A Pro-Life Educational Primer.

Many Catholics are familiar with the phrase, "Invincible Ignorance." This refers to ignorance so profound that the person debilitated by it is not morally responsible for his actions.

While the origins of this particular term may be Catholic, it quite accurately describes a state of mind with regard to abortion that knows no denominational boundaries. One way of looking at 2002 is to see our job in the new year as making sure that no one in this great country can claim invincible ignorance about protecting innocent human life.

Most veteran pro-lifers know that we can never tire of repeating/reinforcing the basic facts of abortion and fetal development. But why?

What seems to us self-evident isn't to many newcomers or observers on the sidelines. They seem to think that we must be doing something wrong - - otherwise, legal protection for babies in the womb, newborns with disabilities, and anyone threatened with euthanasia would have been won a long time ago.

But this is to ignore the fact that pro-life efforts have not been in vain. Lives have been saved, even while the struggles to elect pro-lifers and enact lifesaving legislation continue unabated. It also overlooks the awesome array of opponents whose access to money and media sometimes seems unlimited.

Having said all that is merely to recognize that our strength is not dollars or media favoritism. It is, rather, the extraordinary influence that an educated citizenry can wield--an outcome money cannot buy but you and your chapter can help make possible.

So what outlets are there for pro-life information? State and county fairs, teens for life meetings, church literature racks, and chapter events--all provide pro-lifers with the opportunity to educate their fellow citizens about the marvels of fetal development, the violent nature of abortion, and the physical and psychological harm done to women. We cannot know how many lives have already been saved by our educational efforts, but they are numerous.