Engaging The Culture

“I feel responsibility on behalf of my generation to challenge the elite liberal extremists,” said Swindell, who also likes snowboarding, hiking, and camping in her free time. “It’s important we represent the voiceless, the preborn – that we represent our generation.” It also doesn’t hurt strategically. The more that young people see activists like Swindell – hoop earrings, sandy hair pulled back in a ponytail, faded jeans slightly ripped at the knee – the more welcome they might feel in the antiabortion movement.” - The Boston Globe, Monday, July 26, 2004

1) Sexual Integrity - Commit to a lifestyle of sexual integrity. Stand up for what you believe in. If you aren’t married yet, let your friends and peers know of your decision to wait. If you are a parent, talk to your kids about sex and the importance of sexual integrity. Be honest with them about your past and explain the impact of your choices on your life.

2) Educate Yourself – Become an expert on the topic of abortion so that you can teach others the truth about abortion. Know the history of and statistics on abortion. Learn about the different procedures used. Know your state’s laws on abortion. Study what scientists and embryology textbooks say about when life begins and fetal development. Study the opposing side’s viewpoint. Learn the truth about human embryonic stem cell research.

3) Advocate Your Position - Become a pro-life ambassador and learn the art of pro-life persuasion. You can do this by reading a book (Pro-Life 101, The Case for Life, Tactics), attending a training session, listening to pro-life podcasts (LTI, Life Report), or studying on websites (STR, LTI, Abort73.com). Start a pro-life club in your school or community. Use social networking sites to engage in dialogue and ask thought provoking questions. Use your status on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness about abortion. Wear a pro-life T-shirt as a conversation starter and graciously and tactfully engage others in conversation when they ask about it.

4) Volunteer – Donate your time at a local pregnancy resource center or pro-life organization. Registered nurses and licensed counselors aren’t the only volunteers needed at a pregnancy resource center. Just about any gift, skill, or talent can be useful in some way. You could help with the paperwork, clean the facility, plant flowers outside of the facility, provide accounting or legal services, or even manage a website.

5) Donate to Pro-Life Organizations – Pro-life organizations and pregnancy resource centers need money to operate with. Give generously of your resources to support these organizations.

6) Get Involved In The Political Process – Write your elected officials and let them know how you feel about abortion. Educate yourself on upcoming bills dealing with the issue. Sign petitions to stop pro-abortion bills. Know where the candidates in the elections stand on the issue and vote your conscience.

7) Be a Helping and Healing Hand - Offer to help a friend, classmate, or co-worker who is experiencing an unintended pregnancy. Refer or better yet take them to the nearest pregnancy resource center. Sometimes just a little encouragement and support is all that is needed to save a life. Learn and be able to recognize the symptoms of Post Abortion Syndrome. If you notice them in a friend, talk with them about it and refer them to programs like Rachel’s Vineyard and Project Rachel which specialize in bringing healing to the pain of abortion.

8) Pray – Pray that people’s hearts and minds will be open as you talk to them about abortion and that they will come to respect the sanctity of life. Pray that abortion will end in this country and the world and that the rights of the unborn will be officially recognized by our government and reflected in our laws. Pray for healing for all of those affected by abortion.

9) Consider Adoption – Learn about the process of adoption in your state and consider adopting a child from an unintended pregnancy if you are in the position to do so.

10) Do Something! – Most importantly just do something. Take that first step, no matter how small. This list is obviously not all encompassing but it is a good place to start. I believe Edmund Burke put it best when he said “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.”