Peter Range, CEO of Ohio Right to Life, speaks Sunday at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Boardman on the need to defeat Issue 1, the proposed “Reproduction Freedom” amendment to the Ohio Constitution on the November general election ballot.

BOARDMAN — The head of Ohio Right to Life said work must begin for the next 50 days leading up to the November general election to get enough support to defeat Issue 1 — the proposed “Reproduction Freedom” amendment to the Ohio Constitution.

Peter Range, CEO for Ohio Right to Life, spoke to more than 100 people Sunday at St. Charles Borromeo Church on what people can do to spread the word about defeating Issue 1. His talk was sponsored by the Youngstown Diocese Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family.

He said the proposed amendment would allow abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, put women at risk and threaten parental rights

Range, who holds a master’s degree in theology from the University of Notre Dame, also will be speaking today at the Newman Center at Youngstown State University and at Walsh University. He said he is Catholic and pro-life.

“I travel this country as a father and for their lives and the lives of other children. We need to go out and help win this battle,” Range said.

He said his parents raised six children and instilled in them that all lives are important and everyone can make a difference,

“Each of us matters. There is value in every single human life. You were made in the image of the almighty God,” Range said.

He said the fight to defeat Issue I is “to protect the value and dignity of each and every life.”

“I want to see abortion abolished and show respect for the dignity and value of every life. I and others fight for the dignity of human life and for the rights of the unborn child,” Range said.

“For the next 50 days, we can’t hold back,” he said, noting more than 20,000 babies are aborted each year in Ohio.

He said when he goes and speaks, people will tell him to “keep your religion out of politics.

“But how can we not be active in fighting for the lives of the unborn? Human life supersedes politics. Life is the most treasured and held gift that we have been given,” he said.

Range said people can help increase opposition to Issue 1 by going door-to-door or making phone calls explaining what passage of the issue will prevent.

“We will get ads on TV early and raise awareness to defeat this issue. No matter what political party or if someone is pro-life or pro-choice, we have to explain the dangers of this amendment. This amendment goes too far and is too extreme,” he said.

Range said there were pro-choice ballot issues in six states that received support to legalize abortion on demand with others planned for 2024. He said in Ohio, passage of Issue 1 will allow abortions on demand during all nine months of pregnancy and eliminate parental consent and rights.

“If we can defeat Issue 1, we can save lives. Take up the task for the next 50 days. All of you and others can take a stand and defend life,” he said.

He said an individual should be given 24 hours to review materials and weigh her options before having or not having an abortion.

David Schmidt, director of the Diocese of Youngstown’s Office of Pro-Life, Marriage and Family, said he would often see and speak with Range at various conferences and had him attend the event to share what people can do locally.

OPPOSING VIEW

The American Civil Liberties Union Ohio on its social media site states that Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights submitted 495,938 valid signatures to place the citizen-initiated constitutional amendment “Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety” on the November ballot.

“Every person deserves respect, dignity, and the right to make reproductive health care decisions, including those related to their own pregnancy, miscarriage care, and abortion free from government interference,” states Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights executive committee members Lauren Blauvelt and Dr. Lauren Beene.

They state on the ACLU website, “Now that the petition drive is complete, we’re eager to continue the campaign to enshrine those rights in Ohio’s Constitution and ensure that Ohioans will never again be subject to draconian reproductive health care policies imposed by extremists.”