Pro-Life Support Activities: Necessary for Victory
ShareCHAPTER 27 — PRO-LIFE SUPPORT ACTIVITIES: NECESSARY FOR VICTORY
American Life League
You don't win a war by dying for your country. You win wars by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country.
General George S. Patton.
Introduction.
Direct action consists of taking away the abortionist's business by saving preborn babies and their mothers from the killer's knife. These activities include face-to-face contact with the abortionists and their minions and/or women who are considering abortion.
Under this definition, there are four types of direct action: Rescue missions, sidewalk counseling, picketing, and crisis pregnancy center (CPC) and shepherding home work.
Indirect action (or 'support activities') involves work that either makes the abortionist's bloody trade more difficult, or assists direct- action activists in doing a better and more effective job.
Support activities are just as essential to the pro-life movement as direct action. Without the people who recruit, educate, organize, and network, all of those people who run CPCs and who rescue, sidewalk counsel, and picket would be lost.
Chapter 26 describes methods of direct action. This chapter describes some of the more common support activities by pro-lifers, as follows;
• recruiting;
• legislative action;
• legals offensives;
• education;
• intelligence and infiltration;
• training; and
• countermeasures.
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Recruiting.
The hottest spot in Hell is reserved for those who, in time of crisis, preserve their neutrality.
Dante, The Divine Comedy.
A Continuing Apostolate.
In order to grow, or even to survive, any movement must continue to bring in new people in order to replace those who have left and to expand. Therefore, perhaps the most important pro-life activity of all is to RECRUIT!!
A single activist, in just one year, can be an effective 'force multiplier' by bringing only two other committed pro-lifers into the fray.
There are many ways to recruit;
• Recruit in your church. If you recruit your pastor and can get him to be enthusiastic, you have automatically recruited many or most of his flock. If we can finally mobilize our natural constituency our churches we have won!
• Go to places where Christians congregate. Look for Christian men's and women's clubs (forget the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA), which vigorously supports abortion). Go to Christian bookstores, and look in the Yellow Pages for advertisers who display Christian symbols. Larger cities sometimes have "Christian Yellow Pages." Also attend Christian seminars, festivals, and musical get-togethers.
• Recruit acquaintances who have expressed even the mildest interest in the pro-life cause.
• Become a walking billboard! You would be astonished at the number of recruits you can pick up just with a pro-life T-shirt or bumpersticker. Wear your 'little feet' pin everywhere even to court!
• Get business cards printed up, and leave them everywhere. Leave them on cars with conservative or pro-family bumper stickers, distribute them at conservative meetings, leave them in the backs of various churches and Christian bookstores. These cards can be obtained for about a penny apiece from most print shops. They don't have to be elaborate. Just your name, phone number, and the title "PRO-LIFE ACTIVIST" is sufficient. Ten bucks for a thousand little advertisements is a good price indeed.
• You may even want to proclaim your "pro-life orientation" to the world with a personalized license plate; PROLIFE, B4-LIFE, or RES Q are just a few possible examples.
The prime rule to remember is: RECRUIT CONSTANTLY! Everyone you see or meet is a potential convert to the pro-life cause. Don't let these people get away!
Scripture on a Christian's Duty.
It is obvious that our Lord did not want us to just sit in our homes and churches and pray. We have been directly commanded to go forth and rescue those who cannot help themselves.
Some Scripture passages that you could use to help convince your Christian friends to help include those listed in Figure 1-1 of Chapter 1.
The Psychology of 'Joining.'
The process of joining the pro-life movement is very painful for many people. Christians and other conservatives know that they should be more deeply involved in this issue, but are either too busy or afraid. It is important to be patient and talk the potential recruit through his or her fears.
If it is difficult to recruit a single person, imagine the problems associated with trying to recruit an entire congregation! These difficulties may seem insurmountable at first, but if a pro-lifer properly defines his mission and then goes about it in a logical and carefully- planned manner, he has a much better chance of success.
Joining a movement where personal sacrifice will probably be required is like getting into a cold swimming pool or taking off a bandaid. Have you ever seen a small child slowly step into a cold swimming pool? First, he puts in his toes and shivers, than his whole foot, then his ankles, then his knees ... It's painful to watch!
People can join the movement this way, or they can cannonball into it, which is far less painful than getting involved bit by bit.
Careful Pastors.
Many pro-life activists who have wished to get their churches involved in anti-abortion activities have been heartbroken to find out that their main stumbling block is an overcautious pastor who "doesn't want to jeopardize his church's tax-exempt status."
If the pastor is not merely ignorant of the facts, his statement is an outright sham in many cases. Many of these pastors simply don't want to be perceived as "one-issue," a great Neoliberal sin. They have expenses to pay (new paving on the church parking lot, new organ, new building), and don't want to jeopardize their contributions by offending some of their congregation. So they use this vague excuse to 'get off the hook.'
And, of course, some of these pastors are really pro-abortion and don't want to be found out. Pro-abortion pastors (particularly if their denomination is generally anti-abortion) can be extremely close-minded. However, they can still be reached.
Of course, there are plenty of good reasons that a pastor may be a fence-sitter. Look how ministers are treated in the press when they address the life issues! For example, in 1987 Carl F. Tichener, a Unitarian Universalist 'minister,' dressed up in full clerical garb and parodied Holy Communion by distributing gold-wrapped condoms to his congregation. Significantly, Tichener had previously been convicted on a morals charge for parading naked before a troop of Brownies.[1]
He was lauded in front-page stories and photographs in newspapers all over the country, which all conveniently omitted the good Reverend's incident with the Brownies.
However, when a minister or priest preaches against abortion, there is an uproar because he is meddling in a political issue; and when a Catholic or evangelical politician wants to declare his "neutrality" on the issue, pro-abortionists praise him for not "imposing his religious views" on society through his office. Just look at how John Cardinal O'Connor has been repeatedly pilloried in the press and physically attacked by sodomite terrorists.
When a pro-lifer first approaches his pastor on this issue, it is important to let him know beforehand that the topic of discussion will be abortion. The activist must be polite and firm and attempt to get an appointment with him. The pro-life position must be explained in a calm, logical, and reasonable manner, and the activist should take with him plenty of references that the pastor might be able to borrow and read at his leisure. It is critical to talk about the humanity and value of the unborn, the opportunities available to parishioners to get involved, and the importance of getting involved right now instead of putting it off. It is also very useful to copy and show him Figure 27-1 in this chapter regarding his allowable political activities, and to talk about the critical importance of him as a person and his congregation as a whole in this battle. It is important not to lecture him on his 'duty' to oppose abortion this is a sure turn-off.
FIGURE 27-1
ALLOWABLE AND PROHIBITED CHURCH POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Allowable Church Political Activities
• Signatures for ballot measures/initiative petitions may be gathered on church property with the cooperation of the pastor, as long as these measures or petitions are non-partisan (i.e., they may be abortion-related but not related to a particular candidate or political party).
• Persons not formally associated with the church may distribute partisan political flyers in the church parking lot. This activity was declared Constitutional by the United States Supreme Court in its 1980 decision entitled Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robbins.
• A church may run partisan political ads in its bulletin as long as they are paid for under the same terms as for any other advertiser. In addition, the church may be selective about the ads they run (i.e., it may run only those from pro-life political candidates). However, editorials for or against candidates may not be published.
• The church membership list may be rented at market value for use by political candidates in seeking support or raising funds only on the same basis that other individuals or organizations have access to it.
• The church may participate in non-partisan voter education (how to vote, how to run for political office, discussion of the electoral process, and helping people to register and get to polling places). Of course, it may choose to direct these activities solely towards voters that have been identified as friendly to its cause.
• Political candidates may appear and speak at church services or meetings. However, any political candidate from another political party who is running for the same position must be given the same opportunity to speak if he or she requests it. Additionally, no solicitation for funds at any such event is allowable.
• Non-partisan political surveys may be conducted by or distributed by churches. The survey should not specify what the desired response is, and should avoid position-descriptive words such as "pro-life" and "anti-life." The surveys should not urge readers to "vote for life," or indicate any other desired political action on the part of the reader. The survey must not be conducted or published by a political candidate.
• The voting records of all candidates on a particular issue (or issues) may be distributed by a church. The church may indicate its own view(s) on the issue(s) and whether or not the candidate(s) voted in accordance with these view(s). However, there must be no implication that one candidate is favored.
Prohibited Church Political Activities
• Endorsement of or contribution of funds to a political candidate.
• Expenditure of in-kind funds or materials in a political campaign.
• Contribution of funds to a Political Action Committee (PAC).
• Payment of expenses for persons or delegates to attend caucuses of
political party state and national conventions.
Reference: James Bopp, Jr., National Right to Life Committee General Counsel. "Guidelines for Political Action By Churches and Pastors." National Right to Life News, October 20, 1988, pages 3 to 5. Another reference containing this and other information is a pamphlet entitled "Political Activity by Clergymen." Order from American Life League, Post Office Box 1350, Stafford, Virginia 22555. Telephone: (703) 659-4171.
If, after repeated attempts, the pro-lifer finds that the clergyman simply refuses to cooperate, the activist might inform him that the next step is to expose his position to his parishioners. Point out that this will cause more controversy and loss of funds than any sermon he could ever give on abortion. If the pastor still refuses to discuss the issue, the pro-lifer may decide to leaflet the church during services, pointing out the specific details about how he didn't even have the courtesy to reply after repeated attempts just to talk to him.
This may seem drastic, but chances are he's a 'feel-good' pastor who is not preaching the true Word of God in any case. It is your duty to try to return him to the right track on the vital ethical issue of abortion!
The Rights of Pastors and Churches.
Virtually all churches are tax- exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, because they are "... operated exclusively for religious, charitable, or educational purposes." Most pro-life and pro-abortion organizations qualify under these exemptions, as well.
Members of a new pro-life group, however small, should check with the local office of the Internal Revenue Service to see if they qualify for an IRS Code Section 501(c)(3) exemption. The process of filling out the proper forms takes a while, but is not complicated, and the primary advantage is that contributions to the organization are tax-deductible. Of course, if activists organize a local chapter of a national group, such as Human Life International or Women Exploited By Abortion, their tax-exempt status is 'piggybacked' from the parent organization.
Section 501(c)(3) organizations may not "... participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office." Therefore, a church may not expend funds for or against any political candidate.
Strangely, 69 percent of this country's abortion mills qualify for this same "charitable tax-exempt status," to the tune of $12 million annually. This is yet another way that your tax dollars help support abortion in the United States.[2]
The pro-abortion media have managed to convince many churches that, if they dare to speak out against baby-killing in any way, shape, or form, their tax exempt status will be yanked faster than their parking lots empty out after services.
It is the activist's job to convince his pastor otherwise. Pastors have the same rights as any other American citizen, including the following;
• the pastor may endorse a political candidate from the pulpit, as long as he makes it clear that this endorsement is his own personal view and not that of the church;
• a pastor may allow his name to be used in partisan political publications as a candidate's supporter, and may be identified as the pastor of a particular church;
• pastors may even organize and run a political action committee (PAC), as long as they make it clear that the PAC is not associated with their church.
Figure 27-1 summarizes the rights of and limitations imposed upon pastors and tax-exempt churches regarding involvement in social issues. These guidelines are not authoritative. In some states, local and state laws may be more restrictive than the guidelines shown in the table. Before a church or pastor engages in any partisan political activity, it is best to check with local counsel or the local office of the Internal Revenue Service.
So Who Needs It?
All of this is well and good, but if a Christian stops to think about it, the concept of a "tax exemption" is nothing less than a very cheap way for the government to exert the heavy hand of control over the Church.
Imagine how far Jesus and His disciples would have gotten if they had labored under the many restrictions imposed by a tax exemption! Would Our Lord have accepted a tax exemption from the Roman Empire? Would he have given up "political preaching" against the system? Imagine how different and bland Scripture would be if Our Lord and His followers had been part of a tax-exempt (state-controlled) Church.
Tax exemption allows the Federal government to insure that our churches will not become too dangerous or effective.
When the Abortion Rights Mobilization (ARM) sued the Internal Revenue Service in order to get the tax-exempt status of the Catholic Church pulled, quite a few activist pro-life Catholics were rooting for the ARM! Why? Because they were sick and tired of pastors saying that their hands were tied by their Church's IRS tax-exempt status.
If Christian churches lost or gave up their tax-exempt status, they would finally have the opportunity to step onto the field of battle as full instead of half-warriors. Whether or not they would actually do so, of course, is a question that remains to be answered.
I'll Pray for You ...
As the Communists like to say, don't sympathize, organize! If someone says to a pro-lifer, "I'm behind you all the way," it invariably means that they are far enough behind him to avoid any risk to their own precious little fannies. The activist should tell them that it is useless to have them behind us, we want them beside us, opposing evil.
Many times when a person says "I'll pray for you," it is an excuse to end his uncomfortable, guilt-inducing conversation with you and slink away. He probably won't even pray for you, and he certainly won't do more than pray for you!
The activist might tell the person that he doesn't want him praying for us, he wants him praying with us, outside the abortion mills, doing spiritual warfare! Those persons who are actively fighting abortion pray more anyway!
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Legislative Action.
It is not enough to know the truth, you must live it.
Pope John Paul II.
It is true that the near-ultimate solution to abortion (short of complete conversion or evangelization of the entire country) will come in the legislative arena. If we can elect a pro-life majority to the United States Senate and Congress and the State houses, we have gone a long way towards achieving this goal.
There are almost an unlimited number of ways that activists can support life in the field of legislative action;
• A Human Life Amendment (HLA) is a must. Support with contributions, work and prayer those national organizations and those representatives that are working and lobbying for an HLA.
• Assist in doorbelling, posting signs, fundraising, and other needs of pro-life political candidates, from the local school board to the Presidential campaigns.
• Organize ballot measures and referenda against abortion and its public funding, against euthanasia and institutionalized infanticide, and against school-based sex clinics.
• Assist in voter identification (call your local Right to Life chapter to volunteer your help). See Chapter 20, "Pro-Life Organizations" for the addresses and telephone numbers of state affiliates of the National Right to Life Committee.
• Become informed about our legislative process. You will be a much more effective activist in all fields of action if you do so. Some recommended reading is listed at the end of this chapter.
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Legal Action (Offensive).
Introduction.
Pro-life activists especially those who have been employing an effective array of tactics have been taking it in the neck legally over the last several years. Pro-abortion forces have allied themselves with state and Federal government agencies and have thrown more than 200 major lawsuits at pro-life individuals and organizations in the last five years. These include actions under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, and various Ku Klux Klan-type laws.
Pro-lifers seem to be too busy either defending themselves from such actions or saving babies, and appear to have little time to mount legal offensives against the abortionists. However, these courses of action MUST be explored! Remember that pro-abortionists tend to employ the tactics that they themselves fear the most and they obviously fear lawsuits! They fear lawsuits because they are killing babies for money, and defending a suit costs big bucks.
The following paragraphs describe the major avenues of approach regarding legal offensives.
Abortion Malpractice Suits.
Pro-lifers like to say that a large percentage of abortions result in serious complications.
If we really believe this, we should be taking advantage of the situation to shut down abortion mills through legal action while helping injured women recover their just damages from the abortionists!
Speak to local pro-life attorneys about this possible course of action. An abortion mill that kills 2,000 babies per year is going to inflict at least 25 to 50 legally actionable injuries per year, regardless of how careful the baby-killers are. The reason that these botched abortions do not result in lawsuits is that the women are utterly ignorant of their rights under the law. They believe that the no-prosecution agreements the clinics coerce them into signing are binding. Additionally, abortuary drones may have told them that serious symptoms are just "common and harmless" side-effects to be ignored.
Some attorneys now are setting up practices based solely or largely on abortion injuries, a relatively narrow field, and they are finding it to be extremely lucrative. Keep in mind that the pro-aborts have churned out truckloads of propaganda swearing that abortion is the safest surgical procedure in existence. This same material will make your local abortionists look incompetent when they are hit with several malpractice suits in a short period of time. It will make them appear to practice in a manner inconsistent with local medical standards.
Sidewalk counselors may want to print up a little piece of literature that explains to women their legal rights and gives them the name of a competent attorney and how to pursue legal action. This very simple action will terrify local baby-killers when they find out that such literature even exists!
At the very least, the abortionists will tend to become more careful, and this will result in less injuries to aborting women.
For information on how to proceed with possible malpractice suits, contact;
The Abortion Lawsuit Project Family Concerns, Inc.
Post Office Box 550168
Atlanta, Georgia 30355
American Rights Coalition
Post Office Box 487
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401
Telephone: (615) 756-7065
Legal Action for Women (LAW)
1145 Candlewood Circle
Pensacola, Florida 32514
Telephone: (904) 474-1091
Civil Rights Suits/Countersuits.
The pro-abortionists have their backs to the wall, and they know it. They are thus viciously lashing out through the same system that has been so friendly to them for so long the courts. The courts gave them abortion in the first place, and sometimes it seems that the courts are totally committed to keeping it legal.
The pro-abortionists have filed more than 200 RICO and other lawsuits against pro-lifers for everything from rescues to legal picketing, and even for burying the bodies of babies that they have killed.
Standard charges usually include one or more of the following: Racketeering, conspiracy to violate civil rights, interference with business relations, assault, trespass, and interference with commerce or interstate travel. Many of these suits are brought in bad faith, in that they are either totally groundless or abuse the judicial process.
When such suits are dismissed, dropped, or found groundless by a judge or jury, it is mandatory that the accused pro-lifers IMMEDIATELY file a countersuit for malicious abuse of process, abuse of civil rights, and any other offenses that the pro-abortionists may have committed (i.e., assault by clinic escorts).
Some Christians believe that pressing their own lawsuit would not be Biblical. This is not true. The first Christians were given legal guidelines refrain from suing their brethren fellow Christians but left them free to sue pagans. In this era, such action is necessary, if not to protect current pro-life activists, then to protect those who come after us.
Suits should also be immediately filed against any escort or abortionist who assaults a rescuer, picketer, or sidewalk counselor, or who has any pro-lifer arrested falsely for performing legal activities. It is not necessary for the local district attorney to file charges.
Remember, the law is a two-edged sword. Once the pro-aborts perceive that pro-life activists are fighting back in the courts, they will be a lot more thoughtful about bringing shotgun-type lawsuits against us.
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Education.
Why Education?
The enemy, in the form of all anti-life forces, functions most effectively in an obscure, undefined, and confusing environment. That's why abortophiles, euthanasiasts, pornographers and sodomites use such deceptive, soothing language; that's why they constantly try to divert attention away from the real issues of dead babies and other atrocities; and that's why they oppose the truth in any form, whether it be photographs of the acts in question or informed consent.
Why do they fear the truth so passionately? Because they know the facts are on the side of the pro-life movement! The more the public hears about abortion, the more pro-life it becomes! The American people are world-renowned for their horse sense, and it tells them that unborn babies are alive, that they are being murdered, and that this is wrong. The pro-abortion forces, no matter how hard they try, can't keep the lid on this boiling cauldron of ignorance forever. And they know it!
And that's where you come in.
Conventional Educational Activities.
There are an almost unlimited number of opportunities for you to educate the public. In short, any place where there are people presents a golden opportunity for you to educate. Some possibilities;
• local, county, and state fairs;
• craft and public information shows in malls;
• flea markets;
• informational pro-life garage sales;
• local radio or television (preferably in a debate format);
• on local cable television stations;
• local colleges and universities;
• local grade schools and high schools;
• conservative organizations;
• churches;
• become a Natural Family Planning instructor;
• local Kiwanis, Lions, and other service and fraternal organizations; and, of
course,
• everyday conversation with family, relatives, friends, and co-workers. Talk
it up! Your educational tools may include one or more of the following;
• fetal model sets;
• slide presentations and films or videos;
• a good assortment of literature, especially those items featuring plain and
direct language and colorful photographs and other visuals;
• a writeup specially tailored to the topic;
• stickers, buttons, and 'little feet' pins for children;
• and, most importantly, your knowledge and speaking skills.
Expect Resistance!
Any pro-lifer who wants to educate the public will often run into determined opposition. The tactic to use in such situations is to bypass authority.
Remember that it is always easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission.
Pastors may tell you that they don't want you "upsetting their congregations." They may be thinking in particular of their parishioners who have had abortions. If this is what your pastor fears, you might inform him that it is crueller to let these women suffer the enduring pain and guilt of abortion than it is to let them know that there are pro-life people who will help them find understanding and forgiveness.
Pastors will also tell you that they don't want to lose their tax- exempt status. They will tell you that they don't want to be "single-issue fanatics." All of these arguments are mere diversions, and mean that, indirectly at least, your pastor is pro-abortion in a practical sense because he is afraid to do anything about the killing.
The real message he is giving you, of course, is that he really couldn't care less that thousands of babies are being slaughtered each day. He doesn't want to 'rock the boat' and lose Sunday contributions. If your pastor is pro-abortion, or if he just doesn't care, you can bypass him by distributing your literature on the public sidewalk outside the church. If the pastor is especially offensive or rude in his dealings with you, you may also want to type up a detailed fact sheet on his attitude and position for distribution, as well. Urge pro-life parishioners to place notes in the collection basket saying that, due to the pastor's indifference, they will contribute their money instead to a worthy pro-life organization.
THAT will get your pastor's attention!
School boards will tell you that you aren't welcome because parents might complain about your material (naturally, Planned Parenthood is welcome any time)! Once again, you may simply stand on a public sidewalk outside schools and pass out pro-life and pro-chastity materials. Activists doing this are commonly threatened with lawsuits and arrest. If you are on a public sidewalk, you have every right to converse with anyone on any subject or pass out information on any topic whatever. Any threats made by abortophile school staffers should be met with promises of legal retaliation.
There is also nothing wrong with distributing literature at conservative events, school rallies, on street corners, or anywhere there is a large group of people. Just don't go alone!
Debate.
If you know your stuff, you cannot lose when debating a pro- abortionists. In many areas of the country (primarily in large cities), it is impossible to find a pro-abort to debate on the topic of abortion. This is because they have been humiliated in past debates, and don't want to enter into yet another "no-win" situation. After all, nobody likes being verbally thrashed in front of an audience.
And so, in the face of overwhelming evidence against their position, abortionists and their minions, giving lame excuses the whole time, are taking the cowardly way out and avoiding debate with pro-lifers.
Colorado is typical of this situation. As mega-abortionist Warren Hern says in his baby-killing "how-to" manual Abortion Practice, "In Colorado, the pro-choice community has decided after some period of disagreement and discussion to refuse all invitations to debate ... we respond to all requests from schools for educational presentations concerning abortion. If the sponsors want both sides presented, however, the presentations must be made on different occasions. We insist that visual aid materials not be presented by either side."
Don't wait for debate and presentation opportunities to come your way. Get out there and shake the bushes! Contact the following organizations. Speak to the pastor, leader or secretary, and follow up with a pamphlet which describes your activities;
• churches;
• radio and television stations;
• medical organizations;
• political organizations;
• youth groups;
• legal groups; and
• fraternal organizations.
If you have a speaker's bureau, try to get specialists (i.e., physicians and attorneys) to address their respective groups.
Your speakers should jot down their general impressions and lessons learned so that they may share their experiences with other speakers at periodic meetings.
Make sure that you have plenty of factual literature at such debates and presentations, and RECRUIT!!
For more information on debating, refer to Chapter 29, "Debating Tactics."
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Intelligence/Infiltration.
The Importance of Information.
Any effective pro-life organization, like any other entity, runs on information. The most important information that a pro-life group can gather is about its opponents. This is in support of the critically important principle of warfare "KNOW THY ENEMY."
Information that will be very useful to your organization includes;
• the anti-life enemy's viewpoints and attitudes, the way he thinks, and his psychology; when pro-lifers understand these, they can accurately guess what anti-lifers will be doing in the future and when they will do it;
• his level of morale and his opinion on how the anti-life movement is faring in the battle;
• concrete information about anti-life organizations: how many people do they have, what resources do they have, where does their money come from, and who backs them;
• anti-life long-range plans (strategy) and short-term plans (tactics).
Read Their Literature.
One of the best ways to get an idea of what anti-lifers are thinking about is to read their books and periodicals. Pro-lifers should go to their public libraries for background information in books on topics such as Neofeminism (which will be misleadingly categorized as "feminism" or "women's studies"), 'gay rights,' and other life issues from the anti-life point of view. These works will allow the forward-looking activist to lay the foundation in his own mind as to the origins of the anti-life movement and Neofeminism, and will allow him to understand the basic mechanisms that his opponents use to reach their conclusions.
Of course, every local pro-life activist group should have at least two persons each subscribe to periodicals issued by groups like the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL), Planned Parenthood, and the National Organization for Women (NOW). These little newsletters let pro- lifers know in advance what their enemies are planning, and allow them time to plan countermeasures. Pro-abortion periodicals are usually available on a sliding scale, so pro-lifers can pay a relatively small amount of money to obtain literally priceless information.
It is useless to feel guilty about paying money to pro-abortion organizations; if payment is made at the bottom of the sliding scale, it will barely cover their printing and postage costs. In any case, the information obtained from pro-abort periodicals will many times allow pro- lifers to save more babies in the long run than they otherwise would have.
Sleepers and Moles.
The best way bar none to get inside information is by the use of sleepers and moles. However, pro-lifers must be absolutely certain that the person selected for these jobs is tough- minded, independent, and able to conceal his or her true feelings.
A 'sleeper' is a talented and experienced local pro-life activist who has worked 'behind the scenes' for a period of time. This person has not participated in pickets, sidewalk counseling, or rescues to the extent that he or she would be recognized by local pro-aborts. This person might have been active in another city and has just moved to your area. He or she would not be nationally well-known.
The job of the 'sleeper' would be to join a local pro-abortion organization and participate fully in its activities, including possibly being a clinic escort. This person might even rise to a position of responsibility within the organization.
The mission of the sleeper (now mole) is to convey as much information to the local pro-life movement as possible, while looking for opportunities to obstruct the pro-abortion entity's activities through such mechanisms as misinformation, matching incompatible personalities for critical assignments, and implementing and cultivating sloppy planning procedures.
The sleeper, if he or she is a good actor, may also put on a front as a hysterical, raving pro-abortion maniac (the louder and more hysterical, the more popular he will be with the pro-abortionists, and the worse he will make them look to the general public).
The mole can do a lot of damage to the pro-abortion cause by intentionally "throwing" debates and deliberately sabotaging panel discussions. Of course, if the mole discerns that he or she is about to be compromised, the best time to abandon the pro-abortion position and "come out" as a pro-life activist is right in the middle of an important debate or panel discussion.
The mole must only contact a single person in the pro-life movement for security reasons. This "sole contact" should be the only one who knows who the mole is. If a mole moves away from a city, it is the responsibility of his or her contact (NOT the mole) to establish a new contact in the receiving city.
After Roe v. Wade.
Pro-life 'moles' who have attained positions of responsibility in pro-abortion organizations will be especially important after abortion is illegal once again. Pro-abortionists have absolutely no regard for the law (unless it is on their side), and have vowed repeatedly to smuggle abortifacient drugs into the country and set up local and national "underground railroads" such as the "Jane" network so that women may kill their children illegally.
A pro-lifer in a position of responsibility within any abortophile group will become very familiar with the details of these systems and will be able to pass such information on to local pro-life contacts but never directly to law enforcement officials and agencies, for obvious reasons.
More information on intelligence gathering is contained in Chapter 3, "The Basics of Planning."
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Pro-Life Training.
Initial Training.
Nothing can be more bewildering to a rookie pro- lifer than joining a group and being confronted with an avalanche of information, activities, and conflicting ideologies. Uncertainty is the most demoralizing emotion of all, and many people drop out because they are just too overwhelmed by the sheer mass of data to carry on.
It is essential to either pair off recruits with veteran activists, or, in the interest of efficiency, hold a monthly training and information session.
The purposes of such sessions are twofold: (1) to provide the new activist with basic data and reading material, and (2) to find out where his aptitudes are and where he would like to work in the movement.
Information presented in a two- or three-hour session should include only the most general concepts;
• philosophy and goals of the pro-life movement;
• the various national and local groups and their activities;
• the current status of the abortion battle in the United States and on the state
and local scenes;
• answers to a few of the most common pro-abortion slogans;
• where help is needed most urgently;
• information on further reading; and, most importantly,
• an experienced contact they can reach for further information.
This meeting should allow a generous question-and-answer period after the presentation.
Of course, the new activist will have to do considerable reading in the above areas and in other more specific fields; nobody can absorb all the basic information he needs in one session.
Good general books on abortion include those listed in Chapter 22.
Continued Training.
It is all very well and good to get a fast start, but each committed activist should keep up on current events relating to the life issues, especially after the election of the most pro-abortion president this country has ever seen. The amount of knowledge one must have on hand is directly proportional to the speed with which events move, and they are now moving faster than ever before.
Every pro-life activist, from rescuer to CPC worker, from rookie to pre-Roe veteran, will be more effective at whatever he does if he knows what is going on at the national and local levels. Everyone must have a clear view of the 'big picture' in order to operate effectively even at the local level.
It is a much more efficient use of resources for one person to research and present to an audience than it is for every individual to have to look up the facts for himself. In any case, most cities have at least one person who does this type of work continuously for other purposes, so little additional preparation will be required. Every city has an "info- maniac" with a PC, a 200-meg hard drive, and a desire to accumulate information. This is the person to tap for this assignment.
A monthly or quarterly update session might include the following;
• the latest Supreme Court and state and local court decisions;
• national and local legislation and initiatives regarding abortion;
• status of state and local pro-life projects; and
• updated reading files.
These informational meetings are also good "networking" opportunities, useful for decreasing friction among groups and renewing old friendships. In some cases, recognition or awards to certain individuals or groups may be appropriate, such as the "Jailed for Life" plaques awarded to some rescuers.
Additionally, as some activists begin to display a marked ability in some areas, they should be encouraged with recognition and further training in those areas. These areas include public speaking and debating, recruiting in churches, organizing, researching, intelligence, and countermeasures.
Every effective pro-life group should have generalists (who know a little bit about everything) and specialists (who know everything about one or two things).
SUPPORT ACTIVITY: Countermeasures.
Introduction.
Imagine the frustration of a pro-abortion organizer who spends weeks or months carefully crafting a well-attended media event, only to have a half-dozen noisy "anti-choice fanatics" crash the show and steal half of the attention.
Imagine the chagrin of an oily pro-abortion speaker who smoothly and smugly addresses an audience, only to have pro-life plants ask difficult questions at the end and pass out literature exposing anti-life lies to everyone in attendance.
Imagine the anger of everyone in a big pro-abortion march as they pass under a bridge festooned with banners that read "ONLY BIG BABIES ARE PRO- CHOICE!," "LET MY PEOPLE GROW!," and "PICK ON SOMEONE YOUR OWN SIZE!"
Pro-abortionists and other anti-lifers love to use what they call 'street theatre' to get their messages across, but just hate it when pro- lifers show imagination by rewording anti-life bumperstickers and slogans to ridicule the pro-abortion mentality in order to make people think. The actual bumperstickers can be altered, or new ones can be make up with magnetic sheeting and press-on letters.
A few examples of altered bumperstickers are shown below.
IF MEN COULD IF FEMINISTS
GET PREGNANT, HAD BRAINS,
ABORTION WOULD LOBOTOMY WOULD
BE A SACRAMENT BE A SACRAMENT
THE MORAL THE IMMORAL
MAJORITY MINORITY
IS NEITHER IS BOTH
SILENCE = DEATH SODOMY = DEATH
FUNDAMENTALISM ATHEISM IS
IS MIND DEATH SOUL DEATH
HONOR DISHONOR
DIVERSITY PERVERSITY
Gritty Work.
Mechanics and engineers know that a tiny handful of grit is enough to cripple or cause great friction in even the biggest, most expensive, and impressive-looking machines.
Since pro-abortionists seem to think that pro-life activists are universally abrasive, we should take advantage of this unique quality and go to work on the pro-death machine which so smoothly and quietly grinds up more than five thousand preborn lives every business day.
Pro-abortion organizers value privacy and a smooth operation above all else. With a very small amount of effort and just a few committed folks, pro-lifers can blunt or even destroy the grandiose plans of the death merchants, especially if they have the critical advantage of a 'mole' in place.
This, of course, requires knowing in advance what the pro-abortionists are up to. Pro-lifers should have several people on the mailing lists of each local pro-abortion group. They should also have one or two brave (and preferably unrecognized) souls attend anti-life rallies and meetings in the hope of gleaning valuable information on upcoming events. Of course, it is ideal to have someone actually planted on the board of such organizations. Although many pro-lifers have taken on the difficult guise of a sheep in wolf's clothing, they report that it is definitely not a job for everyone.
Once the information is in hand, it is important to have a few folks you can call on with virtually no notice. It takes only ten or twelve committed pro-lifers with banners, bullhorns, and leaflets to totally steal the show from pro-aborts. These people should be dependable, committed, and be on a phone tree so that they may be notified quickly. Joe Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League refers to these essential people as his "Dirty Dozen."
Pro-Abortion Rallies.
Pro-abortion rallies are held for the purposes of disseminating propaganda and pumping up the anti-life troops. If the rally is reasonably civilized, say a show by a Planned Parenthood teenaged propaganda troupe, several average-looking pro-lifers without signs can circulate among onlookers while distributing anti-PP literature.
If the pro-abortion rally is a loud and obscene affair riddled with Communists, sex perverts, and radical Neofeminists, the situation can get very dangerous. Be sure that police know that you are there, and be sure that they know that you have a right to be there if it is a public event. Several pro-lifers could simply stand facing traffic with their big, well- made banners, thus giving passersby the impression that the nearby large, noisy mass of people are all pro-life.
Media Events.
At a media event such as the popular (and profoundly useless) "Silent No More" storytelling contests periodically held by pro- abortionists, it is necessary to have documentation handy that shows that these stories are, for the most part, barefaced lies that are spun purely for propaganda purposes. Bring supporting documentation on maternal deaths caused by illegal abortion and related literature to distribute to the press (see Chapter 59 of Volume II, "Maternal Deaths Caused By Abortion," for more information on this topic).
If a local pro-abortion media personality is speaking to a reasonably neutral crowd of businessmen or other professionals, make sure that you have several pro-life professionals in the audience who can stand up, identify themselves as members of the group, and ask tough questions. Pass out literature to those leaving the presentation, and demand that pro- lifers get equal time at a future meeting.
References: Pro-Life Support Activities.
[1] James G. Bruen, Jr. "Koop de Theatre." Fidelity Magazine, April 1987, pages 14 to 16.
[2] Richard D. Glasow, Ph.D. "The Facts About How Planned Parenthood Promotes Abortion." National Right to Life News, October 6, 1988, pages 4 and 10.
Further Reading: Pro-Life Support Activities.
George Alderson and Everett Sentman. How You Can Influence Congress: The Complete Handbook for the Citizen Lobbyist.
New York: E.P. Dutton, 1979. 360 pages; hardback, paperback. Reviewed by Mary Meehan on pages 1 and 5 of the January 12, 1981 National Right to Life News. Highly recommended manual on the intricacies of successful lobbying.
American Family Association. Talk Back.
Softcover. Order from the American Family Association, Post Office Drawer 2440, Tupelo, Mississippi 38803. This book shows how to get your opinion across to television advertisers and producers who seem to be totally indifferent to the Christian point of view. A strategy for fighting pornography and violence on television for both individuals and organizations, written by the AFA, which has many years of experience in this field.
American Life League. "Political Activity by Clergymen."
Order from ALL, Post Office Box 1350, Stafford, Virginia 22554.
Pastor John O. Anderson. Cry of the Innocents: Abortion and the Race Towards Judgment.
Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. The killing of God's most innocent creations is a heinous sin that cries out to God for vengeance. Using the story of the prophet Hosea as a model, the author warns that God will withhold his vengeance upon this nation if we, as individuals and a people, stop our twin sins of sexual immorality and the shedding of innocent blood; but, if we persist, the wrath of God is inevitable and it will also be directed towards those who stood by and did nothing. If your pastor is sitting on the fence or thinking of getting involved, this is the book that he should read.
Judie Brown. Pro-Life Media Handbook.
Order from American Life League, Post Office Box 1350, Stafford, Virginia 22554. How to use the media effectively to promote the pro-life message.
Carol Felsenthal. Phyllis Schlafly: The Sweetheart of the Silent Majority.
Chicago: Regnert Gateway, 1981. The last five chapters of this book describe Schlafly's fight against the ERA and gives fascinating insight into the strategies and tactics used by both 'sides' in the battle. It is interesting to note that this book was the topic of an intensive and sometimes physically brutal censorship campaign by the same Neoliberals who champion "free speech."
Full Disclosure.
This monthly magazine deals with surveillance techniques. 12 monthly issues can be ordered from Full Disclosure, Post Office Box 903-FD23, Libertyville, Illinois 60048. Topics covered include electronic surveillance, bugs, recorders, eavesdropping from a distance, passive collection, countermeasures, scanning, hardwiring, shadowing, optics, reading unopened mail, lock picking, getting unlisted phone numbers, skip tracing, equipment suppliers and sources, computer cracking, information tracking, tailing, 'spy shops,' and detective databases. This is a magazine for the technically-oriented who would like to research the seamy lives of abortionists.
Human Events. The Intelligent Conservative's Reference Manual.
This 134-page book contains a treasury of information of value to every pro-life and pro-family activist. Chapters include information on how to find and network with other conservatives, how to run a political campaign, how to influence Congress and the media, and comprehensive lists on conservative organizations, columnists, publications and books, and information on radical-left organizations. The 7th edition was published in 1991. Write to Human Events, 422 First Street SE, Washington, DC 20003.
Carl Landwehr. (1) "Changing Attitudes on Abortion: Pro-Life Education that Works."
How to use the media, advertising, publicity, and displays to reach large numbers of people with the pro-life message. (2) "Keep the Pro-Life Issue Alive: Use Media Events." How to stage newsworthy events in order to keep the American Holocaust in the eye of the American public. These are two of a set of nine booklets that outline an effective, unified strategy for stopping abortion on a local level. Order separately or as a group from: National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 402, Washington, D.C. 20044, or from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586- 4898.
Carl Landwehr. "Pro-Life Legislation: How to Win!"
How to get pro-life legislators into office at the local and state level. One of a set of nine booklets that outline an effective, unified strategy for stopping abortion on a local level. Order separately or as a group from: National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 402, Washington, D.C. 20044, or from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586-4898.
Carl Landwehr. "Involving Your Church in the Right to Life Issue."
How to involve your congregation and, even more importantly, your pastor in pro-life activism. One of a set of nine booklets that outline an effective, unified strategy for stopping abortion on a local level. Order separately or as a group from: National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 402, Washington, D.C. 20044, or from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586- 4898.
Carl Landwehr. "Successful Fund Raising."
How to raise large amounts of money for pro-life activities by putting on events that catch people's interest. One of a set of nine booklets that outline an effective, unified strategy for stopping abortion on a local level. Order separately or as a group from: National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund, 419 7th Street, NW, Suite 402, Washington, D.C. 20044, or from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174, telephone: (703) 586- 4898.
Lee Lapin. How to Get Anything on Anybody.
(2 volumes). 1991, 400 pages. Paladin Press, Post Office Box 1307, Boulder, Colorado 80306, telephone: (303) 443-7250. This two-volume set is the most comprehensive publication on surveillance techniques available to the general public. The first volume deals primarily with expensive surveillance equipment, but large portions explain intelligence-gathering techniques that can be used by anyone. Topics covered include electronic surveillance, bugs, recorders, eavesdropping from a distance, passive collection, countermeasures, scanning, hardwiring, shadowing, optics, reading unopened mail, lock picking, getting unlisted phone numbers, skip tracing, and equipment suppliers and sources. The second volume elaborates on the above topics. It also includes information on computer cracking, information tracking, tailing, 'spy shops,' and detective databases.
Lex Vitae: A Reporter on Life and Death Issues in the Law.
This fine 32-page quarterly addresses the legal aspects and current court developments affecting all of the life issues including abortion, euthanasia and medical treatment, medical malpractice, the rights of the unborn child, and First Amendment rights. Includes a comprehensive federal and state legislative update and a detailed bibliography of books written on the life issues in the last several months. This magazine, issued by Americans United for Life, will be of great value to pro-life attorneys, researchers, or anyone interested in keeping up with current legal developments in the life issues. Write to Americans United for Life, 343 South Dearborn Street, Suite 1804, Chicago, Illinois 60604. Telephone: (312) 786-9494.
Joyce Lively. A Pro-Life Primer: The ABC's of Working in the Parish.
The Regina Coeli Institute, 145 Crestmont Terrace, Collingswood, New Jersey 08108. 1991, 71 pages. This book describes a compendium of 'low-impact' activities that parishes can get involved in. Since these activities are relatively non-controversial, pastors have less of an excuse not to get involved. Topic include supporting crisis pregnancy centers, Masses for expectant families, phone trees, letters, fair booths, identifying support in the parish, and spiritual adoption of the unborn. Sample flyers are included.
Father Michael Mannion. Abortion and Healing: A Cry to be Whole.
Kansas City, Missouri: Sheed & Ward, 1986. 111 pages. Reviewed by Regis Walling on pages 268 and 269 of the Fall 1986 issue of the International Review of Natural Family Planning and by Olivia Gans in the January 15, 1987 issue of National Right to Life News, page 18. Father Mannion's book draws on his experience in counseling post-abortive women and other troubled persons. This book could most accurately be characterized as a collection of the author's thoughts on abortion, ministry, and other subjects, with questions at the end of each chapter for the reader's reflection. The intended audience for this book is not aborted women themselves, but rather those who counsel them.
Robert G. Marshall. Bayonets and Roses: Comprehensive Pro-Life Political Action Guide.
1976, 388 pages. Available in many state Right to Life offices. This is a painstakingly detailed guide to the workings (both visible and invisible) of the United States political system. It also gives examples of how the complicated system has been used by pro- abortionists to advance their agenda, and addresses the issue of how pro- lifers can gain savvy enough to use the system for their own end: Protection of all human life. This is a textbook-style treatise that should be read by all pro-life political activists. It also includes a listing of many of the major pro-abortion groups in the United States on page 321.
P. McGuigan and R. Rader (editors). A Blueprint for Judicial Reform.
Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, 1981. Reviewed by Lynn D. Wardle, Esq., on page 5 of the May 20, 1982 issue of National Right to Life News.
National Association of Investigative Specialists. Investigator's Information Access Directory.
This book includes information on nearly a thousand members of the National Association of Investigative Specialists, sources of state records on individuals, and private investigative firms. Information includes organization or individual name, address, telephone number, services provided, investigative specialties, and geographic area covered. 250 pages, published annually by the National Association of Investigative Specialists, Box 33244, Austin, Texas 78764, telephone: (512) 832-0355.
National Right to Life News.
This is the National Right to Life Committee's biweekly publication. It deals primarily with the legislative pro-life scene from a national viewpoint, and is concerned not only with abortion but also with the rapidly-expanding euthanasia threat. It is probably the best overall source of information on ongoing state and federal involvement in all three branches in both abortion and euthanasia. Most local Right to Life affiliate groups file back issues of this magazine. If you want to know what's going on with the Supreme Court, congressional bills, or the attitudes and voting records of individual congressmen, this paper can't be beat. Write to 419-7th Street NW, Fifth Floor, Washington, D.C., 20004, or call (202) 626-8800.
Oxbridge Communications. College Media Directory.
Information on more than 5,000 college newspapers, magazines, and yearbooks on about 2,500 campuses nationwide. Data includes name of college, address and telephone number of college media outlet, the name of the student advisor, description of contents, trim size and method, frequency, circulation, budget and method of financing, and advertising and subscription rates. 300 pages, published every four years (latest edition in April of 1989) by Oxbridge Communications Inc., 150 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011, telephone: (212) 741-0231.
Pro-Life Action League. The Pocket-Pac Pro-Life Presentation.
This invaluable aid to sidewalk counselors consists of eight 3-1/4 inch by 4-1/2 inch glossy color photographs of unborn children. The live babies are at 6, 8, 12, and 18 weeks, and the photographs show four victims of suction, D&E, saline, and hysterotomy abortions. These sets are available from the Pro-Life Action League, Suite 210, 6160 North Cicero Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60646. Price includes postage and handling.
Saint Antoninus Institute. Pro-Life Shopping Guide.
130 pages, 1992. The ultimate guide for the boycott-minded pro-lifer, this guide shows that it is indeed possible to 'substitute buy' virtually everything and avoid patronizing the seemingly infinite galaxy of Planned Parenthood supporters. Lists 80 corporations and more than 2,000 brand names and subsidiaries of corporations that pro-lifers may patronize with a clear conscience. Available from the St. Antoninus Institute for Catholic Education in Business, 4110 Fessenden Street NW, Washington, DC 20016.
Jan Sutter. Slinging Ink: A Practical Guide to Producing Booklets, Newspapers, and Ephemeral Publications.
Paperback. Order from: Life Issues Bookshelf, Sun Life, Thaxton, Virginia 24174. Telephone: (703) 586-4898. A short course in journalism for pro-life activists who would like to publish and distribute professional-looking and attractive newsletters, newspapers, brochures and pamphlets. The book covers all aspects of self-publication, including layout, photography, writing, organization, and printing.
© American Life League BBS — 1-703-659-7111
This is a chapter of the Pro-Life Activist's Encyclopedia, published by American Life League.
