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The Oklahoma House of Representatives passed House Bill 1182 Thursday, legislation Sen. Joseph Silk, R-Broken Bow, said clearly does not provide equal protection for unborn children and will ensure that abortion continue in Oklahoma.
"Although it is being pitched as a huge pro-life step forward, House Bill 1182 will ensure that abortion continues in Oklahoma and in no way whatsoever offers equal protection to our unborn children,” Silk said. “This is very clear when you read the language in the bill and see the people who are in support of the bill. Some of them are the exact people who worked hard against legislation that that would have offered equal protection for unborn children. Not only that, but it is almost comical to think that the state can revoke a physician’s license for doing something that is not illegal."
Silk is not the only Oklahoman condemning the passage of HB 1182.
"Although well intentioned, House Bill 1182 will do nothing until we pass a bill that actually offers equal protection to unborn children,” said Molly Johnston, national committee woman for the Oklahoma Young Republicans.
Daniel Navejas with the Ekklesia of Oklahoma, a state-wide coalition of Christian activists, also spoke out against the legislation.
"It saddens me that despite consistent pressure from the citizens of Oklahoma, the House of Representatives is continuing to pass legislation that sounds good, but actually does not offer protection for the youngest among us,” Navejas said. “The state has been passing bills like this since the Roe v. Wade opinion, and they aren't doing any good."
Silk also pointed to comments from John Michener, director of Oklahomans United for Life, an organization committed to eliminating abortion in the state.
“According to this bill, doctors who murder pre-born humans would risk a $500 fine and a one-year suspension of their licenses,” Michener said. “With such a low risk to abortionists, and with the rise of do-it-yourself chemical abortions, we will not abolish abortion by pushing the ‘unprofessional conduct’ cart down the road without the horse of criminal homicide. Oklahoma’s pre-born children still need equal justice.”
Hannah Silk, vice chairman of the Oklahoma Young Republicans, also issued a direct response to the passage of HB 1182.
"Last year, grassroots individuals from the Oklahoma State Republican Party, Oklahoma Baptists, and the Free Will Baptists of Oklahoma were very clear when they all adopted resolutions calling for equal protection legislation, or at least a vote on that legislation,” Silk said. “Now, only a year later, the so-called leaders of these faith groups and the House of Representatives have once again turned their backs on the people of Oklahoma and unborn children by passing a bill that appears to save lives, but in reality won’t get the job done."
Silk also referred to the adoption of those resolutions
"I spent countless hours last year talking to pastors across the state that were furious about the political games that were being played with abortion,” Silk said. “The people sent a strong message to their leadership last year, and it seems that once again the people are being ignored and deceived."
The Oklahoma State Republican Party and pastors and members of both the Oklahoma Baptists and Freewill Baptists all adopted resolutions at their conventions calling for the immediate ending of abortion in Oklahoma, or at least a vote on the measure. HB 1182 does not include any of the language that the resolutions were calling for.
For more information, contact: Sen. Joseph Silk at 405-521-5614, or email Joseph.Silk@oksenate.gov.
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