Cliff Stearns: “I rise today, 1 day after the 23d anniversary of Roe versus Wade, many people were up here to recognize this fact, to…”

“I rise today, 1 day after the 23d anniversary of Roe versus Wade, many people were up here to recognize this fact, to address one of the most important and divisive moral issues our Nation faces. Abortion clearly stands as America's greatest and most tragic moral failing of the modern era. In the last century America was called upon to address the moral blight of slavery. And we did it. Though the struggle was great and tore the country in two, good ultimately triumphed over evil and the scourge of slavery was banished from the land. In this century we face a different fight--the fight against what anyone with a moral conscience can only consider the taking of a human life. Will America rise to this new challenge? Will we come to our moral senses? Only time will tell. But we can say this: Whatever happens, those who believe abortion is simply wrong will continue to take their case to the American people. Although the courts still consider abortion a legal right, that doesn't make it a moral right. And although any change in the legal status of abortion may still be a long way off, there are still measures we can take not to combat this crime against humanity. It is my belief that political change in America only happens as a result of cultural change. Until we change America's culture--until America regains a commitment to the sanctity of human life--all our efforts will produce little change. We need to argue our case forcefully.…”