In Alaska, January 22 was Right to Life Day

Juneau, Alaska, Feb 6, 2019 / 14:53 pm

In a pro-life proclamation marking the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska, a Catholic, declared the day would be commemorated as a state-wide 'Right to Life' day.

"I, Michael J. Dunleavy, Governor of the State of Alaska, do hereby proclaim January 22, 2019, as 'Right To Life Day' in Alaska, and I encourage each and every Alaskan to consider the loss of laughter, of tears, and of life itself of the generations lost through abortion," he said in an official proclamation.

Roe v. Wade is the United States Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the country. It was decided Jan. 22, 1973, and since then, it is estimated that there have been at least 50 million pregnancies that have ended in abortion in the U.S.

In his proclamation, Dunleavy said he joined President Donald Trump in mourning "the millions of lives cut short, and the tremendous promise lost as a result of abortion on demand."

"(A)s a state, we must resolve to protect innocent human life at every stage. As Governor, I am committed to the promise made in our Declaration of Independence to protect Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness," he said. "I recognize that without Life, there is no Liberty. Without Liberty, there is no freedom for the individual Pursuit of Happiness. My policy will always be to defend human life at all stages," he added.

Dunleavy was elected as the 12th governor of Alaska and assumed office in December 2018. He made pro-life issues a key part of his campaign, and said on his campaign website that the most important of all rights is the right to life, "because if this right is not sacred, all other enumerated rights are meaningless. Being pro-life is at the very center of my understanding of constitutional rights."

Alaska law requires the "informed consent" of a patient before they have an abortion, meaning that their doctor must discuss with them the physical and emotional risks involved in abortion before they obtain one.
As governor, Dunleavy said he promised to work to elect judges who will uphold the U.S. Constitution, which contains many protections for human life. In his Right to Life Day proclamation, Dunleavy also applauded Trump's efforts to help children born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, a growing problem as the "opioid scourge leaves no State or community unscathed," he said. In October 2018, the Trump administration launched a program to help states care for opioid-addicted mothers and their newborn children. He also noted his support for Trump's efforts to pull tax dollars out of abortion services as part of "family planning", and his support for groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor, who are still fighting in court for the right to refuse covering contraceptives under the HHS Mandate.

Dunleavy said that abortions should never be used to target the disabled: "Americans with disabilities like Down Syndrome are an inspiration and their example of joy and perseverance enriches our lives."

He also applauded the Alaskan people's efforts to support mothers and children in crisis pregnancies, and encouraged them to keep doing all they can to "stand in the gap to save every child."

"For more than 46 years, courageous and faithful citizens, many from college campuses and high schools across Alaska, from all walks of life, have extended a helping hand to all those expectant parents experiencing an unexpected pregnancy," he said. "(F)or decades our fellow Alaskans have stepped forward as volunteers, as neighbors, and as parents by adopting babies and children. As the late Mother Teresa famously said, there is never a need to abort your unborn child, I will take every one."

"(A)s your Governor, I am committed to protecting innocent life every day and at every stage," he added. "We must stand tall as a state, and show respect and love for the dignity and worth of every person, at every stage of life – the unborn, the aged, the disabled, the mentally ill – all our most vulnerable neighbors."