By Lisa Andrusko
Editor’s note. To purchase audio recordings of the National Right to Life 2023 Convention general sessions and workshops, please go to nrlconvention.com
David N. O’Steen, Ph.D., former executive director of National Right to Life:
“We asked this question [in a poll created by National Right to Life]. Would you support or oppose allowing abortion only under these four circumstances: when it’s necessary to save the life of the mother, when there’s a medical emergency posing serious risk of substantial irreversible physical harm to the mother, in cases of rape, or in cases of incest?
“72.1% said ‘yes.’
“A bill like this, that does precisely this would limit abortion to approximately 5 percent of what is being performed today. It would stop about 95 percent of abortions.
“The right to life movement will never abandon any child. But for some children we have to work through other means, such as pregnancy resource centers, to increasing at the state level help for mothers with distressful pregnancies, through counseling, to do everything we possible can do for rape victims, and save the babies that way.”
David N. O’Steen, Ph.D., speaking at the convention general session titled “One Year Later: Surviving & Saving Lives in a Post-Roe World.”
Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee:
with Laura Echevarria, NRL Press Secretary
(to his right), and NRL President Carol Tobias.
Photo: Lisa Andrusko
“There are many ways where we can help develop the environment where life is the best choice. We need to remind everyone about the dangers of abortion. Taking the chemical abortion pill is not as easy as popping an aspirin. …
“We need to promote the pregnancy resource centers. They do amazing work to help women through a difficult time. … We have to make sure legislators are not passing laws that penalize the pregnancy centers. They are under heavy attack. …We need to help to install more Safe Haven baby boxes. … Let her place the baby where the baby will be safe, quickly found, and then probably released for adoption. …Several states have created programs to help pregnant women and new moms and their babies. … We need to promote the Abortion Pill Reversal option.
“The pro-life message is that every life is precious and is desperately needed in today’s society. That is the message we need to carry to our country. So do what you can to make abortion unthinkable. So that even if abortion is accessible, no one wants one because life is a beautiful, wonderful choice.”
Carol Tobias speaking at the convention general session titled “One Year Later: Surviving & Saving Lives in a Post-Roe World.