By Maria V. Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
A champion for life recently contacted our office, asking what direction the pro-life movement should be headed in, a year after the Dobbs U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned Roe v. Wade.
My answer: Forward!
It is true that we face a number of challenges, from an unrelenting abortion industry to extremist politicians to an all-too-often propagandist media. The outrageous amounts of money poured into campaigns to expand abortion boggle the mind.
And yet, we have truth on our side.
The truth is that abortion ends the life of an unrepeatable human being. It robs a woman of her motherhood, and a man of his fatherhood. It is both tragic and traumatic, and its reverberations can be felt through generations.
We need to spotlight the fact that research shows that as many as 60 percent of abortions are coerced, meaning that a boyfriend, husband, parent, or even a human trafficker may be pressuring her to abort. In many cases, women are not making a free choice.
We also must publicize the tremendous help that is available to pregnant women in challenging circumstances. Thousands of pregnancy resource centers across the country stand ready to assist with everything from comprehensive counseling to baby formula to diapers. Women consistently say that, if they had just one person willing to support them, they would choose life for their preborn child.
You might say that these ideas are nothing new—but the fact is that many people remain in the dark about what the pro-life movement stands for. By communicating our message in a winsome way, we will build up the culture of life which our nation so sorely needs.