A shot at success

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MARY REICHARD, HOST: It’s The World and Everything in It from WORLD Radio, celebrating 15 years. Today is Thursday the 29th of October.

Thanks for making us part of your morning routine. Good morning. I’m Mary Reichard.

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: And I’m Myrna Brown.

First up: a pro-life pushback.

Pro-lifers in Massachusetts are nearing the end of a breakneck campaign to suspend a radical new state law. Under the new measure, the state would allow abortion up to birth–and for any reason.

REICHARD: But their hard work may push the law back long enough to overturn it. WORLD’s Lauren Canterberry has the story.

LAUREN CANTERBERRY: In August, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed the bill ending the state’s few remaining pro-life protections.

If the bill is enacted, Massachusetts will join nine other states and the District of Columbia in having no restrictions on abortion at any gestational age.

HEALEY: Abortion will remain safe, it will remain legal, and it will remain accessible here in Massachusetts. That’s my commitment to you.

The law also removes requirements that late-term abortions happen in a hospital.

FLYNN: This law was different because it crossed such a fundamental ethical line.

Myrna Maloney Flynn is president and CEO of Massachusetts Citizens for Life.

FLYNN: It endangers women. And that is something I think people here became angry about.

In early September, a coalition of pro-life groups filed a petition to fight the law by sending it to voters in November 2028.

FLYNN: It’s not that often here in Massachusetts when pro-lifers actually have a shot at making meaningful change and fighting back. But this is one of the times that we do have a shot at success.

Pro-lifers got to work collecting signatures outside grocery stores, at community events, and at dozens of churches.

FLYNN: We ended up recruiting over 800 volunteers across this state for this effort.

The coalition needed to gather over 37,000 certified signatures by November 6 to place the petition on the ballot. With just under 50,000 signatures they could also suspend the abortion measure until the 2028 election.

I spoke with Flynn on Tuesday as the signatures were being counted.

FLYNN: What we know right now, according to the secretary of state who gave us an update just yesterday, is that over 87,000 signatures have been certified so far.

The petition is on track to surpass 100,000 signatures, double what was needed to temporarily suspend the law.

FLYNN: We’re proud. We’re excited. And yet we’re cautious because we know that games can be played and likely will be played at some point. They won’t just let this go.

But it’s uncertain what the end result of all that work may be. Flynn anticipates legal challenges from pro-abortion groups. And Governor Healey could force the law to take effect regardless of the signatures.

Healey is up for reelection next week and has not said whether she will take action.

FLYNN: We’re at least hoping that Governor Healey internalizes the wishes of the voters.

No matter what happens, Flynn and the coalition are already setting their sights on 2028.

FLYNN: We’ve got now two years to educate the voters.

We need to inform people that this is a common sense effort to protect viable, healthy, unborn infants who are capable of surviving outside the womb.

The coalition plans to stay active. Flynn says it could be the start of a revitalized pro-life movement in the state.

FLYNN: There’s this rejuvenation that was desperately needed in Massachusetts because so many pro-lifers were understandably frustrated, discouraged, hopeless. This effort has proven that their voices and their efforts, their energies, do matter and that we can be effective.

And it could set an example for others: showing that dedicated individuals can effect change–even in Democrat strongholds like Massachusetts.

FLYNN: If more of us spoke up like our volunteers have then life would be the winning issue going forward. We wouldn’t have to wait decades for movement on this. We would see lives protected at a much faster rate.

Flynn hopes pro-lifers in other states are watching.

Reporting for WORLD, I’m Lauren Canterberry.

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