The Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States requires due process to take a life, and the Fourteenth Amendment requires every innocent life to be given equal protection of the laws within a State. These twin constitutional pillars of a right to life and equal protection under the law are grounded in a biblical understanding of God’s nature. God does not show partiality or favoritism: “Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Lev. 19:15); “For Yehovah your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes” (Deut. 10:17-18); “For God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11). Human beings are intrinsically valuable because we are made in the image of God. We are different from opossums and cock roaches. Because we are all equally human and equally precious to God, we should be valued equally under the law. Our founding fathers therefore ensconced these principles in our founding documents.
However, establishment pro-life politicians ignore these moral and constitutional truths when crafting State abortion policy, even with the perceived obstacle of Roe v. Wade behind us. Any pro-life politician who tells you that abortion is now illegal in Oklahoma is ignorant, or lying to you, or deceived. It is true that doctors can no longer personally administer abortions, but under every pro-life law enacted in 2022, all women in Oklahoma (approximately nine hundred thousand of child-bearing age) are completely free to murder their children by various chemical and abortion pill methods which are still legal and available. No risk of investigation, prosecution, or criminality—no legal consequences whatsoever. Abortion is not illegal when the State has legally empowered every woman in the State to solicit and commit murder by abortion. The unprincipled approach and needless compromise of our Republican officials will cost thousands of lives per year. They have turned the abortion pill into a State-sanctioned coat hanger.
Senator Warren Hamilton often revealed the injustices of this year’s pro-life laws during debate on the Senate floor. Here are a few examples of his remarks to fellow legislators: “Lady Justice wears a blindfold so that she cannot see the defendant. But this bill clearly does [consider the defendant.] She also holds scales which symbolize equality, that everyone is equal before the law. No one is above it, and no one is below it. This [bill] flies in the face of that… The implication is undeniable, that those who do not have a voice are beneath the law… Leonardo da Vinci said, ‘He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.’” “We can do better,” Hamilton concluded. Sadly, he and his bill to completely abolish abortion were ignored.
Attempts to correct the Republican Party by both Senator Hamilton and Oklahomans United for Life demonstrate that the truth does not conform to a Left-versus-Right, Republican-versus-Democratic propaganda paradigm. The truth often takes an entirely different direction.
Senator Hamilton ought to be celebrated by grassroots conservatives as the true pro-life champion and abolitionist that he is. Therefore, Oklahomans United for Life is proud to name Senator Warren Hamilton our 2022 “Wilberforce Champion,” for fighting not only to abolish abortion, but for exposing the injustice of establishment “pro-life” policies. This award gets its name from William Wilberforce who was a member of the British Parliament and is famous for his life-long campaign to abolish the slave trade, and eventually slavery itself. Year after year he introduced legislation to abolish slavery, but year after year justice was twisted, denied, and delayed, often by leaders in his own political party.
Congratulations, Senator Hamilton. Your courage and your voice are an inspiration. We salute you!