For 33 years the pro-life movement has enjoyed a voice of reason and sanity on the United States Supreme Court, and on the evening of September 3, 2005, that voice has forever fallen silent.

Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist was a personal hero of mine, and the subject of several graduate papers I wrote. On all of the great moral and life issues of our time he was consistently on the "right" side.

When I was admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court it was my hope to witness this man preside over the court, and it is now my regret that I bypassed an opportunity to do so, an opportunity which is now forever lost.

For people like myself who believe that abortion is the taking of a human life, and that the United States Supreme Court was responsible for turning a crime and a mortal sin into a legal right; Chief Justice Rehnquist offered us hope in the darkest days that America would once again return to its senses. Many conservative attorneys I know shared my view that Chief Justice Rehnquist would have long ago retired but for his desire to overturn Roe v. Wade.

In the military when a soldier wages a courageous and selfless battle with a mortal wound to save his fellow man, we call that person a hero. In the Catholic religion when a person battles incredible odds and stands resolute in the face of evil we call that person a saint. So for these reasons I bow my head and ask God to accept a hero and a saint into in his kingdom. Our loss is heavens gain.


Author's bio: Gutheinz is a former military intelligence officer and aviator and a retired NASA Office of Inspector General senior special agent. He is a criminal defense attorney licensed by 10 courts to include the United States Supreme Court; and a college instructor for both the University of Phoenix and Alvin Community College. He holds 6 degrees and 8 teaching credentials. He is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency Career Achievement Award. He is the past top graduate (Honor Graduate) from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center's Criminal Investigators Basic Course. His prior writings include: In Search of the Goodwill Moon Rocks, Geotimes Magazine; There Will be a Day After Tomorrow, SpaceDaily.com and Hizb-ut-Tahrir is a Scary Group that Needed to be Outlawed, The Conservative Voice.