From: Judge (ret) Cheryl Lynn Allen, Of Counsel, Pennsylvania Family Council
First Black Woman Elected to the Pennsylvania Superior Court
Dear members of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus;
I write to you as a retired judge, as an African American woman, and as a former family and criminal court judge. And we write to you as those who love and serve our community and its future.
On Tuesday, seven extreme abortion bills will be brought to the House floor for second consideration. I urge you, respectfully and urgently, to reject them. Vote no on all seven.
The stakes for our community could not be higher.
- It takes 2.1 births for a population to replace itself.
- The Black community is at 1.4 births.
- That is population decline, not progress.
In Pennsylvania, Black women make up about 14 percent of women of childbearing age. Yet we account for more than 40 percent of statewide abortions. That is not a coincidence. It is a crisis.
Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood’s founder, once said, “We don’t want word to get out that we wish to exterminate the Negro population.” When you look at the numbers today, it is hard to deny the results of that ideology.
Some argue that abortion is a necessary response to poverty, hunger, homelessness, and lack of health care. Those are real issues. I have seen them firsthand from the bench. But here is the truth. Before you can have a life issue, you must first have a life.
Eliminating poverty by eliminating people is not compassion. It is morally and ethically wrong.
Our community already carries deep wounds. Gang violence. Drug addiction. Incarceration. Broken families. Abortion is now the single greatest cause of death in the Black community.
It outpaces every other cause combined.
These seven bills would remove safeguards. They would shield abortion providers from accountability. One would amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to entrench abortion until birth and force taxpayers to fund it.
Why would we vote to amend our Constitution in a way that accelerates the demise of our own people? Real solutions exist.
- Support mothers.
- Expand adoption.
- Invest in education.
- Provide job training.
- Strengthen families and communities.
Those are the kind of solutions that affirm life and respect the faith-values of our communities. These bills do not. I urge you to pause and look at the data. Please listen to the voices of Black pastors, leaders, and families who are saying “‘Enough!”
Vote no on all seven abortion bills. Our future depends on it.
Respectfully,
Judge Cheryl Lynn Allen (Ret.)
Of Counsel, Pennsylvania Family Council
Former Judge, Pennsylvania Superior Court
This letter is joined by Black and Latino pastors and community leaders across Pennsylvania who stand for life, dignity, and justice for our community:
Pastor Jay Gilbert, Another Level Ministries, Pittsburgh, PA
Pastor Herb Lusk III, Greater Exodus Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
Pastor Tiffany Gilbert, Executive Director, East Liberty Women’s Care Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Rev. Joseph Green, St Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Harrisburg, PA
Monique Ruberu MD, Board Certified OB/Gyn and Leader of 40 days for Life
Rev. David Smith, Bethel Bible Fellowship Church, Emmaus, PA
Pastor Herb Tillman, CALM COGIC Church, Coraopolis, PA
Pastor Ray Harrison, Legacy Church, Lancaster, PA
Rev. Thomas Keys, Keys For Living Ministries, Harrisburg, PA
Pastor Roberto Albino, Central Assembly Church, Bethlehem, PA
Deacon Russell Bynum, Brown Chapel A.M.E Church, Pittsburgh, PA
Pastor Walter S Cherry, New Dominion Birth Kingdom Ministries, Washington, PA
Pastor David Kandole, Faith Life Missions, Lancaster, PA
Pastor Patricia Cherry, Faith Crossings Foundation, Managing Director
Pastor Cynthia Smith, Full Gospel Assemblies, Canonsburg, PA
Pastor Melanie Davis, Kingdom Builders Assembly Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
Kathy Barnette, U. S. Senate candidate, Montgomery County PA
John Amanchukwu, Youth Pastor, Upper Room Church of God In Christ,
Skylor Massie. CEO Plant A Seed Children’s Partnership, Pittsburgh, PA
Bevelyn Beatty Williams, Pro-Life Advocate
Toni McFadden, Pro-Life Advocate, Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
Bishop Gerald W. Scott, All May Worship Christ Ministries, Philadelphia, PA
Josue Sierra, Director of Communications & Hispanic Engagement, PA Family Council
Bishop William Dallas III, Harrisburg PA
William Green, Mordecai Mission Stroudsburg, PA
Pastor Jamie Centeno, In the Light Ministries Philadelphia, PA
Virgy Centeno, Careportal, Philadelphia, PA
Torrey Snow, National Clergy Director for CURE, Washington D.C.
Pastor Donald T. Eason, President of CURE, Washington D.C.
Kirk Gilbert, Another Level Ministries Pittsburgh, PA
Kellen Gilbert, Another Level Ministries Pittsburgh, PA
Apostle Samonia Whisonant, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Carlton Whisonant, Harrisburg PA
Rev. Roger Dixon, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Anthony Lee, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Tara East, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Chiquita Press, Harrisburg PA
Apostle Stanley Brown, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Roberta Brown, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Derrick James, Harrisburg PA
Apostle Jeanette Long, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Leah Payne, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Fernandus Moffit, Harrisburg PA
Pastor Eric Birden, Harrisburg PA
