Humorist and political satirist, Mark Twain once said, “If voting made any difference they wouldn’t let us do it.”
Being in the firm grip of Roe for half a century certainly felt like voting just did not make much of a difference. After all, supposed pro-life presidents had nominated “reliable Constitutionalists” who, we were told, were threats to over-turn Roe and its “abortion distortion” on the legal system. Yet, justice after justice appointed before Y2K – with the notable exceptions of Scalia and Thomas – voted to uphold Roe.
And then, suddenly, even unexpectedly, voting mattered immensely.
The unlikely candidacy of a Northeast New Yorker who claimed to be pro-life was not reassuring. And then he published a list of Supreme Court candidates who, as best we knew, were reliably pro-life in their judicial temperament. The unlikely candidate became a lightning rod of a president, but still held to the promise of appointing reliable Textualists (as Scalia had popularized). Indeed, with only one term, he appointed three justices who exhibited this judicial philosophy through their lower court rulings and writings.
And then Dobbs happened.
And Roe was no more.
Elections matter.
But they matter as part of a greater plan that must integrate God’s heavenly timing with our earthly mechanisms of government.
Our vote is just that – a vote. It is our opportunity to exercise our part in the governing of our country, and important, even sacred, trust we have as citizens. Our vote is, in part, our voice to the government. Martin Luther King, Jr. noted, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Voting matters when there are moral imperatives, like abortion, being held in the sway.
Some eschew voting for its apparent lack of impact (see Mark Twain quote above). Sure, a reasoned choice of non-engagement is, itself, a statement. But the opportunities to vote are somewhat infrequent. While there is no such thing as a perfect candidate, all votes are opportunities to better our town, state, or country.
As we now move into a post-Roe reality, those who relied on the courts to protect abortion are now understanding that their vote is their voice in elections that can decide laws at the state and local level, along with projecting to our federal office-holders their role.
As surely as the abortion proponents are mobilizing to make their vote heard, pro-lifers must do the same to preserve, and even advance, the legal protections of life we can now enact through our elected officials.
Even Abortion state pro-lifers need to make their voices known through their vote. While ultimately the entrenched abortion-protecting incumbents may not be ousted, a strong pro-life vote reverberates through party politics in ways not always made evident by the masters of media. More and more the dissecting of the “electorate” happens through the polling analysis and turnout evaluation. These boost the influence of a vote far beyond the count for the candidate(s). They inform, for those paying attention, on where and how those voting are aligned.
“Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” So said pro-life, suffragist, Susan B. Anthony. There are many things we can do to promote the sanctity of life. Voting is one of the simplest.
I have learned that “the world is run by those who show up.” That applies to PTA meetings and congregational gatherings. Showing up can make a difference when others don’t.
Sure, God can handle this Himself as He wills. Interestingly, though, He chooses to work through people – especially His people. And the government He has placed us under, invites our votes as citizens. Of course, our citizenship in heaven only requires one vote – His. Yet, our citizenship on earth allows us to be actively engaged. Let’s show up and vote our values for life.
