Evidently, Rosie the Riveter opposes the Value Them Both amendment being approved by Kansas voters.
The words “VOTE NO” are displayed in big letters next to her iconic representation of American working women on a billboard along Interstate 435 in Kansas City.
It may be seen a little distance southwest of the airport in Kansas City, Missouri.
As one travels west toward the Sunflower State’s interior, this is a portent of things to come.
Nearly everyone seemed to have strong opinions on the proposal, judging by the abundance of yard signs supporting and opposing it, which will be put to a vote on Tuesday.
However, many of them are not informed of the facts surrounding the election in Kansas on August 2.
If passed, Value Them Both, also known as Amendment 2, will declare that Kansas’ state constitution does not grant a right to abortion, overturning a decision made by the state’s Supreme Court in 2019.
Proponents of the amendment assert that despite what some people may believe, abortion is not prohibited under the amendment.
As a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization on June 24, which invalidated a national right to abortion, states now have the authority to regulate abortion as they see proper.
According to Peter Northcott, executive director of Kansans for Life and campaign manager for the Value Them Both Coalition, opponents of the measure have seized on the Dobbs decision “to create a lot of confusion about the Value Them Both amendment and they have also spread a lot of misinformation.”
Erin Newport, a Topeka resident and volunteer with the Value Them Both campaign, said there has been a lot of disinformation and “manipulation, abuse of words, to make it confusing to people” surrounding the subject.
In his efforts to enlighten voters about the amendment, Stanley Colaço, a volunteer with Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s student team, said he has come across disinformation, with some people believing the measure would outright outlaw abortion or even contraception.
Additionally, Father Nathan Haverland, pastor of the Most Pure Heart of Mary church in Topeka, stated that despite the fact that “people are informed” that the amendment is on the ballot, “there are still questions,” and that “the opposing side” is waging a “misinformation campaign.”
The video below features a “EWTN News In Depth” interview with two pro-life students active in the movement.
broken signs
Kansans will be able to vote on Amendment 2 in the primary on August 2. Since the Dobbs ruling, this is the first statewide vote on abortion in the US.
Some of the misunderstandings centre on what exactly counts as an abortion, according to Northcott.
They are attempting to link the treatment of ectopic pregnancy, a removal or treatment for a miscarriage, a treatment for a septic uterus, and other similar procedures with abortion.
The ability to “have an open chat with people” has been cited as a key benefit of canvassing neighbourhoods for votes.
It has been tremendously useful to cut through the political bluster and engage people in genuine discussion, Northcott reflected.
“We’ve had people who claimed to be pro-choice and believed that this would result in a complete ban on abortion.
People always say, “You know, that is quite sensible,’ when you talk about the laws that are currently on the books, in every instance, he said.
“Bipartisan support was needed for every statute we passed in Kansas, and that’s where the people of Kansas are really at.
You’re having conversations with folks about constraints on the abortion industry, and Kansans will respond, “Yeah, that’s where I’m at.” Not the fear tactics used by the opposition.
The 2019 court ruling that led to the Value Them campaign According to Northcott, both amendments have already resulted in the repeal of two Kansas laws: one that forbade live dismemberment abortion and the other that required clinic-specific licensure requirements. Currently, a law requiring a physical prescription for a medical abortion is being contested.
Along with spreading false information, opponents of the amendment have also intimidated and attempted to silence Kansans who support abortion rights.
Churches have been broken into, and “yes” signs have frequently been destroyed, stolen, and occasionally even switched out for “no” signs.
Haverland of Most Pure Heart of Mary claimed that the parish’s sign had received 10 or 12 coats of spray paint.
He declared, “We won’t allow these things weaken our resolve. “We continue on. Everyone who carries a tiny sign has experienced at least one theft.
He continued, “The strain is apparent.
Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, the group spearheading the opposition to the amendment, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Every night, Newport’s family has started bringing the sign inside from their lawn.
She mentioned how encouraging it was when a few evenings following the Dobbs decision to safeguard the church’s pro-amendment sign, a group of men from Most Pure Heart sat outside.
She thought, “So many people are fighting the good cause.” To deter would-be vandals, some churches have wrapped their signs in plastic to support and protect them.
Other churches have messages on electronic displays, while some Kansans have hung signs from tall tree branches.
Newport further speculated that more supporters of the amendment may not have put up signs due to vandalism; some may have given up having yard signs after having them stolen so frequently.
According to Northcott, the amendment’s opponents wanted to “silence an opposing position.”
Value Them Both has “gone through 100,000 yard signs,” he said, but 20,000 yard signs for a candidate or theme “is a lot in any other year.”
State that is crucial in a national debate
According to Mary Margaret Sperry, Newport’s daughter, the intensity of the Value Them Both discussion is reminiscent of Kansas’ pivotal position in the debate over slavery in America prior to the Civil War.
If its legislature lacks the authority to control the practise, it may start to attract abortions as most of its neighbours have restricted or outlawed it.
Respect them Both have received a lot of interest from beyond Kansas.
Campaigns against the amendment have received a flood of out-of-state funding.
According to a July 20 article in the Kansas City Star, the largest opposing organisation, Kansans for Constitutional Freedom, receives the majority of its funding “from national and regional organisations geared at preserving abortion access.”
Most of that cash was spent on radio and television advertisements.
Compared to 29% for the opponents, Northcott claims that more than 99 percent of the donations raised by the Value Them Both Coalition have originated from within Kansas.
Although Kansas-based Catholic institutions have contributed the most money to Value Them Both, thousands of dollars have also come “from individuals across the state,” according to Northcott.
We frequently receive notes from donors saying things like, “Hey, you know I can only give $20,” or “Our family won’t go out to dinner this month so that we can help you all help protect moms and babies.”
According to state records, Value Them Both Association received close to $4.7 million this year, while Kansans for Constitutional Freedom received more than $6.5 million.
The pro-life organisation Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America stated in June that it had pledged at least $1.3 million to the “yes” campaign.
Northcott also emphasised that Value Them Both has received support from sources other than the Catholic Church.
He mentioned that Southern Baptists, the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, as well as Mennonite, Bible, and independent churches, were supporting the coalition.
“People from all different religious backgrounds, including Catholics, Evangelicals, and Mainline Protestants, have shown a strong commitment to us.
We have people in our coalition who are Muslim and people who don’t follow any particular religion, Northcott said.
“It crosses all denominational lines to think that Kansas could continue to be this destination for abortion, and we could have some of the most extreme abortion practises.”
Northcott said, “I think the media tries to put us in a box that this is just a Catholic effort, but it goes way beyond that.
For the success of the amendment, prayer vigils will be held on the nights of August 1 and 2.
There will be ecumenical “Light the Night” occasions, rosary vigils, 40 Hours devotions, and Eucharistic adoration.
According to Newport, the pro-life side benefits from the campaign’s spiritual component.
She explained, “Fasting and prayer.” Realizing that this is a spiritual conflict. That’s a benefit for us.