PRO-LIVE VS. PRO-CHOICE: SC residents testify before House committee members about abortion law

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) — After Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Dobbs opinion of the US Supreme Court, access to an abortion is no longer constitutionally protected.

Instead, states decide individually whether to permit abortions.

Pro-life and pro-choice supporters were outside the Blatt Building on statehouse grounds early this morning hoping to speak before House committee members. Some were outraged at the states Fetal Heartbeat Bill, with others saying it’s not enough. 

“We’re murdering children, that’s what it is. It’s not pro-choice, it’s pro-murder,” said pro-life advocate Donald Miller.

“Commitment to life is quality as well as quantity. That’s your challenge. The people who have spoken before me had choices. We believe we are entitled to the same,” said Greenville activist Efia Nwangaza.

One South Carolina resident speaking today before House lawmakers Thursday told about how her parents refusing to get an abortion saved her life.

“At the 20-week ultrasound, my parents found out that their first child had a fetal anomaly, a severely underdeveloped left leg and a cyst on the brain,” said college student Savannah Duke.

Another resident testified about how abortion saved a life.

“They had to remove the pair of deceased baby girls from my wife’s body before they became toxic and killed my wife,” said Spartanburg resident Aaron Cameron Popkin.

Many of those speaking before the House committee had pro-life stances, but there were pro-choice opinions heard as well, including from the Democratic nominee for Governor Joe Cunningham.

“This body is meeting today to do something wholly un-American, to rip away our rights,” Cunningham said.

Others disagreed with him, saying that abortion of any kind is wrong and the fetal heartbeat bill doesn’t go far enough.

“Your six-week bill is compromising and God will not settle for compromise. You’re saying a child under the age of 6 weeks has no human value,” Miller said. “The Bible says we are all created in God’s image. Life begins at conception. Abortion must be abolished period. No exceptions.”

“Legislation guided by the Bible, even minutely, infringes on my rights. I want to end by saying that banning abortion will not stop abortion. We can look at history and see that it only stops safe abortions,” said Natasha Durant, Lexington County resident and veteran.

Attorney Courtney Turner Milbank spoke about how to punish those who break abortion law. She says all involved would be held liable, comparing it to RICO prosecutions.