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Georgia Right to Life

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Georgia Right to Life
FounderJay and Cheryl Bowman
TypeIRS exemption status: 501(c)(4)
FocusEducation
Legislation
Political action
Location
Area served
Georgia
MethodDonations
Key people
Ricardo Davis, President
Zemula Fleck, Executive Director
Websitegrtl.org

Georgia Right to Life (GRTL) is an American 501(c)(4) anti abortion organization that is non-profit, non-partisan, and non-sectarian. It was incorporated in 1971 by Jay and Cheryl Bowman. In 1973, it became the state affiliate of the Washington, D.C.-based National Right to Life Committee in response to the Supreme Court decision of Roe v. Wade which legalized abortion.

GRTL serves as Georgia's largest anti abortion rights organization with grassroots chapters across more than 30 counties in Georgia and more than 240,000 identified anti-abortion households. Its activities include education, legislation, and political action to oppose legalized abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, embryonic stem cell research, human cloning and artificially produced genetic transformation.

Early history

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Georgia Right to Life was established by Jay[a] and Cheryl Bowman in 1970, under the name Georgia Right to Life Committee.[b] Its first major action was a letter-writing campaign in the same year, encouraging Georgians to vote for anti-abortion candidates. By 1971, the Georgia Right to Life Committee was incorporated and became a member of the National Right to Life Coalition. An office was set up in the garage of the Bowmans' home and volunteers helped mail packets of information and a newsletter to thousands of Georgians. Several months later, Georgia Right to Life began establishing local chapters in other parts of the state.

In 1973, Georgia Right to Life launched an anti-abortion campaign in reaction to the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade which was decided on January 22, 1973. The Bowmans appeared on television and radio programs as speakers on abortion and other related issues. Jay Bowman appeared in the "hot seat" on the WAGA show Confrontation and Cheryl Bowman appeared on WSB-TV's Today in Georgia. The group gained national recognition when an article about Georgia Right to Life was printed in a 1975 issue of Newsweek. The organization eventually relocated its office to Decatur, Georgia.

Mary Boyert

The Bowmans left Georgia Right to Life in the late 1970s. Mary Boyert joined GRTL's executive committee in 1978. She served as the Education Director from 1979–1980, when she was elected president of the organization. She served for three consecutive terms (1980–1986). After her third and final term, Boyert was appointed to the Executive Director position in late 1986. She held that post until being appointed the Archdiocesan Pro-Life Director in 2000.[3] Boyert established the Georgia Right to Life Executive Committee, the Georgia Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, and the Georgia Right to Life Political Action Committee. Under Ms. Boyert's presidency, local chapters were founded and the organization's bimonthly newsletter began publication.

Legislation and political endorsements

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For the 1990 Georgia gubernatorial election, Georgia Right to Life endorsed Democratic primary candidate Roy Barnes,[4][5] while rejecting pro-choice Republican Johnny Isakson.[4] GRTL later opposed Barnes' run for governor in 1998, after he had switched to a pro-choice stance, claiming he had "abandoned his principles for political gain."[6] For the 1996 United States presidential election, GRTL president Gen Wilson mentioned Alan Keyes as a personal favorite, while also acknowledging that "realistically, you have to be pragmatic."[7]

In 2000, president-elect Caryl Swift disqualified candidates who held an abortion exception in favor of rape and incest victims from receiving an endorsement from GRTL. In the 2002 U.S. Senate election, GRTL initially endorsed Republicans Saxby Chambliss and Bob Irvin, who had claimed to only support abortions in cases where the mother's life is at risk. The organization later repealed its endorsement of Chambliss, when it was revealed that he also supported abortions for pregnancies from rape and incest.[8] In 2004, after Republican U.S. representative Johnny Isakson voted to allow overseas military hospitals to perform abortions, Georgia Right to Life jointly endorsed Republicans Herman Cain and Mac Collins to oppose his run for U.S. Senate.[9][10] For the 2006 Georgia state elections, GRTL endorsed several Republicans, including Casey Cagle, Ralph E. Reed Jr., Gary Black, Brian Kemp and Sonny Perdue, as well as Democrat Walter Ray.[11]

During Swift's presidency, GRTL also began lobbying for Georgia state representatives and proposed legislation. GRTL successfully lobbied the Georgia General Assembly on HB 197[12] in 2006, which created a 24-hour waiting period for all women seeking an abortion, tightened parental notification regulations, mandated that all women seeking abortion be offered the chance to view an ultrasound, and mandated all women seeking abortion be informed about fetal pain.

Swift was succeeded as president by Daniel Becker in 2007.[c] Under Becker's leadership, the organization lobbied for restrictions on abortion, including the Human Life Amendment which would have defined personhood as beginning at fertilization, to be added to the Georgia Constitution.[14][15] The organization lobbied Georgia House Speaker Glenn Richardson for a speedy vote on the amendment. To date,[when?] the Human Life Amendment has not come to a vote in the Georgia General Assembly.[14][15] Other GRTL-sponsored legislation which has not received a hearing in the Georgia House include SB 223 "The Woman's Reproductive Health Oversight Committee,"[16] HR 1 "Ban on Abortion,"[17] and HR 5 "Paramount Right to Life Amendment."[18]

Georgia Right to Life endorsed Mike Huckabee in the 2008 presidential election, while its national affiliate National Right to Life endorsed Fred Thompson.[19][20][21] For the U.S. House elections it endorsed Paul Broun for GA-10, as well as 67 Republicans and one Democrat for the Georgia State House, and 28 Republicans and two Democrats for the State Senate.[22] The organization has also supported the Ethical Treatment of Human Embryos Act,[23] the Option of Adoption Act,[24] and HR 334/SR 156 "Opposing FOCA Resolution." GRTL opposes embryonic stem cell research,[25] as well as in vitro fertilization.[26][27]

In 2009, Georgia Right to Life released its Candidate Affirmation statement. Any political candidate who seeks an endorsement from the organization must sign the statement. The document reads:[d]

WHEREAS, the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states, "nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the law," Georgia Right to Life PAC affirms the principle that the right to life is the bedrock upon which all other Constitutional rights are derived.

IN ADDITION, we believe, in the face of compelling biological evidence that a continuum of human life and personhood begins at the moment of fertilization and ends at natural death, the ethical treatment of human embryos must include their "best interests,"

THEREFORE, as a candidate for public office, I affirm my support for a Human Life Amendment to the Georgia Constitution and other actions that would support these principals [sic]. This would assure that regardless of race, age, degree of disability, manner of conception or circumstances surrounding a terminal illness, that the civil rights of the pre-born at an embryonic or fetal level, the elderly and those with mental or physical infirmities are protected by law and are violated when we allow destructive embryonic stem cell research, therapeutic or reproductive cloning, animal-human hybrids, abortion (except to save the life of the mother), infanticide, euthanasia or assisted suicide.

— [28][29]

Five of the Republican candidates in the 2010 Georgia gubernatorial election – Georgia state senator Eric Johnson; Ray McBerry; Georgia state Commissioner John Oxendine; Georgia state representative Austin Scott; and Jeff Chapman – had signed GRTL's declaration.[29] Republican candidate Karen Handel, who opposed abortions with exceptions for rape and incest, was described by GRTL as being "extremely liberal" on the issue.[30][31][32][33]

For the 2012 United States presidential election, Georgia Right to Life endorsed Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. The organization was publicly reprimanded by its national affiliate, the National Right to Life Committee, which endorsed Republican Mitt Romney, who previously held a pro-choice stance but later adopted a pro-life stance.[34] In 2014, the NRLC voted to replace GRTL with the Georgia Life Alliance as its official affiliate for the state of Georgia, after GRTL opposed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.[35] Georgia Right to Life repeatedly opposed legislation that sought to ban abortions with exceptions for rape and incest, with anti-abortion critics denouncing GRTL's aggressive "all-or-nothing" approach.[36][37] Opponents of GRTL's approach included Erick Erickson of RedState and Georgia House speaker David Ralston,[38] while supporters of its approach included PSC member Tim Echols.[39] In 2015, Georgia Right to Life eliminated the "life of the mother" exception for candidates seeking endorsement.

For the 2016 presidential election, the organization initially endorsed Republican Ted Cruz for president, in August 2015.[40] Following the emergence of Donald Trump as the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party, GRTL instead endorsed Constitution Party nominee Darrell Castle, in June 2016.[41] GRTL described Trump as having "flip-flopped on pro-life issues", including considering appointing his pro-abortion sister Maryanne Trump Barry to the Supreme Court, and speaking positively of Planned Parenthood.[41] Upon president Trump's decision to nominate Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, GRTL criticized Kavanaugh's stance on abortion, and called on Trump to replace him with Amy Coney Barrett.[42][43][44] In 2019, GRTL opposed the anti-abortion Georgia House Bill 481 over its exceptions for pregnancies from rape and incest.[45]

Activities

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Recurring

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The organization hosts the annual Georgia March For Life Memorial Service and the Silent March. The Georgia March For Life commemorates the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and takes place at Liberty Plaza, across from the Georgia State Capitol. State representative Martin Scott (R-District 2) and Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., spoke at the Silent March in 2009.[46] In 2001, GRTL established the REACH Benefit Dinner. REACH, which is an acronym for Reaching Hearts, Changing Minds, is an annual fundraiser for GRTL's Educational Trust Fund.

Georgia Right to Life publishes a bi-monthly newsletter with a stated circulation of around 60,000.

Campaigns

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Georgia Right to Life established the "Abortion Holocaust Memorial Wall", a virtual wall modeled after the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, intended to recognize every abortion performed in the United States since 1973. In 2009, GRTL joined the non-profit organization Choose Life of Georgia in its "Choose Life" license plates campaign.

In 2010, GRTL promoted an outreach campaign aimed towards the state's African-American women, whose pregnancies were aborted at a disproportionately high rate.[47] The campaign made use of 80 billboards around Atlanta, which described black children as an "endangered species" due to their abortion rates.[48][47] GRTL claimed that abortions were a tool used by racists and segregationists, in order to "stealthily target blacks for extermination," and asserted that Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger wanted to reduce the black population.[48] Loretta Ross of SisterSong criticized the campaign, describing it as an attempt to both demonize and victimize African Americans seeking abortions.[48] GRTL's campaign also included screenings of the Life Dynamics documentary film Maafa 21, which alleged that white elites had used abortions to control black population growth since the end of slavery.[49]

Organization

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There are currently[when?] 30 adult-organized, grass roots chapters and one youth-focused and youth-organized chapter under the Georgia Right to Life banner. By unanimous vote by the state board, GRTL became a faith-based organization in 2007. Georgia Right to Life is a philanthropic Judeo-Christian organization which is legally recognized as a not-for-profit.

In 2014, the National Right to Life Committee voted to replace GRTL with the Georgia Life Alliance as its official affiliate for the state of Georgia, after GRTL opposed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act.[50]

Presidents

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The organization has had a democratically elected president since its creation in 1970. All presidents are limited to three consecutive two-year terms. Any president may serve in any position within the organization after their presidency for as long as the current president sees fit.

List of presidents:

  • 1970–1979: Jay Bowman
  • 1979–1980: Kel MacDonald
  • 1980–1986: Mary Boyert[3]
  • 1986–1988: John and Linda Fuchko
  • 1988–1989: Erik Petersen
  • 1990–1991: Tom Clark
  • 1991–2000: Genevieve Wilson
  • 2000–2007: Caryl Swift
  • 2007–2015: Dan Becker[51]
  • 2015–present: Ricardo Davis[e]

Notes

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  1. ^ Mr. Bowman introduced himself as "Joe Bowman" to a subcommittee of the United States Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare in 1973.[1] Time magazine has also referred to him by this name.[2]
  2. ^ The organization changed its name to Georgia Right to Life in the mid-1980s.
  3. ^ Becker had been serving as vice president of the organization since 2006, and as director of its political action committee since 2000.[13]
  4. ^ The statement has since undergone slight modifications.
  5. ^ At the time of his election, Davis was serving as chairman of the Constitution Party of Georgia.[52]

References

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  1. ^ "Family Planning Services and Population Research Amendments of 1973". U.S. Government Printing Office. 1973. p. 201.
  2. ^ "The Law: A Stunning Approval for Abortion". Time. February 5, 1973.
  3. ^ a b "Mary Boyert Named Archdiocesan Pro-Life Director". Georgia Bulletin. January 6, 2000. Archived from the original on 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  4. ^ a b "SisterSong v. Brian Kemp is part lawsuit, part feminist manifesto". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. June 28, 2019.
  5. ^ "Churches: Candidates seek boost". The Atlanta Constitution. July 4, 1990.
  6. ^ "Archbishop Issues Statement On Red Mass Luncheon". The Georgia Bulletin. September 20, 2007.
  7. ^ "Abortion Foes Eager to Flex '96 Muscle". The New York Times. July 2, 1995.
  8. ^ "Anti-abortion group withdraws Chambliss endorsement". AccessWDUN. October 22, 2002.
  9. ^ Ball, Molly (October 14, 2011). "Herman Cain for Senate? The Inside Story of His First Insurgent Campaign". The Atlantic.
  10. ^ "Cain and the Social Issues". National Review. October 18, 2011.
  11. ^ "The one-exception rule strikes another candidate". Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "Georgia House Approves Bill That Would Require 24-Hour Waiting Period for Women Seeking Abortion". Archived from the original on 2009-01-04. Retrieved 2009-11-25.
  13. ^ "Political RoundUp: January 2008". Georgia Trend. January 1, 2008.
  14. ^ a b "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-07-22. Retrieved 2016-09-21.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ a b Kathy Lohr (2008-01-22). "'Human Life' Amendments Latest Challenge to Roe". NPR. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  16. ^ "Georgia General Assembly - SB 223". Archived from the original on 2012-08-03. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
  17. ^ "Georgia General Assembly - HR 1". Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
  18. ^ "Georgia General Assembly - HR 5". Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
  19. ^ "In Atlanta, Huckabee Courts the South". The Washington Post. January 22, 2008. Archived from the original on October 23, 2015.
  20. ^ "Georgia Right To Life Endorsing Huckabee". Insideradvantagegeorgia.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-02.
  21. ^ Jill Stanek (December 1, 2007). "Georgia RTL bucks National RTL on prez endorsement". Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  22. ^ "Georgia Right to Life endorses Broun, but not much of the state House leadership | Political Insider | ajc.com". Archived from the original on 2008-11-02. Retrieved 2009-09-21.
  23. ^ "Georgia Right to Life Introduces Legislation to Protect the Mother and Child". Christian Newswire. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  24. ^ "Georgia Clears a Path for Legal Adoption of Embryos". Governing. March 24, 2010.
  25. ^ "After Change in Federal Policy, Some States Take Steps to Limit Stem Cell Research". The New York Times. March 13, 2009.
  26. ^ "Final Report of the Senate "Rights Relating to Reproductive and Genetic Technology" Study Committee" (PDF). Georgia Senate Research Office. 2007.
  27. ^ "In-Vitro Fertilization Limit Is Sought". The Wall Street Journal. March 3, 2009.
  28. ^ "Scott and Chapman Join in Standing for Personhood in Georgia Governor's Race". Christian Newswire. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  29. ^ a b "Scott and Chapman Join in Standing for Personhood in Georgia Governor's Race". Standard Newswire. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  30. ^ "Toward a more perfect Palin". The Economist. July 21, 2010.
  31. ^ "Georgia Primary Results Boost Both Palin and the GOP". Newsweek. July 21, 2010.
  32. ^ "Handel, Deal in a rush to raise cash for runoff". The Augusta Chronicle. July 23, 2010.
  33. ^ "Pro-lifers can't trust Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. June 20, 2013.
  34. ^ "Romney Scores Key Endorsements From Anti-Abortion Groups". National Public Radio. April 12, 2012.
  35. ^ "National organization boots Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 29, 2014.
  36. ^ "New rival challenges Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 24, 2014.
  37. ^ "Battle between pro-life groups take fight to Washington". WSB-TV. March 28, 2014.
  38. ^ "Georgia's Anti-Abortion Lobby Goes To Battle With Itself". Georgia Public Broadcasting.
  39. ^ "A surprise bid to undercut the clout of Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 27, 2014.
  40. ^ "Georgia Right to Life PAC Endorses Ted Cruz for President". Christian Newswire. August 8, 2015.
  41. ^ a b "Donald Trump rejected by Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. June 9, 2016.
  42. ^ "If Confirmed, Will Justice Kavanaugh Help the Pro-Life Cause?". Charisma News. September 4, 2018.
  43. ^ "What Georgia stakeholders are saying about Kavanaugh's Supreme Court hearings". The Gainesville Times. September 7, 2018.
  44. ^ "Georgia Right to Life Calls on Trump to Withdraw Kavanaugh Nomination". Georgia Pol. July 11, 2018.
  45. ^ "The Jolt: Abortion foes have no claim to civil rights legacy, says Andrea Young". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. July 23, 2019. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021.
  46. ^ "Dr. Alveda King to Address 'Let Them Live Rally' at State Capitol Today". Christian Newswire. Retrieved 2016-09-16.
  47. ^ a b "To Court Blacks, Foes of Abortion Make Racial Case". The New York Times. February 26, 2010.
  48. ^ a b c Dewan, Shaila (February 5, 2010). "Anti-Abortion Ads Split Atlanta". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  49. ^ "Antiabortion activists see a racial conspiracy". Los Angeles Times. March 2, 2010.
  50. ^ "National organization boots Georgia Right to Life". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. March 29, 2014.
  51. ^ "Georgia Right to Life names new leader". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. October 22, 2015.
  52. ^ "New Georgia Right to Life Leadership". Georgia Right to Life. October 22, 2015.
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