President's Message:  Prolife stand continues

When I first became involved in Right to Life, I came across a quote that I found compelling. In speaking about abortion, Judge John Noonan wrote: “Once or twice in a century an issue arises ... so far reaching in its consequences and so deep in its foundations that it calls every person to take a stand. Abortion is one of those issues.”

Whether it is through public demonstrations, private memorials or one to one conversations, prolifers have been taking a stand against abortion for nearly 40 years.

What is the face of the prolife movement, a movement that simply will not go away despite court rulings, despite electoral losses, despite public ridicule? The media may see one face; the White House may describe us in their own way. As I look at the prolife movement, I see every day people displaying the virtues and values that are our nation’s foundation.

I see determination and perseverance in our volunteers across the state who give of their time and talents without personal gain. They write letters to the editor and to their legislators. They make get out the vote calls. They “man” educational booths at local fairs.

They remind their fellow citizens of the reality of abortion. Michigan prolifers have learned the importance of focus and discernment. Through the years we have had to learn to be wise in where we put our energies. We have been forced now to focus on the health care reform battle going on in Washington D.C. Normally, this would not be our focus. We as an organization are not opposed to making health care better and more affordable. It is the proabortion public officials and organizations that are using these bills to advance their agenda of more abortion and more tax dollars for abortion.

Which leads to another face of prolifers, courage. Whether it is a congressman like Michigan’s 1st Congressional District Bart Stupak defying his party leadership by opposing abortion in the national health care debate or a local right to life leader who attends a town hall meeting, prolifers are standing up for our life principles in public meetings, at their places of work and within their communities. They peacefully voice their unwavering stance for the inestimable value of human life.

Because of the determination, perseverance, courage and sacrifice, another face of the prolife movement is achievement. Through the work we have done by speaking with one voice, we have been able to decrease abortions. At one time in Michigan nearly 50,000 babies a year were being killed by abortion. Now that number has been almost cut in half. Still too many deaths, but without our efforts, the numbers would have increased, not decreased. Just by ending the use of state Medicaid tax dollars for abortion, we have saved an estimated 250,000 babies over the past 20 years.

Another important face of prolifers is compassion. Prolifers have opened their homes to women facing what they see as an unwanted pregnancy; prolifers have started pregnancy care centers to provide counseling and material aid; prolifers have donated money for this life saving mission.

I can’t forget vitality when describing the face of the prolife movement. We are a growing movement. All of the recent public polls demonstrate that more and more people are describing themselves as being prolife.

Last but perhaps the most important face of the prolife movement is that of hope and faith. It has been over 37 years since abortion on demand became the public policy of our great nation. Whether we have faced victories or defeats, we have always held to optimism, hope and faith. It has not mattered to us what public opinion is or who is in the White House or in our own capitol in Lansing. We know that there is simply something very wrong about killing innocent human beings to try to solve our own personal problems or society’s ills.

The path leading us to the restoration of legal rights for the unborn child and to a society that nurtures and values the smallest members of our human family may sometimes be a crooked path filled with unknowns and many challenges, but prolifers will continue to stand together to save innocent human life.

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