Lynn N. Rivers: “this debate is not about abortion on demand in the 7th, 8th, or 9th month. Roe versus Wade and the law of the land…”

“this debate is not about abortion on demand in the 7th, 8th, or 9th month. Roe versus Wade and the law of the land allows for States to make that procedure illegal. So the specter of perfect babies being killed moments before they draw their first breaths is irrelevant to the discussion here today and are being used as a way to inflame the rhetoric and cloud the debate. What we are fighting about today is whether or not we should have a specific provision in the law allowing when the mother's life or health is threatened, that this procedure be available. We have started this debate with a picture. I wonder about some other pictures. Where is the picture of these moms who are for the most part older, married, have other children, are in the pregnancy that is desperately wanted, celebrated, with babies' rooms already decorated, tiny little clothes already purchased? Where is the picture of the agony that these families go through, cry through, pray through over the promise of a pregnancy that will never be fulfilled? Where is the picture of the horrible second guessing, the terrible hoping against hope that some sort of miracle is going to save this baby that can never live, all the while the mother knows that her health or her ability to have another baby could very much be in jeopardy? Where is the picture of mothers like Tammi Watts who weeped when asked the question, do you have any other children? She said, well, I have one baby in heaven.…”