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A Legislator's Greatest Responsibility
Representative Sharon Weston
State of Louisiana
The challenges we face in our community are many--poverty,
immorality, drugs, crime, divorce, bigotry--and, yes--abortion.
Human life is too frequently devalued in our society. For too
long in the African American community the issue of abortion has been void from our
agenda, as the number of abortions increase among us. The issue then becomes genocide.
Dr. Francis Schaeffer once stated that "the Lordship of
Christ is to permeate the whole spectrum of life." I believe my role as a Louisiana
State Representative "for such a time as this" is to shape public policy as it
relates to the challenges we face in or society, including the issue of a abortion. For
"when there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily, but with
honest, sensible leaders there is stability." (Proverbs 28:2)
Many people are surprised when they find out that I am a
Democrat who is also pro-life. My pro-life perspective is an outreach of my commitment to
Jesus Christ. However, from a political perspective, I find it ironic that the party who
has worked so hard to be the voice of the powerless and the voiceless would not champion
the cause for innocent defenseless unborn human life. It's interesting that a party that
was at the nucleus of the Civil Rights Movement would support less protection for the
unborn child than almost any civilized country in the world.
In Dr. Martin Luther King's book, Strength to Love, he
states:
"Your highest loyalty is to God, and not the
mores or the folkways, the state or the nation, or any man-made institution. If any
earthly institution or custom conflicts with God's will, it is your Christian duty to
oppose it. You must never allow the transitory, evanescent demands of man-made
institutions to take precedence over the eternal demands of the Almighty God."
Today, more than ever before, elected officials who first
embrace the title "Christian" must advance Biblical values in our sphere of
influence.
It is my responsibility as an elected official to support
legislation that opposes abortion. It is also important to me to heighten the awareness of
the impact of abortions in the African-American community. Lastly, sensitivity should be
exercised towards crisis pregnancies; working to "eliminate the crisis instead of
eliminate the child." Furthermore, it is important to assist mothers with
opportunities and resources to help them carry their infants to term.
Too many Christians view their role in their community as
spectators. For many Christians "ministry" is a term only connected to their
church activity. However, true Christianity is acted out daily, in words and deeds. True
spirituality touches all aspects of LIFE.
Sharon Weston is the first African-American female elected
to the Louisiana State Legislature from East and West Baton Rouge Parishes. A former Baton
Rouge City Council member, Rep. Weston received her M.A. degree in Communications from
Regent University. She serves on the Advisory Board of Life Education and Resource
Network.
Used with permission.
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