I Survived an Abortion. Democrats Think I Should Have Been Left to Die

Last week, I found myself somewhere between frustration and determination, somewhere between DC and North Dakota, after speaking at the North Dakota Family Alliance conference. On my flight back for the March for Life, I received a text from a friend about an X post regarding the failed Senate cloture vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act.

I was both shocked yet simultaneously not surprised, Just when I think I’ve heard it all, pro-abortion Democrat Senator Cory Booker found a way to lower the bar.

In case you missed it, the post about the vote and born alive infants was entitled, “Today on $h*t that ain’t true”

How professional of Sen. Booker, how compassionate.

Is this earth-shatteringly shocking? No, of course not. Sadly, we’ve seen this kind of dehumanizing rhetoric before.

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But no matter how accustomed we become to this dismissive language, trivialize the truth that aborted babies are born alive, it’s always deeply unsettling. This is the kind of language that fuels a complete denial of the reality many of us have witnessed firsthand—the reality that babies survive abortions, and many of them are left to die without care.

Despite all the research and studies on the incidence of “failed” abortions, the idea that such live births don’t happen—can’t happen? — is something that virtually all Democrats, the abortion industry, their lobby, and the mainstream media continue to push.

And it’s not just an abstract political stance. This rhetoric directly affects the lives of abortion survivors and their families. For those who already feel unloved, unworthy, and unseen, this rhetoric adds salt to the wounds. The disservice done when public figures deny our existence infuriates me as a leader

I wasn’t going to let this rhetoric go unchallenged. Abortion nearly took my life and voice, but I will not let them take my voice again or silence and shame my fellow abortion survivors –and our mothers and families also impacted by abortions that didn’t go as planned.

The unanimous Democrat Senate’s backlash against survivors was a clear war waged ahead of the House vote that occurred Thursday afternoon. It passed the House with one lone Democrat vote.

I wonder if it would have influenced those House members attacking the bill to know that there were eight survivors in the Gallery watching the vote, along with the adoptive parents of a survivor?

Despite the usual partisan attacks, being in that space was an empowering and historic opportunity—a chance to be seen, heard, and respected by those in power.

As some members of Congress, virtually all Democrats, continue to vote against the born-live survivor population and employ rhetoric to protect abortion, it takes the leadership and courage of pro-life members of Congress such as Senator James Lankford (R-Ok.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), and Congresswoman Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), among countless others.

When Democrats deny the research and experiences of abortion survivors, they reduced abortion survivors and all those impacted by failed abortions to political chess pieces in their game of big abortion. But we honor these pro-life Senators and Representative who remember us, who acknowledge us in statements on the floor, who came to press conferences, and who took time out of their very busy schedules to meet with us.

There were numerous memorable moments last week on the hill related to the vote on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection Act that give us great hope. This golden age in our nation is a great opportunity for us to have ongoing conversations about issues such born alive infants and the gaps in care and reporting.

Seeing the commitment to having these conversations and supporting the voices of those who can humanize the issue instills in me the hope that we will make progress on born alive legislation under the current administration and congressional leadership.

Survivors from The Abortion Survivors Network were seen and heard more than ever last week, and I know where a few are gathered, more will come. And frankly, it’s time for those who deny our existence and dehumanize us to face us.

One of the most unforgettable moments of the week for me happened when I spoke alongside survivor Sarah Zagorski, Mary Szoch of the Family Research Council and Dr. Christina Francis of the Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists [AAPLOG] at a Family Caucus event on born alive policy. I stood up and asked the room, “If you’ve survived an abortion, would you please stand up?”

The survivors in the room—my friends, my colleagues—stood. And for the first time, many of those in attendance truly saw the reality. I watched as tears filled the eyes of lawmakers and staffers, who were finally confronted with the truth that these survivors are walking among us. Y

Before heading to the March for Life, survivors in our Network drew strength in a truly remarkable way. We were thrilled to meet with House Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise, and House Whip Rep. Tom Emmer.

It was a personal visit, despite our meet-and-greet being cut short due to the House voting schedule. It was one of those rare moments when survivors were seen for who they are—not just as statistics or political pawns, but as living, breathing individuals with stories that need to be heard.

The mainstream media and many Democratic lawmakers have been in lockstep denial about the existence of abortion survivors for as long as I can remember. In fact, I’m reminded of 2015 when the late Cecile Richards testified before Congress alongside Gianna Jessen and me. Richards  outright claimed to have never heard of a baby surviving an abortion!

This kind of denial is deeply entrenched. It’s a refusal to acknowledge the truth: babies are born alive in “failed” abortions, and they desperately need and deserve care.

Why do they fight so hard to keep this truth buried?

The answer is simple: admitting that babies survive abortions would force our culture to confront the inherent violence and inhumanity of abortion itself.

And if we ever did that—if our culture ever admitted that babies are not just a “clump of cells” or a “healthcare decision”—we would have to face the truth about what abortion really is.

As we make America great again, maybe we can also make it finally supportive of abortion survivors, their mothers, and families. If last week was any indication, we may just get there thanks to the Trump administration of Donald Trump and Republican Congressional leadership.

As I tweeted that day along with photos

Tell me one more time that abortions don’t fail and babies aren’t born alive. Here’s just a small number of those who know their story and with the support of the Abortion Survivors Network are courageously sharing their faces and voices in a culture that has been hostile to our population. Welcome to the golden era of the pro-life, pro-family movement. We’re just getting started.

LifeNews Note: Melissa Ohden, who survived a saline abortion in 1977, is founder and CEO of the Abortion Survivors Network and author of “You Carried Me: A Daughter’s Memoir.” This appeared in The Hill and is reposted with the author’s permission.

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