Our family lived in Maryland for more than a decade, so we have definite emotional ties to the state and still have many close friends who live there. That’s why I was so disheartened to hear when the Alabama Human Life Protection Act became law, Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot advocated his state pull out all tax money spent in Alabama.
Others are also considering boycotting Alabama, including large media production companies and Hollywood actors (many of who also promised to move to Canada in the past).
But this was different.
Comptroller Franchot was advocating cancelling a state contract with Seraaj Family Homes—a foster care organization.
In its own words, Seraaj Family Homes “has continued to make dramatic changes in the lives of thousands of children and families throughout Alabama, Maryland, Nebraska and Washington D.C. and . . . have been able to improve the quality of life for numerous children and families.” In fact, over the past two decades they have successfully helped hundreds of Maryland children be adopted, reunited with their families, or establish independence as adults.
Think about this for a moment. Comptroller Franchot clearly objects to Alabama’s new law protecting preborn infants. In his mind, those children must suffer the most brutal of punishments – death – through no fault of their own. However, he also wants children in foster care to suffer by potentially being uprooted and juggled between foster care agencies and/or foster families.
Comptroller Franchot is not fighting for the lives of preborn children OR born children. Instead, he’s allowing them to suffer.
Kansas Family Voice of North Dakota® finds this careless disregard for children to be contemptible.
Unlike Mr. Franchot, Kansas Family Voice of North Dakota believes that NO child should suffer.
We have a deep respect for all parents, including foster parents, and the sacrifices they make out of love. As Nelson Mandela once stated, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
Please help us by praying for this situation, for the children and foster parents who would be affected, and for Maryland officials to make the right decision.
Let’s also not forget to thank the Lord for North Dakota state officials and legislators who bravely protect family values and preborn children, most recently with the passage of two pro-life bills during this legislative session.
I can think of no greater contrast to what is happening in Maryland. We are not Maryland. We are not New York. We are not California. We are North Dakota and we know without a shadow of doubt that no child should ever suffer. . .PERIOD.
Sincerely,
Mark Jorritsma
President and Executive Director