National Sanctity of Human Life Day

National Sanctity of Human Life Day is an observance declared by several U.S. Presidents who opposed abortion.

History

In a January 13, 1984 proclamation, President Ronald Reagan designated January 22, 1984 as the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day. The date was chosen to coincide with the 11th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case that first recognized the constitutionally-protected status of abortion in the United States.^[1]

Reagan issued the proclamation annually thereafter, designating Sanctity of Human Life Day to be the third Sunday in January, which represents the closest Sunday to the original January 22 date. His successor, George H. W. Bush, continued the annual proclamation throughout his presidency. Bush's successor, Bill Clinton, discontinued the practice throughout his eight years in office, but Bush's son and Clinton's successor, George W. Bush, resumed the proclamation, and did so every year of his presidency.

Response

The proclamation of National Sanctity of Human Life Day has been heralded by National Right to Life as "a wonderful statement of what the pro-life movement is really all about". Reproductive activist groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood have denounced it, saying it signals a desire to roll back the rights of women.^[2]

In an amicus brief filed by the National Lawyers Association in the case of Elk Grove Unified School District v. Newdow, National Sanctity of Human Life Day was cited as an instance of the executive branch acknowledging the theistic philosophy of the United States government.^[3]

See also

• Abortion in the United States
• Abortion debate
• Abortion and religion
• List of observances in the United States by presidential proclamation

References

1. ^ Gaustad and Schmidt, p. 406
2. ^ "Bush Declares..."
3. ^ NLA Brief

• "Bush declares National Sanctity of Human Life Day". CNN.com. 2007-01-15. http://www.cnn.com/2003/ALLPOLITICS/01/15/bush.abortion/. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 
• Gaustad, Edwin S.; Leigh Schmidt (2004). The Religious History of America. HarperCollins. ISBN 0060630566. 
• "Supreme Court Briefs: No. 02-1624". FindLaw.com. http://washingtonpost.findlaw.com/supreme_court/briefs/02-1624/02-1624.mer.ami.nla.html. Retrieved 2007-10-05. 

External links

Proclamations

Proclamation 5147, 1984 Proclamation 5292, 1985 Proclamation 5430, 1986 Proclamation 5599, 1987 Proclamation 5761, 1988 Proclamation 5931, 1989

Proclamation 6090, 1990 Proclamation 6241, 1991 Proclamation 6397, 1992 Proclamation 6521, 1993 Proclamation 7520, 2002 Proclamation 7639, 2003

Proclamation 7752, 2004 Proclamation 7863, 2005 Proclamation 7975, 2006 Proclamation 8101, 2007 Proclamation 8217, 2008