Kansas Voters Stand Up for Women's Rights

Last night, the voters of Kansas rejected an effort to amend the state's constitution, a the state legislature to restrict abortion rights or ban it outright. Kansas voters rejected this by a sizable margin. And, as we all know, Kansas is a very conservative state. This provides further evidence, supported by nationwide polling, that the current Supreme Court is out of step with the majority of Americans on this issue (and, likely, many more to come).

I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate my position on this complex and often heartbreaking issue. I trust women. Recently, I read that at least 1 in 7 abortions in the U.S. are of children that the mother reports were wanted. Yes, the mother wanted the baby, but had an abortion in many cases because she lacked the resources and support to care for the child. Research by the pro-life Elliot Institute estimates that 30-60% of abortions occur because the mother feels pressured into it by other persons.

And this brings me to another alarming statistic... did you know that the leading cause of death for pregnant women is murder? ABC News studies have shown that approximately 20 percent of women who die during pregnancy are murder victims. These killings span across racial and ethic groups and are usually committed by men who should be the very ones caring for these women the most.

This brings me back to my desire to clarify my position on this issue. I love life because I love The One Who Gives Us Life. I believe that, if we do the work of creating policies that support the financial, physical, and emotional health of our families -- and of course this includes men -- then I believe we could get to a place where abortions are rare. This is a monumental task ahead of us, but my heart tells me that it's possible. Until then, I will always support a woman's right to make this decision for herself, hopefully with the support, guidance, and loving care of those around her.