It has been said ad infinitum, mostly by people from other countries, that the United States would do well to pay close attention to the developments in other Western countries since their current status provides a grim preview of our future. We have seen how immigration has impacted countries in the EU and that those issues are rapidly becoming commonplace here. The once-great nation of England has become a morass of left-wing aggression, with individual rights and even faith not just falling to the wayside but into the irrigation ditch running next to it. We see renewed attacks on those rights in the U.S. with every news cycle. And depending on the outcome in November, the United States may resemble the EU more closely than anyone could have seen by this time next year.
Despite a Supreme Court ruling, the battle over abortion continues apace here. France will have no such problems. On Monday, the French Parliament voted 780 to 72 to pass an amendment making abortion a constitutional right. The New York Times reported that the vote came during a special session at the Versailles Palace. During the discussion, there were speeches given honoring French women who had fought for abortion rights and talking about the rights of women across the globe.
Prior to the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal told the assembly, “We are sending the message to all women: Your body belongs to you and no one has the right to control it in your stead.” With the decision, France becomes the first nation to add a legal right to an abortion to its constitution. Abortion will become a “guaranteed freedom” in France. As such, future governments will not be able to modify laws that fund abortion up to 14 weeks into the pregnancy.
Green Party senator Mélanie Vogel stated that by passing the amendment, France has shown that abortion is “a condition of democracy.” She added, “The French Republic will no longer remain democratic without the right to abortion.” According to the Daily Caller, President Emmanuel Macron posted on X:
French pride, universal message. Let us celebrate together the entry of a new freedom guaranteed in the Constitution by the first sealing ceremony in our history open to the public. See you this March 8, International Women’s Rights Day. (sic)
Fierté française, message universel.
Célébrons ensemble l’entrée d’une nouvelle liberté garantie dans la Constitution par la première cérémonie de scellement de notre histoire ouverte au public.
Rendez-vous ce 8 mars, journée internationale des droits des femmes. pic.twitter.com/dcwniEPei4
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) March 4, 2024
The Times article stated that the impetus for the amendment was the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson. That ruling gave the states the right to determine their abortion laws. Vogel commented that she wanted to send a message to feminists outside of France that nothing is impossible if a society can be mobilized. The Caller had a quote from Lola Schulmann with Amnesty International in Paris:
U.S. activists — don’t give up the fight. What is happening in France is for you and all women fighting for abortion rights in the world.
The point has been made that the number of elective abortions far outweighs the number of those due to medical reasons or sexual assault. but that is of no concern to abortion activists. And even with the Dobbs decision, one can certainly choose to have an abortion in the United States. There are plenty of people and organizations to ensure that, and no ruling or legislation will ever stop it.
But there is also the choice to have the child. Doing so can take a negative situation and make it into something positive. It is the opportunity to elevate the human condition. If one so chooses. What value does human life have? The question is not just the humanity of the fetus, or even if it has a soul, but what of our own humanity and souls? Who do we want to be?