of doing something about abortion. Rhoden told of how an abortion ban was almost passed in 2004, but failed after a style and form veto by Governor Rounds, and the legislature was one vote shy of approval after the changes asked for by the governor were put into the bill. Rhoden then told of the formation of the South Dakota Task Force to Study Abortion formed in 2005 and their in-depth study of this issue.

Rhoden said the reason there was no broad exception for rape and incest is that “a life is a life.” Rhoden also said, “It also would have created such a huge loophole that it would have essentially made the bill null and void.”

Rhoden acknowledged that another criticism of the bill was the lack of a “health of the mother” exception. He pointed out that the bill does have an exception to protect the life of the mother, but said a health exception would be so broad that it would also make the bill meaningless. Rhoden said he has asked many doctors what circumstances would fall under a “health” exception that would not fall under the “life” exception and said doctors have yet to give him one example.

However, Rhoden said, Section 2 of HB 1215 does provide a common sense provision in the case of rape so that the woman can obtain emergency contraceptives within the first several days following a rape.

“I believe we are now faced with the greatest of opportunity we will ever face, here in little South Dakota, to vote on something that can save millions of lives,” Rhoden concluded.

Dr. Donald Oliver, a Rapid City pediatrician and board member of VoteYesForLife.com, spoke next and called this the “defining moral and political issue of our time.” Oliver said he has attended many births over his 26 years practicing medicine in Rapid City.

“From a medical perspective, it is very, very rare that a doctor would have to choose the life of a mother over the life of a child,” Oliver said. He pointed out that surgeries are even performed on children still inside the womb to save and better their lives, even before they are born.

Oliver told the crowd about a patient of his, a 16-year-old girl who was raped by her brother. The girl decided to have the baby, stating that the baby was innocent in this situation. “I’m hopeful that if a 16-year-old can get it right, so can the rest of South Dakota,” he concluded.

Geri Riggs of Sturgis said that while she was glad to hear that HB 1215 had passed this year, it hurt when she heard some say it was “too extreme.” She said she had an abortion 36 years ago after she was raped. Riggs told of how depression had ensued, she needed anti-depressants and other prescription drugs in order to cope, and eventually came close to suicide. But she gave her life to Christ, she said, and He had called her to repent for her abortion, and that He had cleansed her heart of that incredible hurt. “The fact that I was raped didn’t exempt me from the consequences of my choice,” Riggs said. “I could endure a rape again if I had to, but I would never again go through an abortion.”

JoDee and Robert Ingalls have adopted several special needs children. While JoDee spoke, Sandy Rhoden held the newest addition to their family, infant Joey. Joey was born with Downs Syndrome and has a life-threatening liver disease. Joey survived a selective abortion. His two sisters were aborted because they were girls and he only survived because his Downs Syndrome remained undetected until after birth.  “We are so blessed to have children of special needs,” she said, “because in God’s eyes they are not disabled; He has a plan for them.”

Sylvia Rhoden told about how she heard women from out of state testify in 2004 during hearings for the last abortion bill, and said this motivated her to tell her story of an abortion which she had been silent about for many years. Rhoden spoke of the empty chair at the table in their house, and how especially painful that could be around holidays. She said she also had to deal with herself because she had “consented to the surgical murder of my child.” Rhoden told of the strain it took on her and John’s marriage, a strain that tears apart many marriages. Yet she said that God’s mercy and truth were there for her, and that God assured her He died for this sin, too, and that He was big enough to forgive her of this, also.

John Rhoden said that for more than 20 years he had done nothing about the sin of abortion in their lives, but was recently convicted that he needed to stand up and say something. He spoke of the man’s role in abortion, and how men often pressure women into abortion. “Men will someday stand accountable before God if we did nothing about this issue,” Rhoden said.

A DVD was then presented which showed some of the statements given by legislators during debate on the bill. It also featured some of the testimony given by professionals who deal with abortion, from women who have had abortions, and testimony of grown people who have survived failed abortion attempts. The DVD also pointed out that women have continued to die from abortions even after abortion was legalized in 1973, indicating that Roe v. Wade did little or nothing to reduce the hazards of abortions most often associated with the “back alley.”

The video was graphic at times, at one point showing a baby being aborted through ultrasound images. Narrated by Dr. Bernard Nathanson, a former abortionist, the video showed on ultrasound the baby moving away from the suction probe as it was inserted into the womb, indicating that it somehow sensed something was wrong even in the uterus.

Pastor Labrier concluded: “There you have it, folks: the cold, hard facts. Yet there is God’s grace, love and mercy.”

There have already been Life and Liberty events in Union Center, Newell, and Spearfish. Upcoming Life and Liberty events are scheduled for September 3 (South Canyon Baptist in Rapid City), September 10 (at the new Grand Electric building in Bison), September 17 (Mobridge), and September 24 (Aberdeen). To schedule a Life and Liberty presentation in your area, email lrhoden@gwtc.net or call 605-985-5461.