A restrictive abortion bill signed into law this week by Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey continued to receive national attention Thursday as pro-life advocates and pro-choice proponents debated the issue on cable news and social media.

The national attention wasn’t necessarily surprising to State Rep. Danny Crawford, R-Athens, who voted for the measure in the House. The bill was sponsored by State Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, in the House and State Sen. Clyde Chambliss, R-Prattville in the Senate.

“We sort of expected there would be some reaction,” Crawford said by phone Thursday from Montgomery. “A lot of it may be a lack of understanding.”

Those critical of the bill have pointed out there are no exceptions for rape and incest. Crawford explained the toughness of the bill is by design.

“People think there are going to more abortions with coat hangers in closets, but I don’t think that’s right. This is an opportunity to get it to the (U.S.) Supreme Court,” he said. “If (SCOTUS) overturns Roe v. Wade, and we have states’ rights, we’ll stay within the federal guidance until we change the laws to how we want it here and they would contain amendments for rape and incest.”

He explained if the law had included rape and incest, it would have potentially hurt the state’s position.

“If you exempt rape and incest, you’re killing your argument. You’re saying, ‘You’re a person unless you’re formed by incest or rape,’ and we don’t want the judges to look at it that way,” Crawford said.

Personal feelings

Women who believe the government has no business deciding women’s health issues have not held back criticism of the bill. One of those is Elayne Shelton, vice chair of the Limestone County Democrats.

She said she’s been following the abortion issue for many years and described Alabama’s bill as “a tragedy.”

“It’s embarrassing for Alabama,” she said.

She pointed out a dichotomy between people who favor less government control but yet support government attempts “to control what women do with their wombs.”

Her life has been touched by the abortion issue. She said her sister crossed state lines years ago to have an abortion. A childhood friend, who was 17th of 21 children in a Catholic family, died from an illegal abortion.

“I have very personal feelings for many reasons,” she said. “This is a personal issue for women.”

She believes women will still continue to have abortions, whether they are legal or not. She has faith in SCOTUS keeping Roe v. Wade in place, despite the challenge by Alabama and other states.

“I think there would be a huge rebellion of women who realize this is not the right thing to do,” she said. “I think the public supports a woman’s right to choose.”

On the other side of the issue, Noah Wahl said it’s just as personal to him because he believes one-third of his generation died from abortion. Wahl, who chairs the Limestone County Republican Party, also said abortion is a civil rights issue.

“If you are killed before you are born, you are deprived of the most basic right to life,” he said. “It is a big deal.”

He’s not surprised by the fact Alabama passed such a restrictive law defending life, but instead expressed surprise it took so long. He believes the law became a priority because of more liberal states’ “blatant disregard for the unborn all the way up until birth.”

Wahl described Alabama as a “pro-life state” and offered up proof of the state’s passage of Amendment Two last November. The constitutional amendment’s aim was to “declare and otherwise affirm that it is the public policy of this state to recognize and support the sanctity of unborn life and the rights of unborn children, most importantly the right to life in all manners and measures appropriate and lawful; and to provide that the constitution of this state does not protect the right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”

The bill passed by a margin of 59.01% to 40.99%.

In bolstering his point, Wahl explained the founding fathers wrote about “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” as part of the Declaration of Independence. He also quoted Article I, Section 35 of the Alabama Constitution:

“That the sole object and only legitimate end of government is to protect the citizen in the enjoyment of life, liberty, and property, and when the government assumes other functions it is usurpation and oppression.”

Next steps

It’s unknown how soon SCOTUS could take up Alabama’s abortion law. Some believe Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump, would likely vote with other conservatives on the bench to overturn Roe.

Crawford believes lawmakers are making positive moves elsewhere this session that should be applauded by both Republicans and Democrats. One bill recently approved by the House would prevent a man convicted of rape from visiting a child he conceived.

“Why should a mother have to look at someone who raped her?” he asked. “That’s just one of those side (laws) we believe will prepare us down the road if the state gets to set our own (abortion) law.”

Ken Hines, chairman of the Limestone County Democrats, didn’t offer a prediction this week about what would happen next. He wanted to read the bill before making any detailed comments, but he predicted a long fight ahead for both sides.

“If you have one group of people who say a human being exists at the moment of conception and another group that doesn’t believe that is a person as long as it is totally dependent on the body of a woman, you’re setting yourself up for an impasse,” he said. “Unless something happens, those people will never agree.”