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University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh publicly professed his antiabortion views at a “Right to Life” dinner and auction in Plymouth, Mich., on Sunday, according to the Detroit Catholic news service.
“I believe in having the courage to let the unborn be born,” said Harbaugh, who is a Catholic. “I love life. I believe in having a loving care and respect for life and death. My faith and my science are what drive these beliefs in me. Quoting from Jeremiah, ‘Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.’”
Regardless of the circumstances of the pregnancy, he said, the life of the unborn child must take precedence.
“Yes, there are conflicts between the legitimate rights of the mother and the rights of the unborn child. One resolution might involve incredible hardship for the mother, family and society. Another results in the death of an unborn person.”
While other prominent sports figures have spoken out against the Supreme Court’s decision last month to overturn Roe v. Wade, Harbaugh is among the first to show his support for the ruling.
His comments put him at odds with University of Michigan interim president Mary Sue Coleman, who released a statement following the ruling that read in part, “I strongly support access to abortion services, and I will do everything in my power as president to ensure we continue to provide this critically important care.”
