OHIO – Governor Dewine in a speech last night asked for people to debate the issue of abortion in a civil way.
My purpose tonight is not to debate the merits of this decision. There will be plenty of time to do this in the days and weeks ahead,” Dewine Said, “I have two reasons for talking to you tonight. First — I think it is important that as we discuss the abortion issue, we do it in a civil way and recognize that there are people of goodwill on both sides, who have strongly and honestly held beliefs. Second, I want to talk about the work that needs to be done to better support children and families and the common ground that we, as Ohioans, share.”
Dewine spoke directly to pro-choice Ohioans in his speech.
“My fellow Ohioans — I fully understand that the Supreme Court’s decision today is deeply troubling to many of you. Those of you who are pro-choice believe this is a matter of freedom and is a decision only the woman can make. Those who are pro-life, including my wife Fran and me, believe that the life of a human being is at stake and that we have an obligation to protect that innocent life. We all have friends and others close to us whom we respect and who are on both sides of the issue.”
The Governor said that with debate you can find common ground between Pro-abortion and Pro-Life groups.
“At the same time, even though Ohioans may disagree with each other on the issue of abortion, I do believe that there is common ground and essential goals that Ohioans share when it comes to children and families.
I believe that all Ohioans want this state to the most pro-family, pro-child state in the country, and we are making great progress in creating an environment here in Ohio where families and children can thrive and live up to their full potential.
Though we have made progress, we agree that we must do even more to lower our infant and maternal mortality — especially among African American mothers and babies. We agree that no mother or child should go hungry or not have adequate housing. We agree that no child in this state should suffer the devastating effects of toxic lead-paint. And, we agree that all Ohio children have access to mental health services.
Here in Ohio, we are doing more than ever before to make sure that our youngest, most vulnerable children get the best possible start in life. We have doubled our investment in Ohio’s voluntary home visiting programs, where trained professionals meet regularly with new and expectant moms and dads to teach valuable parenting skills. And, through our “Bold Beginning” initiative, Ohio is already investing more than $1 billion
dollars to provide prenatal care, parenting classes, mentoring, education, and nutrition assistance to pregnant mothers and their families.
But there is so much more to be done — so much work that remains.”
The Governor asked that Ohioans with different opinions be asked to work together with him to focus on these issues and commit themselves to the health and success of Ohio’s families.
“As part of that commitment, I have directed our state health and human services agencies to bring me innovative, new ideas for ensuring that vulnerable mothers are immediately identified and receive the help they need. In the weeks ahead, I will be working with the General Assembly and our local communities to improve the quality of pre-and post-natal care, to increase the frequency of maternal depression screenings, and to expand mental health resources for women who experience miscarriages.
We will be working on efforts to increase awareness about adoption to ensure that every child finds a permanent, loving home and family.
And, we will seek to expand healthcare coverage to more mothers and children, so that no child in Ohio goes without regular primary care doctor visits, preventative care, and childhood vaccinations.”
