In response to some recent setbacks, supporters of legal abortion have turned to direct democracy. In particular, they are making a large investment in Michigan. They hope that a decisive ballot-proposition victory in the Wolverine State will expand access to abortion and provide them with political momentum as they move forward.
Is that scenario from this year? Actually, it was from 50 years ago. In 1971, supporters of legal abortion made little progress in state legislatures. So in 1972, they turned to direct democracy, putting on the ballot, in North Dakota and Michigan, proposals that would expand access to abortion. Indeed, Michigan pro-lifers today can learn some very important lessons from the 1972 campaign.
The 1972 Michigan ballot question was named Proposal B. It would have legalized abortion throughout 20 weeks of pregnancy in Michigan. Throughout the spring and summer of 1972, Proposal B was widely expected to pass. Indeed, multiple polls commissioned by the Detroit News all showed Proposal B prevailing by comfortable margins.
Then in the final weeks of the campaign, Michigan pro-lifers made a wise strategic decision. Longtime pro-life activist Jack Willke strongly encouraged Michigan pro-lifers to make use of graphic images of aborted children in their campaign materials. That fall, pamphlets that included photos of abortion victim were circulated around neighborhoods and at football games.
Overnight the campaign changed. Many people were disgusted when they were confronted with images depicting the reality of abortion. Support for Question B plummeted. In the end, Question B failed to pass, receiving only 39 percent of the vote. The pro-life campaign had succeeded!
Months later, the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision in January 1973 legalized abortion in all 50 states. Unfortunately, this prevented Michigan pro-lifers from enjoying the full fruits of their victory. That said, as Jack and Barbara Willke describe in their 2014 book Abortion and the Pro-Life Movement: An Inside View, pro-lifers learned some very valuable lessons from the 1972 campaign to defeat Proposal B.
One important lesson is that pro-lifers could change public attitudes on abortion during the course of a campaign. Another key lesson is that graphic photos of aborted children are a very powerful and persuasive educational tool. Furthermore, state-level and grassroots organizing is important. To this day, Right to Life of Michigan is one of the strongest state level pro-life organizations in the country.
This fall, in response to the Dobbs decision, supporters of legal abortion have placed Proposal 3 on the Michigan ballot. It would invalidate a 1931 Michigan law that would protect preborn children and place a right to an abortion in the state constitution.
Indeed, Michigan pro-lifers have campaigned hard against Proposition 3. It would effectively legalize abortions throughout all nine months of pregnancy. It would invalidate state laws that regulate the safety of abortion facilities. Proposition 3 would jeopardize Michigan’s pro-life parental-involvement law and might require the state Medicaid program to cover elective abortions. Some pro-lifers have argued that Proposition 3 would allow minors to undergo sex-change surgery or obtain sterilizations without parental consent.
These hard-hitting arguments appear to be resonating with Michigan voters. Recent surveys show the race tightening. Perhaps history will repeat itself for Michigan pro-lifers in 2022.