It is no secret that the current culture is information-obsessed. With the assistance of advanced technology, screens and social media provide a constant stream of news. While there are some definite downsides to the inundation of data, there is something to be said for being given the necessary information to make an informed decision.
Utah is doing its part to guarantee a well-informed public. As of January 1, 2019, any woman seeking an abortion in Utah must complete an informative module 72 hours before the procedure. According to an article in the Salt Lake Tribune,
“The module, like the existing video, would be required to ‘present adoption as a preferred and positive choice,’ and would be ‘produced in a manner that conveys the state’s preference for childbirth over abortion,’ according to the bill. The Department of Health also would be required to maintain a public website with similar information.”
This bill offers an alternative to the often-biased required face-to-face confrontation at an abortion clinic.
This is the first of many instances in which Utah has made national headlines over the past year for its pro-life legislation. On March 25, 2019, Governor Gary Herbert signed a bill which would prevent abortions from taking place after 18 weeks. The law was placed on hold shortly after it was passed to be reviewed federally.
Utah communities are standing behind their state legislation. According to an article by Deseret News, the people of Utah are aiming to support legislation “that protects human life from its earliest stages.”
Utah is changing its laws to promote a well-informed public. Knowledge is power and by showing patients the dangers and disadvantages of abortion they are in a way mimicking the methods of William Wilberforce, the man who helped abolish slavery in England. To prove a point he brought Parliament down to the slave ships so they could know firsthand of the trade’s depravity. He declared, “You May look the other way, but you can never again say that you did not know.” Due to his efforts, slavery in England was abolished.
The first step to change will always be to inform the public of the problem.
Update: This module is now available at the Utah Department of Health.
