Pam and Tim Tebow's 30-second appearance on this past Super Bowl broadcast has appeared to accomplish exactly what we hoped it would: initiate a national dialogue about the wonder of life, the beauty of family and the celebration of a woman's decision to give birth to her baby boy.
At the root of our decision to create and produce this commercial lies a fundamental objective. How can we at Focus on the Family, an undeniably and unapologetically pro-life family help organization, work together with those who have a very different point of view on the morality of abortion – all in an effort to save innocent lives? Is it possible to join efforts with individuals who want to keep abortion legal, but have acknowledged a desire to make it rare? Can we shove off the rhetoric and begin anew a respectful but very direct and practical discussion of the topic?
I believe we can; and I am willing to try to do so.
The emotional and poignant story surrounding Pam Tebow's decision to carry her child to term back in 1987 underscores a harsh reality. It is different, isn't it, when the numbers have names. Mrs. Tebow's courageous choice resulted in the birth of a Heisman Trophy winner. But most importantly, the result of her choice brought into the world a baby who is now an accomplished and delightful young man, a rising star whose future is bright. Not every child conceived is afforded such opportunity, though by no fault of his or her own. By even the most conservative estimates, over 40 million abortions have been performed in the United States during the last four decades. In doing so, our nation has been robbed of its greatest treasure: the character, intellect, integrity and gifts of people like Tim Tebow.
It's convenient and easy to dismiss the subject of abortion as a faceless and nameless medical procedure, or suggest it's a subject too hot to address, even subtly, during the Super Bowl. The criticism we've received from this ad has been curious. Many who consider themselves "pro-choice" have found fault with us for celebrating Pam Tebow's choice. Those who hold to such a radical position clearly appear to be more pro-abortion than pro-choice. Certainly this important debate will continue. But isn't it time to stop talking about a culture war and instead start pushing for cultural change?
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To be clear, those of us within the pro-life movement are working toward a day when abortion is illegal and relegated to the dust heap of history. But that reality appears to be a long way off. Yet, for those who remain committed to making abortion less common, it's important we're able to offer a practical response to the simple question: How?
To be sure, Roe v Wade was wrongly decided (even its original plaintiff now disagrees with the Supreme Court's decision) but by working together, I believe we can actually almost make Roe inconsequential. Here is a good place to start. By implementing the following modest changes, potentially tens of thousands of lives will be saved each year, thus accomplishing the collective goal to make abortion rare. Here is how:
- Institute a Consent/Reflection waiting period at clinics along with standardized counseling information. While variations are already on the books in certain states, it should be in place everywhere. This would allow women to get medically accurate information about the abortion procedure prior to actually going through with it.
- Ultrasound Exams: Require abortion doctors to inform women of the option of seeing an ultrasound prior to the abortion. Statistics suggest tens of thousands of abortion-minded women, upon seeing an image of their baby, decide to keep him or her.
- Require Parental Involvement: If parents of minor children must at least be notified before a teen abortion (with judicial bypass for extenuating circumstances), fewer scared teenagers will make this life-changing decision alone.
- Encourage Adoption: Thousands of infertile couples are desperately waiting to adopt an infant in America. By highlighting the benefits of adoption, we'll help an abortion-minded woman see how her sacrificial act will forever bless a family – and give her child the future she is currently unprepared to provide. During last Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shared that she had a "conviction" that adoption was a "vastly better" choice than abortion. I commend those sentiments; but we must do more than just talk about it. We must act.
Rarely has a mere 30 seconds of a Super Bowl broadcast elicited such a spirited and passionate response. Let's not lose this moment of national dialogue. Can we not reason together? Let's make abortion a less desirable option by educating abortion-minded individuals, amending existing laws to protect a pregnant woman's health and making adoption more popular, accessible and affordable.
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Jim Daly, president and CEO of the worldwide organization Focus on the Family, is the recipient of the 2008 World Children's Center Humanitarian Award and the 2009 Children's Hunger Fund Children's Champion Award.