By Katy Schriner, intern, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
The first question that came to mind was “What is the Pro-Life Movement?” According to National Right to Life, their mission is to “work through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.” This organization is the oldest and largest and has been considered the “flagship of the pro-life movement”. In addition to the NRLC, the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation mission statement is similar to the NRLC; however what makes their organization different is that their goal is “to seek legal protection and societal respect for the right of every child to live, and promote viable alternatives to abortion, such as adoption and assisted parenting” on the state level.
As I am starting my journey at the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation, I am beginning to learn more about not just the movement and what it’s all about, but also the resources that someone can access to find information and ways to get involved in the movement. For starters, the NRLC has over 3,000 local chapters and right-to-life affiliates in the United States. For those who don’t know what a “chapter” is, it is a local group that plays a major role in the pro-life movement. There are nearly 40 chapters in Pennsylvania. The functions of these chapters include the following:
- Provide educational material and resources
- Send qualified speakers
- Maintain local media contacts
- Provide school and public libraries with pro-life books and pamphlets
- Keep abreast of state and national pro-life developments in order to educate
- Follow current political activity and legislation on both the state and federal level
- Encourage the support of pregnancy service groups
- Conduct membership drives and various fundraising events
As you can see, the truth behind the pro-life movement is that it is vast, welcoming, and loving. And remember, there’s always a reason to choose life!