State Senate refers 1293 to 41st day!

I just heard it live from the South Dakota Public Radio webcast of Senate State Affairs... unless it is revived from the Senate floor (unlikely this late in the session), 1293 is for all purposes done, along with its three companion 'abortion misinformation' bills. It sure feels good to have this awful law off the table. Thanks to all that worked hard to push for this vote. The vote was 8-1 to defer to the 41st day, effectively stopping the bill.

Maybe the Legislature can now get something significant done on economic development, healthcare, and taxes in rest of the session.

Rock and roll.

ps Before we move on (thank the Lord) I highly recommend the current Time Magazine, which has a map that shows that South Dakota's abortion rate is one of the lowest of the nation, and also has an article on pregnancy care centers which lays out a lot of truth, and also describes a really cool attempt to lower the temperature between a conservative Presbyterian church and a clinic that provides abortions. Listen to what their pastor said with respect to misinformation and disinformation on this issue--such a breath of fresh air:

[Presbyterian pastor] Hutchinson has wrestled with it himself, as a spiritual matter. "I never would have said that the ends justify the means," he says. "But I know that was in my heart--if lying helps save a baby's life, that glorifies God." He has read some pregnancy-center brochures that he suspects are maybe shading the truth in the name of a larger good. "This whole process has reminded me that Jesus is not a Machiavellian," he says. "It really helps me trust the sovereignty of God. He's in control of who lives and dies. My effort is to serve folks, and the means I use matter. I have to glorify Jesus. The results are in God's hands."

Such a "Blue Moon" group would sure be welcome around here, but not likely as long as we are subject to angry, divisive rhetoric and action from the likes of Gordon Howie, Roger Hunt, and Leslee Unruh.

If we were hearing more of this kind of talk from self-described "pro-life" activists, we might even lower abortions further in the state. As it is, we are only reducing a few abortions, and just shifting others out of state or out of the legal, safe medical system. There is no other way out of this but dialogue.