Crosstalk: March 24, 2017

Bradley Pierce is a husband and father of 6 and has been an attorney in Texas for the past 10 years. He's a home school graduate and a graduate of Baylor University and Baylor Law School. He is also an abolitionist who is working alongside many Christians in his state to abolish abortion. He joined Jim to discuss HB-948 which has been introduced in that state.

Bradley believes that Roe v. Wade is not the law of the land. He believes that the Constitution is the law of the land. It states that there is equal protection for persons. This means protection should be there for those unborn as well as for those who are born. On that premise, he feels Roe v. Wade is actually contrary to the Constitution.

If that's the case, what about the idea that the U.S. Supreme Court is the law of the land? Bradley noted that this idea is nowhere in the Constitution. The Constitution has what's known as the 'supremacy clause' which says that the laws made in Pursuance thereof (from Article VI) are the supreme laws of the land, not the opinions of the Supreme Court.

The Abolition of Abortion in Texas Act (HB-948) treats unborn children equal with born children. Texas law already defines a person as including the unborn at every state of gestation from fertilization until birth. However, it's used to prosecute people who kill pregnant women (double homicide). Also, homicide laws don't apply to people such as those who administer the 'morning after pill', abortionists, the mothers, doctors who destroy embryos, etc.

HB-948 would apply to all abortions, including those that result from rape or incest and those with severe abnormalities. Bradley admitted that rape and incest are horrific but the answer to such violence is not to commit another act of violence, this time against the baby's body.

There is an exception to Texas homicide laws for those who are administering drugs with the intent on causing the death of a child. HB-948 repeals that and communicates that homicide laws apply to everyone.

HB-948 has been assigned to the State Affairs Committee in Texas that is chaired by State Representative Byron Cook. It's up to Chairman Cook to decide whether the bill gets a hearing or not. So far he has refused to do that.

As this edition of Crosstalk moved along, Jim had Bradley answer the following questions:

--What kind of support is there at the current time in Texas for HB-948?

--How would HB-948 play out with the federal government if passed?

--Why doesn't Texas just wait for the Supreme Court to eventually settle themabortion issue?

--Where does the governor or the attorney general in Texas stand on this issue?

--How can listeners get engaged on this issue?