Rose Day, and a Pro-Life Column

Today is the annual pro-life Rose Day at the State Capitol, when pro-lifers are encouraged to visit lawmakers to urge them to support the pro-life legislation presented during the session. Red roses are handed out to the legislators to represent the sanctity of life.

In honor of Rose Day, I will post a recent column written by local State Rep. George Faught (R, Muskogee) on the importance of life. This ran in the Muskogee Phoenix and the Tulsa Beacon.

Life is Precious - by Rep. George Faught

Our Declaration of Independence contains the following words in the second paragraph – “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that are among them Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

It then begins to lay out the case for protecting these rights and what should be the people’s role and that of government. I wonder if we as a society still believe in these rights the way they positioned in the Declaration of Independence.

January 18-25 was ‘Sanctity of Human Life Week’, which brought into focus the preciousness of all life; from the elderly to the most innocent of lives, those of the unborn.

It is important to note that of the three unalienable rights listed in the Declaration of Independence, “life” is first mentioned. I believe it is no accident that our forefathers listed it thus, because it is the most important.

Yes, we have personal “liberty” as long as it does not interfere with the life of someone else. Yes, we may engage in the “pursuit of happiness” as long as it does not interfere with someone’s liberty.

But it all starts with “life.”

The Bible has a lot to say about life. In Psalms 139:14 it says, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” God’s Word speaks volumes of how precious the gift of life is and how it should be protected.

Our society has turned upside down those rights in the Declaration of Independence, emphasizing the pursuit of happiness, rather than life.

The common thought is, “If it makes me happy, then it is okay, regardless of the consequences.” Our personal desires are selfishly elevated above the liberties of others.

Is there any room in this equation for life? Only for convenience sake, if it fits our schedule.

Our society has judged those babies who have come at an inconvenient time or whose medical condition shows an abnormality to not have value, and says that they can be discarded with a simple procedure. When the elderly become weak and feeble we seek to place them out of sight so as to not cramp our lifestyle.

We as a nation stand at a crossroads. Who will stand up and become the voice for those who are yet to be born and the elderly? The unborn did not choose their parents or circumstances surrounding their birth. Our elders spent their entire lives caring for us. Don’t the weakest and most vulnerable in our society deserve the same rights guaranteed the citizens of this great nation, of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”?

We have placed a greater value on our personal happiness and liberties than we have the God-ordained gift of Life. All life is precious, and must be protected from conception to natural end.

George Faught, R-Muskogee, is the state representative for House District 14, which covers portions of Muskogee and Cherokee counties.