Remembering Why We Fight

I came from a very liberal high school, so I knew right off the bat that sometimes it was better not to share my pro-life beliefs. Some people were understanding, but I knew that if I shared my opinion with my high school class, I wouldn’t have any friends for my remaining time there. Even with the comprehension of the potential contention from the pro-choice side, I did not expect the scene outside of the O’Connor Conference and the experience of fighting for the pro-life message during my freshman year of college. I had always thought of the debate for life as a civil debate. However, viewing the protest outside of the OCC during my freshman year left a completely different impression on me. Both sides have talking points, and, though we are on the correct side of course, pro-choice people have their personal reasons for why they hold their opinions. I know pro-choice people with whom I hold respectful disagreement. Unfortunately, those in the protest did not hold this level of respect. Fueled by hatred, the slogans they were yelling weren’t talking points or legitimate grievances of the movement, they were profanities and cruelties.

This kind of vitriol has made an appearance many times, never failing to leave me taken aback. Whenever our posters are torn down, even the ones that advertise support and services for pregnant women, I think of what my community and I are standing for. When we speak, we speak for the unborn, the elderly, and those who cannot stand up for themselves. So, even in face of the opposition, we have to represent these people well. I’ve been so proud of our community this school year because of their responses to these incidents; they seek justice and don't let anything cloud that. We don’t tear down others’ posters. We don’t scream profanities. Our movement seeks to lift up the vulnerable, be they mothers, children, or elderly who lack societal support. Together, we stand for life.

-Tasha Januszewicz