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Pro-Life Training Program Series

Security is vital in pro-life work

By Janet Baker
Treasurer, Pro-Life Maryland, Inc.

The tenth of the Ten Principles of the Offensive is to “provide for the security of your people and your group.”

Many pro-lifers seem to balk at the idea that they should be circumspect with regard to our plans.  I think the roots of this disdain are various, and I’ll list some now.

Some pro-lifers do not wholeheartedly acknowledge that this pro-life effort is true warfare, no less than World War II.  While there may not be noise, bombs, destroyed real estate and marching armies, there is more bloodbath (of babies) than in all of the combined modern wars.

Such lack of comprehension can be seen when pro-life folks chit-chat amongst themselves at abortion mills while women are walking in right beside them.  We need to grasp the seriousness of what is occurring, and develop single-mindedness in our efforts.

There is also a counterfeit of faith that leads us to believe that “we need to be open and transparent to all, and God will protect us.”  One of God’s chief means of protection is the intelligence that He gave to all.  Prudence is one of the Cardinal Virtues.

Another similar mindset is that “we should just focus on the main mission and not worry about security.”  Leaders who hold to that faulty reasoning soon find that they have no people to lead.  Folks will not hang around when they feel that their security is disregarded.

Those of us in front of mills need to be especially careful, particularly with “deathscorts” around.  Never mention a fellow pro-lifer’s last name.  When conversing, keep voices low and always be aware of surroundings; the deathscorts do eavesdrop.  Of course, I would advise there be no nonessential conversation; there is a time for relaxation and socializing, but that time is not in front of the mills.

Never let another pro-lifer be isolated; make sure he/she is within eye-shot.  At every site, there should be at least one cell phone and one camcorder.  No pro-lifer should ever be at a mill by him/herself – ever.

Those of us who plan pro-life campaigns must hold these plans close to the chest.  Only those who “need to know” should be privy to such plans.

The issue of security boils down to how we think about our activism, and our lives as Christians in general, and how we let that permeate our entire beings.  When we’ve let that permeation occur, it will become second-nature to consider issues such as security, planning, communication, etc.

That will greatly facilitate our efforts to save babies and turn this “death culture” around to a Culture of Life.