Assuring, through education, equal protection under the law for all living humans from the beginning of their biological life
at fertilization until natural death.
According to most recent polls, almost half of Americans remain uncertain or confused regarding their position on abortion.
Since 1990, pro-abortion forces have been financing a very effective national campaign to convince these conflicted middle people that the most important consideration is whether a woman has the right to choose abortion, and that this right to choose overrides the right of the child to live.
We must counter this "who decides" and "pro-choice" mentality in American society.
We must emphasize our compassion to women much more than in the past. The rights of women and the rights of the unborn can be joined. We must reach out to every woman faced with the agony of abortion and say to her: Your life and the life of your baby are both important, and we will not desert either one of you. We want to love you both.
Our research has determined that 87% of this conflicted middle believe that adoption is a loving alternative to abortion. And so, loving alternatives like adoption can now be the focus of part of our debate.
We must change their hearts and minds on abortion. The opposition is using the most effective marketing tools that money can buy. Our days of guesswork are over. We must be sure that we are proceeding wisely.
Life Issues Institute recognizes this crying need and is leading the way in reinvigorating and coordinating a major new educational campaign nationwide.
The teaching that is desperately needed is best described as "back-to-basics." Until people are also convinced that this is truly a baby in the womb, no other arguments will be successful.
Life Issues Institute is leading a new nationwide effort that will involve all pro-life groups, state and local chapters, pregnancy help centers and churches in a common educational effort.
To be successful, this new effort must reach out to stimulate and educate the millions of people who have not yet made up their minds on the abortion issue. These people are the ones who ultimately will determine if your children and grandchildren will be protected in the years ahead.
Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, as to be hated, needs but to be seen; yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, we first endure, then pity, then embrace.
--ALEXANDER POPE
This poetic prophet couldn't possibly have imagined, in his worst nightmare, this accurate description of abortion today.
Shortly after the 1973 Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade, the early pioneers of the pro-life movement put forth a strategy; demonstrate the humanity of the unborn child, then raise abortion's ugly head for all to see, the broken and dismembered bodies, and America would soundly reject it.
Thus the pro-life movement began its slow, laborious undertaking of educating Americans to the reality of the beauty of the baby growing in the womb and the horror of abortion. Volunteers addressed countless church, school and civic groups, sharing the pro-life message. Their unselfish labor began to bear fruit. America was slowly waking up to the fact that abortion kills unborn babies.
Then came the first major Supreme Court breakthrough, the Webster decision in 1990. With it came the era of market research, opinion polls, media sound bites and print advertising. Education of the masses had taken a contemporary twist. Using such tools, the pro-abortion movement began to reach millions of Americans with researched phrases, through massive media buys and with the help of a sympathetic press.
Slowly, progressively, they changed the focus of the debate from the tiny victim being killed, to a question of women's rights, of ``who decides." With this there developed a change in public opinion that would both condemn abortion but still allow it as a woman's right.
We came to the conclusion that pro-life education had to change. Abortion had become too familiar. America was showing signs of enduring it.
We had to update and alter the way we disseminated our message. Choice, for those yet undecided, was a concept they had begun to feel comfortable identifying with.
Life Issues Institute was founded to reverse this alarming trend and to rejuvenate and reinvigorate a nationwide educational awakening. For several years we dedicated most of our resources to determining what new educational methods were needed in order for pro-lifers to again regain the initiative. We did polling, focus groups, market research, and finally extensive market testing of our new themes and approaches. Since then, we have dedicated ourselves full-time to promoting and providing effective educational tools for the pro-life movement.
Central to these new approaches was a continuing emphasis on the fact that a majority of people, working in the pro-life movement, spend their time and efforts helping the woman during and after an unexpected pregnancy or after an abortion. Stopping abortion and protecting unborn babies remains a central thrust. However, assisting women in crisis occupies the efforts of more than half of those involved in the pro-life movement.
We encourage you to examine the groundbreaking publications and radio efforts of Life Issues Institute, as well as the new and more effective educational publications. Our goal is to retrofit and retool the educational efforts of the pro-life movement. We hope you will share our excitement and optimism, and help support our efforts in changing the hearts and minds of Americans on abortion.
CONTACT US
Life Issues Institute, Inc
1821 W. Galbraith Rd.
Cincinnati, OH 45239
Phone: (513) 729-3600
Fax: (513) 729-3636
Email:
info@lifeissues.org
