On The Offensive

By Lauren KilcommonsAs a political science major, I’m particularly interested in the politics behind the pro-life movement. There is a lot more that goes on than we, as ordinary citizens, can see.I think it is important for us to realize the power of our votes. Making the effort to elect pro-life leaders is essential to advancing the pro-life cause.However, the public must understand that it is unrealistic to expect that working hard to elect pro-life leaders will necessarily lead to a complete reversal of all the pro-abortion policies currently in place.Our government was created to preserve the status quo. As much as we would love to see our pro-life politicians immediately change laws and court decisions that have been in place for years, believing this will happen is not realistic. The pro-life movement most likely will not be won in one swift action. Instead we must work tirelessly to stand our ground, and slowly push back.One example of how it is difficult to regain lost ground can be seen in the federal budget. In the past ten years, the amount of government grants to Planned Parenthood has doubled. They currently receive over $350 million. The more the government gives, the stronger Planned Parenthood becomes, and the more difficult it becomes to cut back its support.The truth is that those in the pro-life movement need to show both patience and persistence in our efforts to defend the millions of preborn babies whose lives depend on us. We must each do what we can, take one step at a time, and be appreciative of every victory we achieve.If we lose sight of the importance of this, we will risk losing ground to pro-abortion advocates. As abortion becomes more common and the abortion industry becomes even more powerful, it becomes much harder to combat.The pro-life movement is one that has to be won incrementally. Even just one vote, one conversation, or one bumper sticker can help to save a life. This is what we strive for.Instead of being defensive about our pro-life views, we must always be on the offense - persistent, courageous, and confident. Let the rest of the world adjust to our actions. Millions of lives depend on us. Our main focus should simply be on loving and supporting life, and helping others to do the same.What are you doing today to be on the offensive and create a culture of life?