A coalition of pro-life organizations is countering California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) multi-state “blasphemous” abortion billboard campaign with signs of their own.
Last September, Newsom’s campaign paid to promote abortion tourism via public billboards in seven states. Some of those billboards misused the words of Jesus from the New Testament of the Bible to market the Golden State as an abortion destination: “‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ – Mark 12:31.”
“In response to Newsom’s blasphemous billboards, a coalition of pro-life organizations is placing billboards in the same locations as Newsom posted his pro-abortion billboards,” Life Legal Defense Foundation announced.
The billboard features what the coalition describes as a “pro-life” and “pro-chastity” message: “Save sex for marriage. Plan your future, not your abortion,” the sign reads.
“We need to have a conversation in this country –including in the pro-life movement– about the true cause of most abortions,” said coalition spokesman Mark Harrington. “The billboards are intended to remind people of the inconvenient truth that the main driver of abortion is irresponsible sexual activity.”
The group noted that the most recent data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that 86.3 percent of abortions are performed on unmarried women.
“The abortion ratio was 46 abortions per 1,000 live births for married women and 412 abortions per 1,000 live births for unmarried women – a nine-fold difference,” the Life Legal Defense Foundation continued. “If men and women stopped having sex outside of relationships truly committed to protecting the lives of the babies they create, the demand for abortion would largely disappear. Pro-life resources could then focus on helping families welcome their unexpected additions.”
In 2021, Newsom vowed to make California a “sanctuary” state for abortion if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the issue to the states, which it did in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.
Newsom announced his billboard campaign via Twitter in September of 2022, stating that he did so in “the most restrictive anti-abortion states” to “explain how women can access care — no matter where they live.” He also launched the state’s one-stop abortion shop website, abortion.ca.gov. His budget will fund some travel from out-of-state for abortion services.