Amendment Filed to Enshrine Abortion in Arkansas Constitution

Abortion, , , ,

On Monday the group Arkansans  for Limited Government announced it is working to place an abortion amendment on the ballot in Arkansas in 2024.

The proposed amendment’s wording is available here.

This amendment puts the lives of women and unborn children in jeopardy.

If approved, this amendment would permanently enshrine abortion in the Arkansas Constitution.

The amendment’s language would prevent Arkansas law from requiring abortionists to have parental consent before performing an abortion on an underage girl. Parental consent laws for abortion help protect children from trafficking and exploitation. Repealing those laws puts underage girls at risk.

The amendment’s wording also could permit abortion in Arkansas through all nine months of pregnancy — including late term abortion and partial-birth abortion. Most Americans oppose these abortion procedures, but this amendment could give them constitutional protection in Arkansas.

Family Council has worked for nearly 35 years to promote and protect the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life in Arkansas. If passed, this amendment would erase nearly four decades of good laws that protect women and unborn children from abortion. We are firmly committed to stopping abortion in our state.

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Family Council Joins Others in Court Supporting Iowa Heartbeat Law, Defending Personhood of Unborn Children

Abortion, , ,

Earlier this month Family Council joined 32 other pro-life public policy organizations defending an Iowa law before the state’s supreme court and arguing that unborn children are protected by the fourteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In July, Iowa’s general assembly passed a law generally prohibiting abortion if the unborn baby has a detectable heartbeat.

Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit challenging the heartbeat law, and a county district court blocked the State of Iowa from enforcing it. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird appealed that lower court’s bad decision to the Iowa Supreme Court on November 8.

On November 15, Family Council joined 32 other pro-life, pro-family organizations filing an amicus brief in the case.

The brief argues that an unborn child in the mother’s womb is a “person” under the Fourteenth Amendment — which means the child is entitled to equal protection under the law.

We believe Iowa’s pro-life law is constitutional, and we trust the Iowa Supreme Court to uphold it. However, even if Iowa loses in state court, this case — and the amicus briefs filed in it — could set the stage for future pro-life victories in Iowa and elsewhere around the country. That’s something to look forward to.

Articles appearing on this website are written with the aid of Family Council’s researchers and writers.

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Remembering Arkansas’ First Official Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
Arkansas Governor Thomas Drew

In October of 1847, Arkansas’ third governor, Gov. Thomas Drew, issued Arkansas’ very first Thanksgiving proclamation.

The proclamation set aside Thursday, December 9, 1847, as a day of thanksgiving.

In his proclamation, Gov. Drew highlighted the many blessings Arkansas had enjoyed—including Arkansas’ great people, abundant crops, prosperity, and good health.

He concluded by calling on Arkansans to thank God for these blessings.

Below is a copy of Gov. Drew’s proclamation.

Whereas, an all wise and merciful Providence has dispensed blessings of the most bountiful and diversified character among the people of this state, in the abundance of the various agricultural crops, the universal prosperity of our people and their unexampled good health, it is deemed worthy of a greatful people to make public manifestation of their sense of the renewed obligations under which we have been placed, by the appointment of a day of general THANKSGIVING throughout the state.

Be it known, therefore, that I, Thomas S. Drew, Governor of the State of Arkansas, have appointed Thursday, the 9th day of December next as a day of THANKSGIVING, which is hereby proclaimed and recommended to the good of people in every county and town in the state as a fit day and proper time to acquit ourselves, each and every one, of a high and praiseworthy duty to the Bountiful and Merciful Providence.

Given under my hand at Little Rock and to which is affixed the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas, this 12th day of October, 1847, and the Independence of the United States the seventy-second year.

By the Governor,
Thomas S. Drew

Gov. Drew’s proclamation is significant, because it came at a time when Thanksgiving was not formally recognized by Congress or the President. It was up to each state to decide whether or not to recognize Thanksgiving.

Of course, the question everyone always asks when we talk about that first Thanksgiving is, What did Arkansans eat at that first Thanksgiving?

The Department of Arkansas Heritage writes that families likely ate bacon, beef, mutton, pork, veal and geese.

Butter, eggs, cheese, honey, potatoes, onions, beets, apples, and turnips also would have been plentiful.

Because states like Arkansas recognized Thanksgiving year after year, the federal government eventually made it an official holiday for the entire nation.

It’s good to know Arkansas played a part in the history of one of the most important holidays that our country observes.

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