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America’s choice of Barack Obama as president constituted the death of the pro-life movement as we know it. That is, pro-lifers had sought to stem abortion through legislative action and the courts, with the reversal of Roe the ultimate goal. To that end, the movement made tremendous gains through eight years of George Bush—enough to place the nation at a turning point on November 4, 2008. Unfortunately, we failed to turn the corner.
It was a moment of decision, authorized by millions of pro-life Christians who obliviously gave the go-ahead to the Death Culture. Of the one in four voters who call themselves Catholic, 53% voted for Obama, giving the green light to the most radical abortion advocate in the history of America’s presidency.
This means the pro-life movement can’t rely solely on changing law and the courts, but must redouble efforts to change hearts and minds. Pro-lifers must devote more resources at worthy investments like ultrasound machines. That window into the womb is the single most effective instrument in convincing women not to proceed with abortion. When those women see that child, it changes them more than any philosophical or legal argument. Indeed, the abortion lobby is scared to death of this technology, and will not support taxpayer dollars to subsidize it, even while pushing taxpayers to subsidize abortions.
That’s just one example. Go to the websites of Priests for Life, LifeNews.com, Americans United for Life, National Right to Life, among others, for more.
With the recent Supreme Court picks by President Obama, we are now in the inevitable process of suffering what a majority of Catholics authorized in November 2008. For us in the pro-life movement, we must make the best of it, in the hopes the next 30-some years of Roe will not generate another 50 million abortions.
By Dr. Paul Kengor
Dr. Paul Kengor is professor of political science at Grove City College and executive director of The Center for Vision & Values. His books include “The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism” and “Dupes: How America’s Adversaries Have Manipulated Progressives for a Century.”
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