Michigan Wolverines football coach Jim Harbaugh clarified his position after facing backlash on social media and from college football fans for comments he made at a pro-life gathering.
In an interview with ESPN, Harbaugh discussed how he has made it clear to his family, players, and staff that if they become pregnant unexpectedly and are unable to care for the child, he and his wife will raise the child.
“I’ve told [them] the same thing I tell my kids, boys, the girls, same thing I tell our players, our staff members. I encourage them if they have a pregnancy that wasn’t planned, to go through with it, go through with it,” Harbaugh said. “Let that unborn child be born and if at that time, you don’t feel like you can care for it, you don’t have the means or the wherewithal, then Sarah and I will take that baby.”
He added, “Any player on our team, any female staff member or any staff member or anybody in our family or our extended family that doesn’t feel like after they have a baby they can take care of it, we got a big house. We’ll raise that baby.”
On July 17, Harbaugh, who has been the head coach of the University of Michigan since 2015 and played collegiate football there, served as the main speaker at the Plymouth Right to Life dinner and auction, which was held 15 miles away. He delivered an impactful speech in support of the unborn, which caused a stir on social media.
“We Were Made to be Courageous” was the evening’s theme. Harbaugh discussed the fortitude that is necessary in today’s world for people to be able to speak out for their beliefs.
“I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born,” he said, according to the Detroit Catholic. “I love life. I believe in having a loving care and respect for life and death. My faith and my science are what drive these beliefs in me. Quoting from Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’”
Catholic by upbringing, Harbaugh mentioned how his parents ingrained their beliefs in him from a young age. Now that he has children of his own, he instils these principles in them and lives them out when he interacts with his football players and staff.
Although Harbaugh acknowledged that not everyone shared his worldview, he noted that it was crucial to communicate your beliefs and the reasons behind them.
“Passions can make the process messy, but when combined with respect, it ultimately produces the best outcomes,” Harbaugh said. “This process has been passionate and messy, but I have faith in the American people to ultimately develop the right policies and laws for all lives involved. I recognize one’s personal thinking regarding morality of a particular action may differ from their thinking on whether the government should make that action illegal. There are many things one may hold to be immoral, but the government appropriately allows because of some greater good or personal or constitutional right.”
“Ultimately, I don’t believe that is the case with abortion,” he added. “Yes, there are conflicts between the legitimate rights of the mother and the rights of the unborn child. One resolution might involve incredible hardship for the mother, family, and society. Another results in the death of an unborn person.”
Although both outcomes are undesirable, Harbaugh insisted that the unborn child’s life must prevail. He also stressed the value of aiding expectant moms who require it by supporting pro-life programmes.
“In God’s plan, each unborn human truly has a future filled with potential, talent, dreams and love,” he said. “I have living proof in my family, my children, and the many thousands that I’ve coached that the unborn are amazing gifts from God to make this world a better place. To me, the right choice is to have the courage to let the unborn be born.”
During the occasion, his wife, Sarah Harbaugh, also gave a pro-life testimony and discussed how they as a married pair spread their beliefs.
“From an early age, my mom and dad would go to a Planned Parenthood and pray,” she said. “I feel my mom was a big influence for me, both my parents talked about protecting the unborn. I have friends, even family, who have considered abortion or had an abortion, and I know they are not better for it. If we had more support for women, more people who knew what really happens, we would be in a different place on this issue.”
An estimated $44,000 was raised at the auction for local pro-life initiatives. Additionally, donations from donors totaling $100,000 were made to Plymouth Right to Life.