Since 2011, the state of Arizona has prohibited individuals from "perform[ing] an abortion knowing that the abortion is sought based on the sex or race of the child or the race of a parent of that child." In 2021, Arizona added to its protections against discriminatory abortions by including a prohibition against abortions based on genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
Two abortionists and three organizations who oppose the protections for babies with genetic abnormalities filed a lawsuit seeking to have the protection struck down. And now, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma (R) and Senate President Warren Petersen (R) have been granted the right to defend SB 1457.
"The former attorney general was defending the law, but the new attorney general that just took office in January said that she would not," explains ADF attorney Kevin Theriot. "That's why the president of the Senate and the speaker decided to intervene to defend the law. Otherwise, these people with genetic anomalies were going to be at risk."
Theriot says every life is valuable and worthy of protection.
"What this Arizona law does is says that life is a human right, and unborn babies can't be targeted even if they have Down syndrome," the attorney details.
A date for oral argument is to be determined by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The matter is on appeal right now, and briefing will start next month. ADF expects to file a brief in the next few months.
"We are going to be sure that the papers represent that children with genetic anomalies are just as valuable as other children," Theriot says.
Science shows that at conception, they have their own DNA. At six weeks, they have a heartbeat. They even have fingerprints that are their own at 10 weeks, and he asserts, "We're going to make sure the court knows that."
Meanwhile, a community in Massachusetts this month finally convinced Michael Hugo (D) to step down from his position as chairman of the Framingham Democratic Committee after he urged city leaders to pass a proclamation opposing pro-life pregnancy centers from opening in the city to keep children with disabilities from being born and ultimately from siphoning money from public schools for their special education classes.
