Former NFL star says new book offers a 'vision' for pro-life advocates in a post-Roe era
Ben Watson says he hopes new book will help pro-life advocates expand work beyond politics
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Benjamin Watson, former tight end for the New England Patriots released a new book this week he hopes offers a "vision" for pro-life advocates in a "post Roe era" to expand the cause beyond politics and "focus on restoration for our communities and for people who haven't had opportunities that are more vulnerable to abortion."
Watson said that while his book, called "The New Fight for Life Roe, Race, and a Pro-Life Commitment to Justice," deals with "heavy" and "emotional" topics, he wanted to encourage pro-life advocates "who are on the sidelines to get in the game and encourage those in the game to keep going," a year after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
"My hope in the book was to encourage pro-lifers to get back in fight, to continue doing things that they're doing, but also to widen our view on what might be a pro-life issue, meaning that it helps human flourishing as opposed to strictly legislation," Watson said in an interview with Fox News Digital.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Because legislation is important. Don't get me wrong, but, serving and equipping people to live healthy and full lives is important as well," he said.
Ben Watson, #84 of the New England Patriots, catches a pass as he is defended by Mack Wilson, #51 of the Cleveland Browns, during a game at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 27, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Getty Images)
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Watson, who played 15 seasons in the NFL, now serves as VP of strategic relationships with the Human Coalition, one of the largest pro-life and pro-woman organizations in the country.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"We're a year removed from the Dobbs case… when Roe was overturned. And for me, being that I've been involved in pro-life advocacy in different capacities, it was a time of celebration." Watson said.
"But also there was a sense of… trepidation a bit because I was wondering, ‘is the pro-life movement, are we ready for what this means?’ And what does this mean, like what's next? What does pro-life advocacy look like in a post-Roe era?" he said.
New England Patriots NFL player Benjamin Watson, left, producer and host of "Divided Hearts of America" Kirsten Watson, and Louisiana State Representative and then-Senator-elect Katrina Jackson attend Stork Ball 2020 at the Ronald Reagan Building on Jan. 23, 2020 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Save The Storks)
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"What we've seen obviously over the last several months is that it's a state by state a patchwork of legislation," Watson said, referencing the 15 states that have installed some sort of limitation on abortion since the Dobbs v. Whole Women's Heath Supreme Court decision last summer that gave state the authority to legislate abortion access.
"You see different states doing different things. You see abortion tourism, where people are traveling, you also see a reduction in abortion, but also an increase in abortion in states where it's legal," Watson continued.
"And so my hope in writing the book was just to cast the vision for what this new fight for life looks like, because I believe it looks different than the old one," he said.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Finalist Benjamin Watson speaks during the 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year Finalist press conference prior to Super Bowl 50 at the Moscone Center West on Feb. 5, 2016 in San Francisco. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
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"I think that you know, those who were advocating before did a tremendous job, and they're still doing it in the pregnancy resource centers, in legislation, churches, individuals, but at this point, there needs to be a focus on justice, there needs to be a focus on restoration for our communities and for people who haven't had opportunities, that are more vulnerable to abortion."
Watson said his goal is to make abortion "unthinkable and unnecessary," and an aspect to achieving that is addressing a statistic his organization found that 76% of the women they say they would prefer to parent their child if their circumstances are different.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"At this point in this new fight for life, we have to engage that 76%."
"We have to engage on what those issues are. And when you ask them what they are, they're obviously you know the role of the dad, which is always important, he said. "But also…it’s inadequate housing or not reliable housing. It might be something educational. It might be the fact that you know, I have a wage, but it's not a livable wage. All these sorts of things are circumstances that I think we can address," he said.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Life has value. And I see that any sort of attack on Human Dignity is an attack on our Creator. And so as long as I am breathing this air, my hope is to be an advocate," Watson said of his work.
"There are a bunch of things that are important, and I'm involved with a bunch of different things. But you see sometimes how the Lord you know, gives you different opportunities to speak about certain things to be involved with certain things. And you just try to be faithful with that. And so that's what I'm doing," he said.