Statement by the Queens Village Republican Club on the NY Senate S. 240 Assembly A. 21

By Rabbi Menashe Bovit

Queens Village, NY – It is a well-known fact that our country was founded on Judeo-Christian Ethics as taught in the Bible. The Bible tells us the importance of the individual; that the individual should exercise free will in choosing good over evil, personal responsibility, the ability to repent and make amends, and most importantly, to choose life.

The Bible in Deuteronomy 30:19 says: “I call on the heavens and earth to bear witness concerning you today; I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse. And you shall choose life, so that you will live, you and your decedents.” 

We, the board of directors of the Queens Village Republican Club, are deeply saddened and horrified that the democratically controlled legislature of the State of New York has chosen death over life and curse over blessing.  The passing of the recent legislation that legalizes third term and partial birth abortion is clear evidence of this. We categorically condemn the unconscionable legislation that legalizes brutal murder of a viable and precious human life.

This despicable bill allows a “health care practitioner” licensed under NY Title Eight to make a determination allowing a third term or partial birth abortion based on a nebulous standard of “to protect the patient’s life or health.” It is not clear what a “Health Care Practitioner” is but under Title Eight it could even be a “Specialist Assistant,” (someone with a High School diploma or G.E.D.) who has completed an “approved program for specialist assistants,” code words for employees of Planned Parenthood.

Today, thankfully due to the great strides that have been made in medical technology, we know that a baby born prematurely during the third trimester can survive, grow, and go on to lead a fulfilling and productive life. However, the NY legislature has determined that a baby in its third trimester, or even during the process of birth, is not a human being and has defined a “person” as “a human being who has been born and alive.” This vague definition indemnifies those who perform third trimester abortions on viable babies.  It would even indemnify someone who cruelly murders a baby as it leaves the birth canal from charges of homicide.

It should be noted that while specific details may differ according to circumstances, all traditional major religions consider abortion to be morally wrong.

We call on all good people of every background, regardless of political affiliation to join us in seeking to overturn this evil “law.”  We call upon our fellow citizens to join us in choosing life and God’s blessing.

We also condemn the members of the United States Senate who voted down a recent attempt to protect the life of a baby born live after an attempted abortion from being murdered. Every Democrat but three voted against this bill proposed by Senator Ben Sasse (R. Nebraska). We salute Senators Manchin, Casey and Jones who broke from their party’s ranks to stand up for life. We can count on God’s blessing in our endeavor to save lives. Because the Bible also has stated in Deuteronomy 30: 11-14 “For this command which I charge you this day is not too wondrous for you nor is it too far away. It is not in the heavens that one would say “Who will go up to the heavens to get it for us so that we may hear it and do it.’ And it’s not across the ocean so that one may say “Who will cross the ocean to get it for us so that we can hear it and do it.’ But the word is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.”