Do we have any mighty men of faith who will establish justice in the midst of the current crisis? For the last several years, long before the coronavirus scare, Oklahomans United for Life has been calling for the use of executive orders by the governor to abolish abortion. Regular, non-emergency executive orders to uphold the Higher Law and our constitutions could accomplish abolition, but the current context demonstrates that declaring an emergency in the process would make the governor’s job even easier and more likely to succeed.
One of the main arguments we hear against such an approach is that the people will not go along with it, but the events surrounding the coronavirus demonstrate that people will go along with unprecedented orders from chief executives, even at extraordinary costs. Oklahoma’s Governor Kevin Stitt should issue executive orders to immediately abolish abortion for good. Based on what we know of human nature and have witnessed with recent emergency executive orders, Gov. Stitt would likely be successful. The time for justice is always now, but strategically, this is especially true right now. Consider:
First, it is axiomatic that collectively people conform. The prophets of old compared the people to sheep because people need to follow a leader just like sheep follow a shepherd. Concerning coronavirus, executive shepherds have issued orders that destroy liberty, property, businesses, and ultimately lives, but, appropriate or not, moral or not, the people are going right along. No marches, no protests, no violence in the streets. Those same executive shepherds could issue orders to abolish abortion, and the people would likewise go along. The time is now.
Second, people will acquiesce if they perceive that lives are at risk. They will vote for anything, do anything, follow anywhere, or allow anything, if they believe it will save lives, or if it is for the children! They clearly believe this about coronavirus. If a chief executive were courageous enough to proclaim the truth of the abortion holocaust and declare it the emergency that it is, the people would believe. Now is the time.
Third, people go along with just about anything if it does not affect them personally. “Oh, whatever… That doesn’t affect my house, my car, my cell phone, or my Netflix,” seems to be their attitude. Shutting down abortion death camps would not immediately affect enough people to cause dissent. Those who have participated at some level in the sin of abortion, and are suffering the guilt and manifestations of physical, emotional, and spiritual death accompanying such sin, are not likely rise up to prevent the abolition of abortion. The time is right now.
Fourth, executives need not fear the people’s reaction. It takes an extraordinarily high level of wicked behavior from an official to get an impeachment trial going, much less a conviction or civil unrest. The time is right now.
Fifth, we are in a time of political and economic chaos. Heads are spinning. What is one more industry shut down? Those who would protest have greater worries right now. The governor should take this opportunity to abolish abortion permanently. Without colorful protestors, it would not be much of a story. Now is exactly the right time.
Lastly, it is an election year, and Vice President Mike Pence confirmed in a recent meeting with evangelicals that President Trump would support a governor abolishing abortion. Trump wants to be re-elected, and he needs the Christian vote. The time is exactly right now.
The law at every level—federal, state, and city—allows for chief executives to wield extraordinary power to save lives, which can be abused or used appropriately. Executives are wielding it now, rightly or wrongly, to fight coronavirus. Mayor Holt said, “The loss of life in Oklahoma City would be profound if we did nothing.” Yes, Mayor Holt, the loss of life has been profound—just not in the way you were meaning.
Governor Stitt may have got a glimmer of an idea when he issued the following mandate in his recently amended Executive Order: “Medical providers in Oklahoma shall postpone all elective surgeries…” an order including abortions. Understandably, all major news agencies in the state and pro-life news sites across the country rushed to congratulate Gov. Stitt on his pro-life executive order. But not so fast…
In reality, the governor’s “order” is being treated like a recommendation, a recommendation which abortionists are ignoring and police are not enforcing. Abortion death camps in the state have remained open. The OKC Police Department verified by phone that they would not enforce the governor’s order. The Department of Public Safety verified by phone that they would not enforce the governor’s order and consider it a recommendation. In a phone call to the Governor’s office, a staffer confirmed that the Executive Order is a legal order*, but also admitted that they are not expecting or seeking enforcement from any police agency. Then, a federal judge put a stay on the pertinent part of the order.
Legally, executives have the power to declare an emergency, prohibit the sale of abortifacient drugs, and shut down abortion death camps. But all we have seen so far is a half-hearted order to postpone all murders of the preborn temporarily. If no governor can muster the courage to abolish abortion and ignore immoral and unconstitutional court opinions right now during this perfect storm of social and political opportunity, then it feels as if one never will. For generations to come, the abolition of abortion will remain a pipe dream for Christians and a never-ending game that “pro-life” politicians play to stay in office.
In conclusion, the same kind of executive action that is being taken across the state to protect innocent people from the possible threat of a virus could be exercised to protect innocent preborn humans from the imminent and palpable reality of murder by abortion. When will executives have the courage to use it?
Ultimately, it will take a chief executive to abolish abortion. If Governor Stitt wants to abolish abortion, there is nothing standing in his way. Not the federal government and not the people of Oklahoma. President Trump has given his blessing. The lives of preborn humans are on the line, and the people will understand that. Abolishing abortion does not affect most people enough for them to oppose it in any meaningful way. And finally, the people’s acquiescence to executive authority with coronavirus has proven beyond reasonable doubt that THE PEOPLE WILL GO ALONG with the governor’s leadership. The time to abolish abortion is exactly right now.
*On March 24 Governor Kevin Stitt issued an amended Executive Order that shut down all non-critical businesses in affected counties across the state and banned social gatherings of more than ten people. The governor is granted this authority by the Oklahoma Emergency Management Act of 2003. Some of his powers are outlined in 63 OK Stat § 63-683.8 and 63 OK Stat § 63-683.9. Furthermore, his orders are law, and according to 63 OK Stat § 63-683.23 those orders are enforceable by the Department of Public Safety (Highway Patrol) and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and violators “shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than six (6) months, or by a fine of not more than Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00), or both. Each day of violation shall constitute a separate offense.”