Today is the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. When the Supreme Court removed
most state restrictions on abortion forty years ago, who could have predicted the world
we live in today.

When the ruling came down, few understood the long-term implications. I
remember speaking on the issue in college classrooms a few years later and wondering
when the Supreme Court would reverse its decision. By the 1980s, it seemed like only
a matter of time that abortion would once again be restricted in America. That did not
happen.

A whole generation of young people has grown up never having known a time
when abortions were illegal. They may have seen some protests and may have heard
some debate about the subject. That is perhaps the sum total of their experience.

Those of us who are older can see the impact. Abortion has left a scar on the soul
of this nation. In the 18th and 19th centuries, slavery was a scar on America’s soul. Today
abortion leaves the same scar, even though it may be invisible to many people.

I see the evidence of these scars when I take phone calls from women exploited
by abortion. I see evidence of these scars when I hear the cavalier comments of young
people about human life. I see those scars when I hear people debate related issues like
stem cell research and physician assisted suicide.

I also see healing when I see the good work of pregnancy resource centers. I
understand from people working in this area that there are three times as many pregnancy
resource centers in this country as there are abortion clinics. In many ways, the pro-life
movement is winning the war of ideas.

I am encouraged that so many young people (our future leaders) are pro-life and
understand the importance of being pro-life. So there are some encouraging signs even as
we see the scars left by abortion. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view.