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Thursday, March 28, 2024
The Observer

Pro-life, but

Let me start by saying that I am pro-life. I believe that life begins at conception. Barring the extremely rare cases of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, or pregnancies that threaten the life of the mother, I believe that abortion is morally wrong. I believe that most of the students and faculty on this campus agree with me. That being said, I refuse to stand behind the pro-life movement on campus because I don't believe that their actions are doing anything to reduce the number of abortions that take place every day. Calling President Obama the anti-Christ ("Bleak Future," April 8) is not going to persuade a pregnant woman to choose adoption. Having the leader of the pro-life movement go on FoxNews to discuss the issue is not going to help struggling mothers-to-be make the right decision. And protesting this year's commencement exercises in May will do nothing to ensure the health and safety of each and every human life, from conception to natural death. These actions amount to political posturing, and I'm sure that they do little to prevent abortions.

Instead, the pro-life movement should perform actions that change the minds and hearts of the general public. Go after abortion in the way that many non-profit organizations went after smoking - with a vigorous ad campaign. Organize a fundraiser to raise money to produce and air television commercials that will encourage struggling pregnant women to choose life. Hang posters that show that an unborn fetus is a human being, no matter how far along in development that fetus is. Finally, and most importantly, engage with your pro-choice counterparts. Dispassionately discuss the issue with them. Help them to see that all life needs to be respected. I think that you will find that you have much more in common than you think.

The ultimate goal of the pro-life movement is to reduce the number of abortions that take place. The only way that the movement will accomplish this goal is by convincing the general public that unborn human life is a gift from God and it should be treated as such. When the pro-life movement starts to undertake efforts that might actually reduce the number of abortions, I will be there to show my support. But as long as the pro-life movement continues to focus on political actions, I will not.

Kevin Martin

junior

Fisher

April 8