New York Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered One World Trade Center to light up pink in celebration of the passage of legislation that would allow abortion up until birth for any reason.
The Reproductive Health Act was signed into law yesterday on the 46th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade.
The bill states, “Every individual who becomes pregnant has the fundamental right to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child, or to have an abortion.”
LifeSite News reports that the law “erases the state’s recognition of preborn babies older than 24 weeks as potential homicide victims, removes abortion from the penal code entirely, and allows licensed health practitioners other than full doctors to commit abortions.”
In a statement, Governor Cuomo said, “The Reproductive Health Act is a historic victory for New Yorkers and for our progressive values.”
“In the face of a federal government intent on rolling back Roe v. Wade and women’s reproductive rights, I promised that we would enact this critical legislation within the first 30 days of the new session — and we got it done. I am directing that New York’s landmarks be lit in pink to celebrate this achievement and shine a bright light forward for the rest of the nation to follow.”
New York Catholics have expressed their outrage over the law, with Albany Bishop Rev. Edward B. Scharfenberger writing an open letter slamming the “extreme abortion legislation.”
“Your advocacy of extreme abortion legislation is completely contrary to the teachings of our pope and our Church,” he wrote. “I shudder to think of the consequences this law will wreak. You have already uttered harsh threats about the welcome you think pro-lifers are not entitled to in our state. Now you are demonstrating that you mean to write your warning into law. Will being pro-life one day be a hate crime in the State of New York?”
Archbishop of New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, along with other bishops signed a letter condemning the bill, saying “our beloved state has become a more dangerous one for women and their unborn babies.”
“Our governor and legislative leaders hail this new abortion law as progress. This is not progress,” the bishops wrote. “Progress will be achieved when our laws and our culture once again value and respect each unrepeatable gift of human life, from the first moment of creation to natural death.”
