In her State of the State Address Tuesday, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) said she will ask her legislature to ban abortions that are sought on the basis of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome.
“We must stand for the right to life of every preborn child,” the governor said:
During her address, Noem introduced two families – the Fites and the Duffys – who have children with Down syndrome.
“Cody Fite and Valentina Duffy both have Down syndrome,” the governor said, and added:
God blessed these beautiful children with an additional chromosome. Their gorgeous smiles, distinct personalities, and that vibrancy you see before you are all gifts from God. For those who have had the privilege of knowing someone with Down syndrome, you know that person ends up being a gift to all of us.
I share this because even today, in 2021, some European countries, like Iceland and Denmark, are on pace to virtually eliminate children with Down syndrome. They do this one way and one way only: through abortion. As actress Patricia Heaton points out, Iceland is simply killing everyone that has it.
“As South Dakotans, frankly, as human beings, we should all be appalled by this,” Noem said. “We are better than that.”
The governor went on to say the Declaration of Independence tells us “God created each of us and endowed all of us with the right to life.”
“This is true for everyone, including those with an extra chromosome,” she asserted, and continued:
I look forward to the day when the Supreme Court recognizes that all preborn children inherently possess this right to life, too. Until that time comes, I am asking the South Dakota legislature to pass a law that bans the abortion of a preborn child, just because that child is diagnosed with Down syndrome.
“Let’s make South Dakota a symbol of hope, justice, and love for children like Cody and Valentina,” the governor urged. “With the help of several pro-life groups across the state, my team will present legislation for your consideration and swift passage.”