Smith: ‘I will take the side of a living, breathing human who is in need’

INDIANAPOLIS - In response to the Supreme Court of the United States’ decision on the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case to overturn Roe v. Wade, State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) shares his perspective on the socioeconomic and spiritual components of abortion rights:

I am deeply saddened by this decision to infringe upon the basic foundations of a woman’s reproductive autonomy. Abortion is a personal issue – not a political matter. Women have the right to make their own decisions about their own bodies. 

According to polls conducted about 61 percent of Americans support continuing to make abortions legal.  A majority of the public in about 43 states, including Indiana, support legal abortion rights. Only about 7 states have majorities that oppose allowing abortions. How can the Supreme Court and the Republican legislature claim this decision is representative of the public wants and needs when clearly it goes against all that most Americans stand for? 

The Indiana GOP fails to comprehend the level of provisions needed to support the lives of mothers and children impacted by this ban. What about diapers for the baby? What about affordable and safe housing? Who will cover medical expenses? What about our nation’s dire infant formula shortage– will the baby even have enough food?

On top of it all, there are 230,725 Hoosier children who are currently living in poverty. It’s convenient for Republican lawmakers to advocate for the unborn when there are literally hundreds of thousands of children and families that are suffering right now. If I must take a side, I will take the side of a living, breathing human who is in need. 

Just like the rest of the Indiana House Democratic Caucus, I believe in the sanctity of human life. If the Republicans truly cared about protecting life, they would understand that the only way to lower abortion rates is to invest in public health policies that support Hoosiers. That means building out age-appropriate, medically accurate sex education courses in schools, as well as expanding access to subsidized family planning services and providing contraceptives, all of which are policies proven to reduce abortion rates. For years, the Indiana House Democrats have introduced similar legislation.

Why has it taken Statehouse Republicans until now to even consider any of these policies? It seems that providing for Hoosier families is merely an afterthought to Republican legislators.  

Additionally, I know that the GOP plan to ban abortion is going to most harshly affect people in Indiana who are already marginalized. Wealthy white women are always going to be able to have access to safe, affordable reproductive health care. This decision will disproportionately affect young women, women in poverty, women of color, in rural areas, and women who don’t have a support system that some people are fortunate to have.

Those who are anti-abortion are the same people who will stand by while our state’s maternal mortality rates, which are already twice the rate of the nation’s average, continue to increase exponentially. So many women, especially minority women, will die in childbirth because of this policy. Even after the ban is passed, Republicans will likely continue to deny affordable health care coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, cut programs that feed hungry children, and fail to fund programs for the homeless, but still support far-right violence over the issue of abortion. The hypocrisy is unending. 

To end, I want to share my thoughts on the religious scope of abortion.

Like others, my views on the issue of abortion and all political matters are largely shaped by my Christian faith. I am devoted to my religion and I accept all of the scripture, but I firmly believe that the Bible is silent on the issue of abortion. However, the Bible does speak loudly and clearly on how we are to treat each other.

So many who use their religion as their basis for being against abortion have no true concern for their neighbors who are struggling and underprivileged. They have no care for their fellow man.

More so, my Christian faith tells me that we are not to play God in picking and choosing the rights of others. It is God who will be the final determiner of who is right or wrong on this issue. Randall Balmer, a historian who is an authority on the religious right, notes that the religious right was created to oppose desegregated schools. He notes the change in focus to being anti-abortion took place to gain political power – which means that this was never about babies or “life” for them. 

Above are my views but as always, I plan to represent the majority view of my constituents. Therefore, please contact me directly by telephone, email, or letter. I want to speak with you and represent your views as we enter the special session. Unlike the Supreme Court, as always I will be speaking for and voting as indicated by the vast majority of my constituents.

To reach Smith’s office, please email [email protected] or call 317-232-9976.