Issue 1: Stark County anti-abortion advocates discuss their opposition to ballot measure

CANTON − Some local anti-abortion activists say they see the impending vote on state Issue 1 as a threat to their ultimate quest to outlaw abortion in Ohio.

Longtime activists Paul Crowley and Gary Cerrone say Issue 1 endangers women and infringes on parental rights. The two were among a handful of people recently demonstrating outside of Planned Parenthood at 2663 Cleveland Ave. NW. The local clinic does not perform abortions but does make referrals.

The group gathered that day included several women who declined to be interviewed.

"They have security concerns," Crowley said.

More: Watch forum on State Issue 1, abortion and reproductive rights effort

Cerrone said that if the measure fails, he has no doubt abortion rights activists will make future attempts to pass it.

If approved, Issue 1, presented on the ballot as "The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety," would amend the state's constitution by protecting individuals and their doctors in making decisions regarding abortion, pregnancy, miscarriage care, fertility treatment and contraception; would prohibit the state from punishing or interfering with those decisions; and although an abortion may still be prohibited, it would guarantee a patient's doctor the right to determine whether it is necessary beyond Ohio's current standard of up to 21 weeks and six days of pregnancy if the life of that patient is at risk.

Though the initiative makes no specific mention of parental-control issues, some opponents argue that it doesn't include prohibitions against minors seeking abortions.

"I feel it takes away parental rights, which shows how little we care about kids these days," Crowley said. "Kids are not equipped to make life-changing decisions without parental consent. I agree with Gary that if it fails, they'll be back."

Ohio Issue 1 supporters and opposition

Issue 1 has been endorsed by the Ohio Democratic Party, American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio Women's Alliance and Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights.

“Ohioans deserve the right to make decisions around pregnancy, including abortion," said Lauren Blauvelt, spokesperson for Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights. "We learned last year that abortion access is just one court ruling away from being outlawed, again − even in cases of rape or incest. We must protect our right to abortion access on multiple fronts − in courtrooms and at the ballot box. Ohioans should be in charge of making health care decisions for ourselves and our families, not government."

Issue 1 is opposed by Protect Women Ohio, the Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Right to Life, the Center for Christian Values, and the Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio. Last month, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose came under fire from civil rights groups and abortion rights activists for pushing through a change in the ballot summary's language to include the term "unborn child" as opposed to "fetus."

Crowley, who is Catholic, said he opposes abortion without exception, even in the case of rape, adding that he'd like to see more emphasis placed on chastity education.

"Two wrongs don't make a right in my opinion," he said. "But you don't have to be religious to be pro-life. I've said that if I was an atheist, I'd still be pro-life. It's murder."

Cerrone, who said he has friends who are atheists and agnostics who are anti-abortion, agrees.

"We follow the science," he said. "It's an inconvenient truth for the other side."

The Catholic Diocese of Youngstown weighs in on Ohio Issue 1

Justin Huyck, director of communications for the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown, said the diocese opposes Issue 1 but has not committed money to the effort.

Dioceses in Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati have collectively donated more than $900,000 in opposition to the measure. Under federal law, religious organizations and other nonprofit groups can advocate for ballot measures but cannot endorse individual candidates.

Youngstown Bishop David Bonnar, who recently celebrated a Mass for Life at St. Paul in North Canton, has released a video on his opposition to Issue 1.

"The Diocese of Youngstown is working together with the other dioceses in Ohio and the Catholic Conference of Ohio to address this issue," Huyck said. "We began this effort in February. Beyond the resources we ourselves have created (the diocese and the Catholic Conference of Ohio), the diocese has not donated funds to any other groups."

Crowley and Cerrone call Issue 1 proponents' concerns that birth control could be threatened if the bill is defeated "a red herring."

"It was put in there to scare people," Cerrone said.

A voice in support of Issue 1

The Rev. Doyle Luckenbaugh, a retired United Church of Christ pastor in Massillon who served on Planned Parenthood boards in Ohio and in his native Pennsylvania, is among those who support Issue 1.

"We're going to be voting in favor of it because, at least as I understand it, and I'm not 100% sure that I do understand all of it, but nevertheless, it does give the women the freedom to take care of their own bodies," he said.

"There's any number of reasons why they might want to have an abortion, and I think they should legitimately have the right to do that. My hope is at least it's a step forward. And while I think (the language) could be a lot cleaner and more clear in its presentation, I'm willing to accept it and support it because I think women have that right."

Luckenbaugh said one of the underreported factors for why women and girls opt for abortion is incest. He recalled being a volunteer chaplain at a home for pregnant girls in Pennsylvania in the 1970s, where the problem was prevalent.

"At least a third to a half of them were there to cover up the family scandal," he said. "The folks who are so strongly opposed to abortion under any circumstances haven't really seen that, or have had to face the issues that so many of those girls in those days had to face and continue to face. They're looked down upon because they might want to pursue their own constitutional right to determine whether they want to carry a baby or terminate because of circumstances that are often beyond their own control."

In June 2022, Ohio made national news after a 10-year-old Columbus girl was taken to Indiana to undergo an abortion after she was raped by her mother's boyfriend.

"It's terrible because it doesn't get more news coverage, which means the statistics are really not accurate," Luckenbaugh said.

Cerrone said he regularly engages in conversation with abortion rights people and understands their position, though he disagrees with it.

"I have pro-choice friends," he said. "I understand why they're upset. They're losing a right they've had for 50 years."

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com.

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

Abortion in Ohio by the numbers

Newly released data from the Ohio Department of Health shows a decline in the number of abortions performed. According to the agency, 18,488 abortions were reported in 2022, compared to 21,813 in 2021. Anti-abortion groups credit the state's 2019 Heartbeat Bill for the decrease, though it has been suspended by the courts.

The report also identified that the vast majority of the abortion recipients were Black (48.4%) and were pregnant for fewer than 12 weeks (89.7%).

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Stark anti-abortion advocates discuss opposition to Ohio's Issue 1