The Pro-Life Movement

-
Figure One

What does being pro-life mean?

Being pro-life means not supporting abortion. Where some pro-lifers differ are the conditions in which abortion is allowed. Some hard-liners disagree with abortion in its entirety. While more moderate pro-lifers agree the abortion is okay in cases of rape or incest or in life-threatening cases. The basis for this argument is centered around the belief that abortion is responsible for the death of infants.

How present is the pro-life movement on campus? 



The student organizations like Penn State Students for Life. Penn State Students for Life is a college branch of the organization Students for Life. This is a national pro-choice organization that aims to create a new generation of supporters. Their audience is mainly college students and they usually have tabling in the HUB on Friday afternoons. During tabling sessions, members answer questions or tell their fellow students about what they believe in.  They have held walkouts in the past and usually take an annual trip to Washington DC, to attend the March for Life. March for Life is gathering of pro-life supporters to emphasize the concerns of constituents. Moreover, the aim to start a conversation about abortion on campus. The president of  Penn State Students for Life, Cissy Li Ming, believes that conversation about abortion is essential to understanding the view of the pro-life movement (Newsweek, 2019). A conversation about abortion would provide this organization with an adequate platform to talk about their point of view. The majority of college students are pro-choice. Conversations like these can help students reinforce what they believe in or acquire new opinions on the issue of abortion. 

Religion, Politics, and the Pro-life Movement

The Establishment clause states that there will be no establishment of a national or federal religion. The lines between church and state have become blurred with the rise of the Christian Right. The Christian Right has become a major component of the electorate. This is why policy reflects the interest of this constituency. 
Figure Two

Figure Two displays the percentage of Evangelical Adults by state. Most of the states listed in Figure Two have some sort of ban on abortion (check Figure One as a reference). 
When an influential body such as the Christian Right aims to impact policy they are usually effective. They know how to mobilize voters. This is key to passing pro-life legislation. This body of people has a huge say in the direction of policy. 
Figure Three

Churches are a niche for constituents. A church is a unified community that can greatly impact the legislature and can influence the policy agenda. 

The controversial bills on abortion were passed in certain states by the sheer influence of this body.
In politics, keeping your constituents happy is essential to staying in power. Legislation such as a ban on abortion can create a loyal constituency. This is crucial for re-election.  Politicians help those that will help them see another term. This quid pro quo is essential for policy change. 



The conflict between Pro-life and Pro-choice

Starting a conversation between these groups seems difficult to conduct because of their opposing ideological differences. How do we respectfully conduct a conversation with people we hardly agree with?  The problem is that the prospect of conflict leads to an avoidance of this issue. Having these tough conversations requires truly knowledgeable individuals ( on the topic of abortion). Hear other people out. Listen to there argument and interject when they are done speaking. The divisions between pro-life and pro-choice should not be so large that attacking each other is the norm. It's okay to disagree but respect the opinions of others. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pro-choice, pro-freedom

-
Image
 Feminism and the abortion debate are intertwined. Just to clarify, feminism is the advocacy for women's rights based on equality for the sexes (Google).  I found that when I was researching the pro-choice movement I found that feminist ideals could not be separated from the pro-choice movement. People that claim that they are pro-choice, are in support of a women's choice on whether or not she wants to have an abortion. This freedom of choice is a major component in believing in the taking part in the pro-choice movement. Think of it like this:  Since women should be equal to men, and men have the right to choose when they want to have children. Then, women should have the right to choose when they want to have children. Women's Rights Associations such as a NOW( National Organization for Women) have been supporting a woman's right to choose since 1967 (around the time of the Roe v. Wade case). NOW was the first national organization that supports ...
Read more