There’s one thing to remember: Vote NO in NOvember!

by Tiffanie Broadbent

The August 8th Special Election was disappointing for conservatives. Issue 1 failed, which means our Constitution is still dangerously vulnerable to being changed by big-money special interests.

This November, there will be an amendment on the ballot, crafted by Democrats and big-money interests like Planned Parenthood and the ACLU. They are calling it the “Reproductive Rights” or
“Reproductive Freedom” amendment. Neither name is accurate.

This amendment is not as bad as you think…it’s actually much, much worse. It would enshrine the right to abortion into our Ohio Constitution, but it would also do so much more.

The proposed amendment would outlaw virtually any restrictions on abortion and all other procedures, including sex-change surgeries, that touch on reproduction, for both adults and minors. It would cancel out not only parental-consent laws but also mere parental notification for minors’ abortions or sex-change surgeries; strike down health protections for people of all ages who undergo these procedures, including requirements that a qualified physician perform them; and erase any meaningful limits on late-term abortions.

Ohio’s Disastrous Abortion Ballot Proposal, National Review

Proponents of the amendment want to pretend it’s a common-sense, moderate provision to protect the rights of Ohioans. In reality, it is so broadly worded that it represents one of the most extreme proposals of its kind anywhere in the United States.

While a few conservatives had reservations about passing Issue 1, there is overwhelming agreement among nearly all left-of-center Ohioans that this amendment needs to be defeated. Our task is to make sure people understand: This amendment is NOT about reductive freedom. Women in Ohio already have reproductive freedom and it is not in danger. This amendment is a direct attack on parental rights; it erases boundaries between children and adults; it would protect physical predators like traffickers and abusers, and ideological predators who would lead children to life-altering procedures without their parents knowing.

Don’t let the left capture any more votes due to ignorance – this amendment is about much more than abortion and it will be dangerous, not just to babies – but also children and women in Ohio. More from the National Review article:

The Ohio proposal is so broadly worded that it would prevent the legislature not only from requiring the consent of parents before their child pursues a particular procedure, but also from requiring mere notification of parents — well short of the power to veto their child’s decision — before the procedure takes place. After all, requiring even notification has the effect of “directly or indirectly” burdening or interfering with the decision in question.

Please join us in getting out the vote this November. Make sure you are registered, help educate your friends and neighbors, and check back often for more opportunities to stop this extreme amendment. Rest assured, FortifyGeauga.org will provide you with the latest updates on how you can help ensure the right outcome in the November election. Stay tuned!