Serving Others, Defending Truth, and Fostering Respect: A Reflection on the Pro-Life Movement at Georgetown
I was three years old when I attended my first March for Life. I was too young to understand why the issue of abortion was divisive; in fact, the principle that “killing babies is wrong” seemed pretty straightforward to me. I maintained this position throughout my childhood and high school years, and I continued to participate in the March for Life annually. However, it was not until my freshman year at Georgetown that I accepted the opportunity to become active in the pro-life movement.
When I joined GU Right to Life (RTL), I entered a joyful, service-oriented community. Georgetown students are known to have a passion for social justice, and members of RTL share this desire to uplift those who have been deemed disposable by our society. After Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, we resumed fundraisers, volunteer events at local crisis pregnancy centers, and food distribution events for the local homeless population. Since knowledge of truth augments our ability to love and serve others, we also host monthly speaker events that elucidate complex questions about the dignity of human life. These lectures culminate in the annual Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life, which opens Georgetown University to pro-life leaders and students from across the country as a grounds for intellectual discourse in pursuit of a culture of life.
However, I believe that our club’s most important (and perhaps most controversial) work is accomplished at a small table in Red Square, every week. Although our purpose in tabling is to make life-affirming resources available to the student population, we are also proud to provide a forum for discussing the most difficult philosophical, ethical, and legal dilemmas faced by our society. During my time tabling, I have debated the morality of euthanasia, the death penalty, discrimination, and just about every abortion “exception” that one could imagine. The students I encounter at the RTL table never fail to broaden my perspective and inspire greater commitment to the pro-life cause. I believe that if we hope to create a world in which human life is respected from conception to natural death, we must begin by fostering respectful dialogue with every person we meet, especially those who challenge our beliefs.
While I still agree with my three year-old self’s conclusion that “killing babies is wrong,” my conversations at the table have enabled me to better understand and address the reasons why people choose abortion. I hope that Georgetown students will continue to engage in difficult discussions with an open mind, whether in the classroom, with friends, or at a table in red square with a stranger. Furthermore, I encourage my peers to approach these conversations with love and gratitude, welcoming potential discomfort and even the judgment of others when it may lead to the truth. This is an essential part of our education and formation as men and women for others.
Alissa Keegan, RTL President 2022-2023
