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Pro- Life Training: Program Series

Temporal world is not pro-life friendly

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

Often the temporal environment, or the world, is not friendly to pro-lifers.

We certainly know that the mainstream media are not friendly to the pro-lifer; just pick up a smattering of Washington Posts and Baltimore Suns for ample proof.

We should no longer naively assume that the media are altruistically interested in portraying only unbiased truth.

We should not depend on them for factual information (or at least we should be alert to "read between the lines").

Therefore, do not let yourselves to be discouraged or despondent over the lack of fairness in the media;

Rather, put yourselves in touch with alternative information resources. Explore the Internet for news that the mainstream media won't print. There are sites dedicated to presenting the Catholic, conservative and/or pro-life perspectives to news.

With some notable exceptions, many police are not our friends, particularly to the sidewalk counselors and others on the streets. In cases of conflict between pro-lifers and pro-aborts, the pro-lifers are often seen by law enforcement as "the path of least resistance." Over the past several months, I and others have suffered unjustly at the hands of biased law officers. We have, however, availed ourselves of available recourses, including legal action; to date, we have prevailed by threat of lawsuit.

Some propose that it would be far better to "turn the other cheek" and simply accept the maltreatment. I do not believe that to be a morally permissible course of action for the pro-life activist. Firstly, to do so simply encourages further acts of aggression; I have seen that dynamic in operation.

Secondly, we pro-lifers do not speak and act on our own behalf; if we allow ourselves to be maltreated, we compromise the only voice the unborn children have.

Brian Clowes urges sidewalk counselors to use camcorders to gather evidence we may need to protect ourselves. Also, sidewalk counselors should never go alone. I've heard well-meaning folks say, "But God will protect me." I do not believe that to be true faith, but rather presumption and sin against the cardinal virtue of prudence.

Let's be innocent as doves and wise as serpents!