Pro-life advocates were ecstatic on the first Monday night in February, when the Surry County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a Personhood Resolution making the county a sanctuary for unborn children.
Personhood NC and a number of pro-life leaders had pushed for the resolution in a commissioners meeting back in November of 2022. The vote allowed Surry County to join Yadkin, Wilkes, Davie, Randolph and Davidson as the sixth North Carolina county to pass a Personhood Resolution.
Before the commissioners voted there was an open forum where pastors and people from the community voiced their opinions. Commissioner Van Tucker then brought the resolution to a vote by saying, “I am happy to make the motion that we adopt the resolution…declaring Surry County to be a strong advocate for life and urging the citizens of the county to promote and defend the inalienable right to life.”
Before reading the resolution Chairman Eddie Harris stated:
“I am delighted that we have decided to honor the sanctity of life, and that all human beings from the pre-born until death are important. I think there has been too much cheapening of human life in our country. I think it is a shame and I think it is a disgrace on our nation.”
Harris then read the Resolution for Life to a packed courtroom. Following is part of the statement:
“The Surry County Board of Commissioners desires to express its strong feeling and deep concern that all human beings in the County of Surry, at every stage of development, including before birth, should be afforded protection from acts of cruelty, and be treated humanely and with dignity.
“They further declare the county be a strong advocate for life and to urge the county’s citizens to promote and defend the unalienable right to life and the inherent dignity of all human beings, including the unborn, from conception or fertilization through all stages of development… and resolves to use all means within its power to support the sanctity of human life in accordance with its God-given responsibilities as the peoples’ elected governing body.”
It was quite obvious that thoses in attendance were solidly pro-life as the packed room burst into cheers when the results were announced.
Some might question the need for such a resolution since the Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down Dobbs v. Jackson eliminated federal rights to abortion. But the ruling did not eliminate abortion it just threw the issue back to the states. And the facts point to a growing need for action to be taken, especially in North Carolina.
North Carolina has seen the largest percentage of increase in abortions of any state in the Union since Roe was struck down. Some neighboring states have stronger abortion restrictions than North Carolina. And since it’s liberal governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, has stated that he will not seek to prosecute anyone crossing NC state lines to get an abortion those numbers may actually increase.
Chairman Harris spoke during the meeting about the hope that the vote would place pressure on the legislature in Raleigh to alter NC state law. He explained, “The timing is appropriate, and the time is now.”
Currently, North Carolina prohibits abortion after 20 weeks. This year pro-life Republicans will decide whether to further the states’s restrictions on abortion which would slow the flow of women coming into the state for abortions. One of the options being considered is a Heartbeat bill that would save as many as 25,000 babies from abortionists knives every year!
Sharon Kelly, Executive Director of Lifeline Pregnancy Center in Elkin, praised the resolution and confirmed its need. Lifeline is on the front lines of the abortion issue, doing much needed work in offering counseling services to women and help in determining if she is pregnant, how far along, and what her options are. Lifeline was involved in the resolution process from the beginning.
“North Carolina has become a destination state for abortions,” lamented Kelly. “We now see about 30% out of state license plates outside of local abortion clinics and a total increase of about 37% in abortions in our state. I am thankful for the Commissioner’s work in passing the resolution and am hopeful that it will result in more action statewide to make it more difficult for abortions to take place in our state.”
Surry County should be commended for joining the other five counties in standing up for the unborn. But six out of the 100 North Carolina counties stepping up is a minuscule start to what needs to be a state wide effort.
The prophet, Zechariah, encouraged the returning Jewish exiles to repent, renew their covenant with God and to rebuild the temple. He also told them to not despise small beginnings because the Lord rejoices to see the work begin. (Zechariah 4:10)
That sounds like excellent advice for us…repent for the slaughtering of over 70,000,000 innocent babies since Roe, renew our covenant with God and begin to rebuild the moral fabric of this country. Let us take a moment to rejoice that the work has begun and delight in these small beginnings.
Yet, we must not let up, slow down or stop praying until the whole state becomes a sanctuary for the unborn. We must keep the momentum generated by the passing of these personhood Resolutions going forward. I urge you to call your state legislators and implore them to pass a Heartbeat bill in 2023. We have a unique opportunity to contribute to saving as many as 25,000 lives from abortion in North Carolina each year. May God bless what has been accomplished and the efforts for the work yet to be done!