As a veteran and lawmaker, I've stood on the front lines of both international conflicts and policy debates, but few issues strike at the heart of our community like the ongoing battle over abortion rights in Arizona. Together with conservative stalwarts Pat Moore, Mike Moore, and Tatiana Pina, we tackle the controversy head-on, navigating the aftermath of Roe v. Wade's demise and its impact on our state.
Our candid discussion hones in on the Arizona Abortion Access Act—a measure that could shape the future of reproductive rights for Arizonans. With the political landscape shifting beneath our feet, we dissect the campaign to secure its place on the ballot and the broader societal implications it carries. Meanwhile, the Defending Life and Family Proclamation and the proposed Personhood Act bring a new dimension to the conversation, intertwining faith, science, and law. Join us for a dialogue that's as enlightening as it is urgent, where we address the complex facets of one of the most divisive topics facing our community today.
As a veteran and lawmaker, I've stood on the front lines of both international conflicts and policy debates, but few issues strike at the heart of our community like the ongoing battle over abortion rights in Arizona. Together with conservative stalwarts Pat Moore, Mike Moore, and Tatiana Pina, we tackle the controversy head-on, navigating the aftermath of Roe v. Wade's demise and its impact on our state.
Our candid discussion hones in on the Arizona Abortion Access Act—a measure that could shape the future of reproductive rights for Arizonans. With the political landscape shifting beneath our feet, we dissect the campaign to secure its place on the ballot and the broader societal implications it carries. Meanwhile, the Defending Life and Family Proclamation and the proposed Personhood Act bring a new dimension to the conversation, intertwining faith, science, and law. Join us for a dialogue that's as enlightening as it is urgent, where we address the complex facets of one of the most divisive topics facing our community today.
Welcome thrill seekers and curious minds to an electrifying new episode of the Walt Blackman Show. Today we're diving head first into a vortex of fascinating stories, groundbreaking ideas and conversations that promise to challenge, inspire and entertain like never before. Whether you're a loyal listener or joining us for the first time, you're in for an unforgettable adventure. So buckle up, turn the volume up and let's set the stage for a journey that will take us to the edges of imagination and beyond. With every episode, we're exploring the unknown, celebrating the extraordinary and uncovering secrets that await around every corner. Your ticket to this wild ride, right here, right now, on the Walt Blackman Show, remember. You can always amplify your experience by revisiting the magic on Apple Podcasts, spotify, amazon Music and more. The world is vast, the stories are endless and it all starts here. Let's ignite the spark of curiosity together. Welcome to the Walt Blackman Show.
Speaker 2:Welcome everyone to the Walt Blackman Show, where we are going to dive deep into the issues that matter to you most. I'm your host, walt Blackman, and today we've got a lot to unpack regarding the state of abortion rights and access in Arizona and beyond. But first a word from our sponsors.
Speaker 3:First and foremost, a quick thank you to our incredible sponsor, wb Consulting Services LLC. They're the trailblazers in business consulting right here in beautiful Phoenix. If you're seeking to elevate your business, give them a call at their offices at 6029607, or toll free at 1-800-83-415-57WB Consulting Services is your go to for all your business solution needs.
Speaker 2:Welcome back everybody to the Walt Blackman Show. Now let's get right into it. Abortion rights advocates and groups in Arizona have launched a campaign to put the Arizona Abortion Access Act on next November's ballot. Now this measure would permit abortions up to the point of fetal viability between 28 and 40 weeks of pregnancy, which was the law in Arizona until the US Supreme Court's 2022 ruling to overturn Roe V Way.
Speaker 4:At the Supreme Court today an historic upheaval. In a sweeping ruling that overturned a half a century of precedence, five justices ended the right of American women to choose abortion under the Constitution. The court upheld Mississippi's ban on abortions after 15 weeks by a 6-3 vote, and five of those justices went even farther, voting to overturn Roe vs Wade itself. Today's opinion is nearly identical to the draft that leaked from the court last month, mr Samuel Alito rejecting the 1973 landmark ruling in Roe, scarning the idea that the Constitution protects a right to choose abortion. Roe was on a collision course with the Constitution from the day it was decided. Alito wrote it is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people's elected representatives. Chief Justice John Roberts joined the conservative majority in upholding the Mississippi law, but he insisted the court did not need to overturn Roe. Instead, he searched for some middle ground, pleading None. Of this, however, requires that we also take the dramatic step of altogether eliminating the abortion right first recognized in Roe.
Speaker 4:And from the liberal wing, a scathing agonized dissent Justice Stephen Breyer, arguing that Alito's ruling is based on nothing more than the fact that three new justices appointed by Donald Trump Neil Gorsuch, brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett cast decisive votes to overturn Roe. Neither law, nor facts, nor attitudes have provided any new reasons to reach a different result than Roe did. All that has changed is this court, breyer wrote, and in the dissent's last line, breyer, along with Justice Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, struck a somber note With sorrow for this court, but more for the many millions of American women who have today lost a fundamental constitutional protection. We dissent. The impact of today's ruling will be immediate. 13 states have trigger laws that end access to abortion. Now that Roe is overturned, 13 more states are now expected to move quickly to ban abortion. Abortion rights groups are bracing for this new reality in America.
Speaker 2:We certainly are going to be doing everything we can to maintain abortion access in the states that we expect to see coming hard at trying to ban abortion.
Speaker 2:The Arizona court of appeals has ruled that a ban on abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy, which GOP lawmakers and former Governor Doug Ducey enacted last year. I know this because I co-sponsored on to this bill for pro-life measures. Now this is the law to land. However, the Arizona Supreme Court. They are right now hearing arguments to find out whether or not the law is superseded by a pre-roll ban on nearly all of abortions.
Speaker 2:Now, everybody, this is a complex situation, but let me break it down for you in numbers and what they are trying to do. The Arizona campaign needs to collect about 383,000 valid signatures from voters by July 3rd to qualify for the ballot. I'm not sure if they have it or not. I'm not sure how close they are to it. However, they need that number to get on the ballot Now. This would be something that we all need to pay attention to the Arizona abortion access. They've hired nearly 450 signature gatherers in the past month, everybody, and they've also spent between $40 and $50 million alone in Arizona to get this campaign across the finish line with their signatures to put on the ballot. We're going to be talking about that and more after this break.
Speaker 3:Arizona. Are you ready for a leader who knows what it takes to serve both on the battlefield and in the halls of government, Walt Blackman? Walt is not just any leader. He's a decorated combat veteran, awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his extraordinary actions in Iraq. Walt has also served honorably in Afghanistan, putting his life on the line to defend our freedoms. But Walt's service to his country didn't end overseas. He brought his dedication and leadership skills back home to Arizona, where he made history as the first black American elected as a Republican to the Arizona House of Representatives. Walt has already served two terms and he's not done yet. He's running to return to the Arizona House of Representatives to continue his dedicated service to the people of Arizona. Walt Blackman understands the challenges we face in healthcare, education and the economy. He's not just talking about change, he's actively working towards it.
Speaker 5:Hello Arizona, I'm Walt Blackman and I'm committed to representing you. As a combat veteran, I've faced adversity and know the meaning of sacrifice. I will bring that same dedication to fight for you and your families in the Arizona House. Let's make Arizona a beacon of opportunity and freedom. I'm Walt Blackman and I approve this message because Arizona deserves strong leadership, now more than ever.
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Speaker 2:Welcome back everybody. Before we go any further, I want to remind you to please subscribe to the Walt Blackman show to get all the latest updates on crucial issues such as this one. Now let's get back to the topic at hand Now. As many as eight states could have an abortion related referendum on their ballots next November. Now this includes states like Maryland, new York, which could have multiple swing districts pending their redistricting lawsuits. We may see some of that Now. The issue of abortion is still a significant factor on a ballot box. Now, some people would say that this may not be a big ticket item to them, so on and so forth. However, up there with the economy, with the border in Arizona, this is a big ticket item. Now, we've seen in recent elections, even after Roe v Way was overturned, democrats still believe that their grass root efforts will continue to make them competitive at the ballot box, even in traditionally conservative areas. That's concerning Now to backlash to all this and overturning Roe v Way, and I want to make it clear out there that I am so happy that the Supreme Court overturned this and pushed it back down to the states, because it needs to be at the states. However, it has played a significant role in Democrats, strong showings in the past elections of 2022.
Speaker 2:There are opposition groups out there, that's not. I had an opportunity to speak with such a group on zoom Actually, two groups on that zoom meeting. One of the members of the group, pat Moore, who was very, very energetic, great American navigator for pro-life stances, her husband, mike, the owner of restaurant, and Mesa, and guess what? These two Americans who are very, very busy are getting involved in this fight. The other is Tatiana Pina. She ran for office, she's a conservative Republican in Latina and she is one of the best that I know that will go after this Now. Now I will tell you this. There are members in the church not officially speaking about this because they don't want to put words in the church's mouth. However, there are members in the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which I am a member of, that are getting involved in this. Again, I want to put it out there this is not sponsored by the church. These are members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that want to get involved and want to let the world know that we have a proclamation to the family that we are going to fight for, and part of that proclamation to the family is fighting for life. We have to ask ourselves, how does the left get away with doing this? And when we are talking about abortion? One of the ways they get away with doing this is not defining that baby as a person. They define it as a fetus and they're able to pass these types of laws or talk this type of rhetoric.
Speaker 2:I plan on running a bill when I get back into the Arizona House, called the Person-Hood Act and what that would do. That would place this baby under the protections of the person who is under the law of the 14th Amendment. And why use the 14th Amendment? Well, when we talk about equal protection under the law, it's very evident that that clause actually protects Americans. It actually protects their rights and it actually ensures that an individual born in the United States has the equal rights to fair protections under the law, with liberty and property, and their liberties will not be a bridge or interfered with by any state or government. That is why I'm going to run this law and I believe that this law will get some traction to be able to save our kids from this heinous, heinous act.
Speaker 2:How do we do that? Also, well, when we look at how the baby is defined again as a fetus. We have to understand that when the egg is fertilized, science has said and proven that human DNA begins to form. So why wouldn't we define this human being as a person instead of a fetus? We do that. We can protect these babies from crazy, crazy proposals like the one we see that they're trying to push to the ballot. The access to abortion will be able to save babies. We'll be able to make sure that mothers are protected and we will be able to stop this madness that we are seeing come from the left when they are talking about up to the point of viability of abortion or trying to get access to abortion. With this referendum Now, as we go forward, we have an opportunity as Christians, as believers in the faith, as pro-life advocates, to protect children from this heinous, heinous piece of legislation that is trying to make it to the ballot Now.
Speaker 2:I've heard all the arguments on the other side about it's my body, it's my right, it's my choice. I hear that. However, if science dictates that a fertilized egg begins to build human DNA, doesn't that baby have an opportunity to life? And don't we, as particularly members of the church and I'm not speaking for the church, I'm speaking for myself. Nor was that group last night speaking for the truth. Don't I have a responsibility to Heavenly Father to protect His children? Don't I have a responsibility to my community to protect life? And don't we as members have a responsibility to live up to the family proclamation to the world? That proclamation shouldn't just be hanging in your home and just collecting dust. We should be looking and reading and pondering and thinking about this proclamation to the world to fulfill our responsibilities as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Now, again, I am not speaking for the church, I am speaking solely as somebody who is spiritual, who is a pro-life advocate and who follows the family proclamation to the world.
Speaker 2:I'm going to read you the proclamation that I was talking about. I'm not going to read the whole thing, I'm just going to read paragraph three, the first sentence and paragraph three. It's important for you to know, and again, this proclamation, the family proclamation, isn't just for members of the church. This proclamation is for whoever desires to have the Word of God speak to you about this important, important issue that I am talking about today, want to make it clear this is not an endorsement of the church. It is not an official read. It is not an endorsement from any stake, any bishopric ward or any member in the church. This is a document that is in my home, that I follow and helps me stay on point with this fight against abortion.
Speaker 2:The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood. As husband and wife, we declared that God's commandment for His children to multiply and reprimand the earth remains in force. Now this next message is for members of the church who follow this. If you follow this the proclamation to the family are the family proclamation and you are following that first sentence and the third paragraph of this Then guess what this conversation that we are having on my podcast today to Walt Blackman show should reach you and resonate you for what is important in our responsibilities? It is our responsibility as members of the church to spread His gospel. This is His gospel. This is His word. God's commandment to His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.
Speaker 2:This means that this referendum that is going to the ballot Arizona Abortion Access Act. We need to stand up against this. We need to send a loud and clear message to those that would kill Heavenly Father's children, that it will not be tolerated. Now I'm not telling you to go out and carry signs. I'm not telling you to go and call your state lawmaker and to go down to Phoenix and have these meetings with them. I am asking you to number one to pray, read your proclamation, listen to the still small voice in your heart and do what is necessary, even if it's just to get out and vote.
Speaker 2:Because if you don't do that, ladies and gentlemen, if you don't get out and vote, this Arizona Abortion Access Act will kill more babies than we can count. It is about making sure that women are safe and they are healthy and that we are following the guidelines to protect them. It also is about life. It's about keeping God's promise to protect His children Made these babies that the left is so willing to kill all the way up to the point of delivery. We have a responsibility, as members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to protect life and this life that they are killing. This life was created in the image of God and it's our responsibility to get on board and to do this.
Speaker 2:I'm not saying the church needs to do this. I am not saying wards and bishoprics need to get involved in this. I am not saying that. What I am saying is, if you are an individual and you are a member of the church and you pray about this and you ponder about the significance of what this bill or what this referendum will do the Arizona Abortion Access Act and how it would protect access to abortion access to abortion before viability and after viability If you think it is okay to stand by and just let this happen without saying something writing a letter to your lawmakers or whatever it is you need to do if you think it is okay to sit around and not do anything about this, you probably need to do some praying. If anything, you need to go to the ballot and vote, because if you believe in this proclamation that was given to us as members, then you have a reason to stand up for God's children, for heavenly fathers, daughters and sons.
Speaker 6:If you're looking to catch up on Walt's past shows, all you need to do is go to Apple Podcast, spotify Podcast Index, amazon Music Podcast, attic Podchaser or End Player FM. You can also go to his website at wwwbusssproutcom and click on the Walt Blackman Show. Now here's more of Walt coming at you on the Walt Blackman Show.
Speaker 2:Welcome back everybody to the Walt Blackman Show. And first of all, again, please subscribe to the Walt Blackman Show so you can be part of the process and not part of the problem. Getting back to establishing the fundamental rights based on what is written in this referendum or initiative or whatever you wanna call it, the act adds to the Constitution. Now, when an act is in the Constitution, the only way you can get it out of the Constitution is to launch another initiative. Lawmakers, we can't take it out of the Constitution because it is embedded in the Constitution. That's why they went for this. They went for the Super Bowl 100 yard Hail Mary to get this stain embedded into the Arizona Constitution, to make it a basic right of people. And again, states cannot Restrict it. And again we're talking state agencies, political subdivisions. They cannot deny or limit or interfere with a person's right to get an abortion.
Speaker 2:Now I want to hit on the before viability. Now, most folks know that abortions should be protected before viability. Now what this does and says that they are protected if the baby can likely survive outside a uterus without any medical efforts. In a nutshell, what that means everybody. This means that abortions are allowed before the point of pregnancy right to the point when the baby could survive outside the mother's womb without needing any type of medical help. That's what they're saying. The baby is healthy, the baby can be born, the baby can survive Guess what? They can still abort his child. Now, after viability and that is in this bill also abortions can be performed after this point if necessary to protect the life or physical, mental health of the pregnant individual. What does that mean everybody? In simpler terms and I like to break this down if the baby can potentially outside, survive outside the womb, once again with medical help, this is called viability. Abortions can still be done only if it's save the life of the mother, to protect her physical or mental health. The key component in here, ladies and gentlemen, is that these abortions can be performed after viability and all they need is to say that there is some sort of mental health issue with them having this child. I'm not saying that the data has happened because I don't know, I don't have the data on that, but hypothetically, a woman can walk into an abortion clinic at the ninth month of pregnancy and say that because of mental health issues that they may encounter by having this baby, they want an abortion. To put the cream on the crop.
Speaker 2:This act protects those from carrying out abortions if that hypothetical happens, and it entitles people to help somebody to get an abortion. Now take, for example, your child or a child, a teenager is pregnant. They go see their counselor. They don't tell their parents because they may be scared of the consequences. They go tell their counselor. The counselor can not only give this child, your child, resources to get an abortion. They don't have to tell you that they did that and they are protected under this law from doing so. They can just do it. They can go and give this child assistance to go get an abortion and you would not even know it because they don't have to tell you.
Speaker 2:According to this legislation, this goes too far and there's a campaign out there that says goes too far and it says that the state shouldn't adopt these types of laws and enforce and regulate policies that protect children. Now, as we go further in this, there are groups out there and I'm going to bring some of the group members on this podcast to talk to you about this. This needs to get out. The word needs to get out that this is out there, this is happening, that these abortions will take place, and if we Christians, pro-life folks, don't get the message out, this issue will not only get worse, it will continue to manifest its evil, evil head and it will destroy our state.
Speaker 2:This is a problem that we all need to understand. The debate is fierce, everybody, and the stakes are high. Now we need to make sure that we are able to take care of this. Now, that's all, folks. This is part one of this special two part series. Join us next time for part two, as we continue to explore the evolving landscape of abortion rights in Arizona and across the nation. Thank you for tuning in to the Wall Blackman Show. I'm your host, Wall Blackman, and remember your voice matters in shaping the future. Stay informed, stay engaged and, until next time, take care.
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