AUSTIN — As businesses and elected officials across the nation bash Texas for a new pro-life law, a glaring question remains: Why are some people furious that Texas no longer allows the killing of most children?

On September 1, the Texas Heartbeat Act officially took effect statewide. The act, approved by the state Legislature in May, makes it illegal in Texas to kill a baby in the womb once the child’s heartbeat is detected (though the law still does not protect a baby in the first few weeks of their life).

The act came after more than 53,000 babies were aborted in Texas in 2020 alone.

The law also uniquely empowers citizens, not government officials, to sue abortion facilities and anyone who assists in executing a child with a heartbeat.

However, since May, abortion businesses have tried to stop the Heartbeat Act in court. But last week, the U.S. Supreme Court denied their efforts and let the law continue for the moment.

Now, businesses and elected officials—including the president—are attacking the state.

Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft both recently announced legal funds to oppose the law, with Lyft also donating $1 million to abortion mill Planned Parenthood.

The city council of Portland, Oregon, is expected to vote on Wednesday to ban travel and trade with Texas to protest the Heartbeat Act.

Internet hosting companies GoDaddy and Epik have both blocked prolifewhisteblower.com, Texas Right to Life’s website that sought to provide Texans with an anonymous tip form to report abortions and help enforce the Heartbeat Act. That site was also bombarded by pro-abortion spam attacks prior to being removed.

President Joe Biden and his administration are also scrambling to stop the pro-life law, with Biden calling it “un-American” and promising a “whole-of-government effort” to retaliate, and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Monday that the Department of Justice is urgently figuring out options to challenge the act.

Lastly, the Satanic Temple has joined the legal fight against the law, sending a letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration demanding permission for their members to still kill children because of “religious freedom.”

“Why Satanists may be the last, best hope to save abortion rights in Texas,” read one magazine headline.

Citizens reacted to the onslaught against the child protection law.

“What about the [babies’] rights??” one individual commented.

“If you’re wondering which side of the abortion debate you should be on, maybe pick the one opposite of the Satanists,” wrote Texas Right to Life in a social media post.

“Imagine a world where people are mad about saving babies,” wrote another.

Certainly, as the Heartbeat Act unfolds across the state and could save the lives of countless children, that question lingers.

Jacob Asmussen

Jacob Asmussen is a Senior Journalist for Texas Scorecard. He attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and in 2017 earned a double major in public relations and piano performance.

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