Sen. John Unger

If you’ve spent any time in the Charleston, WV area in January you know that water has been a very hot topic despite freezing temperatures. On January 9^th a chemical leak at Freedom Industries leaked approximately 10,000 gallons of a toxic chemical called MCHM and PPH into the Elk River which then got into the water supply at West Virginia American Water. From there the chemical contaminated the water supply for roughly 300,000 residents in nine counties in and around the Charleston area.

Since the water crisis that saw hundreds of thousands without water for at least a week, closed schools, shut down businesses, and brought more than 10 million bottles of water to be distributed to residents, much talk abounds on how to make sure it never happens again. That is understandable, water is a necessity for life and losing water for even a week is a serious issue.

Sen. John Unger (D-Berkeley), also the majority leader in the West Virginia State Senate, has sponsored a bill that he believes will provide protection from an occurrence like this happening again.

Senate bill 373 concerns water resource protection and the regulation of above-ground storage tanks in an effort to keep another leak from happening. The bill appears to be poised for passage with a vote happening as early as this week. That will no doubt be good news for many people who wonder why there does not appear to have been any oversight for the storage of a dangerous chemical.

My purpose for writing is not really related to water regulations. As someone affected by the water crisis that enjoyed a bath in 13 gallons of boiled water I can attest that it was not a cherished experience. But you know what, I’m alive and healthy. That’s more than I can say for the unborn babies killed by abortion in Charleston every single day just a few short miles from the West Virginia capitol where Sen. Unger and other lawmakers are arguing over water.

While water is indeed important and I too want to make sure it is safe for my kids, I am far more interested in why Sen. Unger and others seem to be ignoring the abortion industry operating in West Virginia without any regulation at all. If Sen. Unger is so concerned about making sure dangerous industries are regulated why does he show virtually no interest at all in regulating the abortion industry?

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey recently told the legislature that abortion is permitted up to the moment of birth in our state. He said:

“Currently West Virginia permits abortions to be performed up until birth, not many people realize that, when you have individuals that may perform abortions up to birth — that raises safety concerns. I’m focusing on the law, the reality is there’s no arguing it is permitted up to birth.”

It is also true that West Virginia has no oversight or regulations of the abortion industry in our state. In fact, the largest clinic in the state, located a couple of miles from the legislature, has not had an inspection since 1976 when it opened! Why isn’t Sen. Unger concerned about the safety of women getting abortions? Why isn’t Sen. Unger concerned about unborn babies being killed?

Sen. Unger’s Facebook page shows that he is the pastor of St. John Lutheran Church. As a pastor I would think the issue of life would be very important to Sen. Unger. For that matter, most of the elected members of West Virginia’s legislature claim to be pro-life. If that is the case why has there been virtually no action in bringing common sense health and safety regulations to the unregulated abortion industry in West Virginia?

Since the Family Policy Council of WV first broke the story about their client Tia Gravely undergoing a forced, botched abortion at the downtown Charleston clinic, the legislature has been silent. Attorney General Patrick Morrisey has sought to implement health and safety regulations that would prevent any other women from the harms Ms. Gravely experienced, but to my knowledge the legislature has shown no interest.

How is it possible for men and women claiming to be pro-life to hear that the abortion industry in West Virginia is unregulated to do nothing? Unborn children are killed each and every day down the road from where these “pro-life” lawmakers meet and yet they have taken no action and seem wholly unconcerned with the situation. While they argue over how best to regulate water and chemicals unborn children continue to be killed in a completely unregulated clinic. Beauty salons and tattoo studios endure more regulation than abortion clinics.

Polls consistently show that West Virginian’s are pro-life. Mountaineers believe life is sacred and should be defended. Furthermore, both West Virginian’s and Americans in general don’t want to see their tax dollars spent to fund the abortion industry; we don’t want to pay for abortions in health insurance premiums either. And yet West Virginia still allows abortion funding in Medicare and Medicaid, tax money is used to fund abortion for welfare recipients, and West Virginia has done nothing to block abortion funding in ObamaCare.

How exactly are our elected lawmakers “working for the people”? They are in no way representing the people of West Virginia or reflecting the values of our state.

Perhaps Sen. Unger and his friends in the legislature should care a little less about water and care a little more about the women and children of West Virginia. Water is important, no doubt about it, but it’s nothing short of hypocritical to say we need legislation to regulate water and chemicals in order to protect people while ignoring the women and children being harmed by abortion; all while claiming to be “pro-life.”

The chances of another chemical leak are slim. The chances of a woman being harmed by abortion are great. The chances of an unborn child being killed by abortion are absolute – it will happen. What should be a priority for our legislature?