Radio Transcript

 
LIFE ISSUES NO. 1663

 FEMINISTS FOR LIFE
 

 Well, we're well into the college year, and what do you think?  Planned Parenthood is upset.  Well, that's good.  What are they upset about?  They're upset because Feminists For Life is implementing a new college outreach program.  Planned Parenthood has called it, and I quote: "The newest and most challenging concept in anti-choice student organizing" and has warned their abortion staffs on and near their various campuses that this campaign "could have a profound impact on the campuses as well as on Planned Parenthood's public education and advocacy efforts."

 Hmmm -- Well, how could it be that this colossal organization, so totally well funded, is threatened by this little Feminists For Life group?  A couple of reasons.  College women represent one-fifth of the market for abortions.  More importantly, women in college have their impressions and value systems relating to abortion largely formed or changed while they're in college.

 We might note that women with a high school education poll out 47% pro-life, 37% pro-abortion.  But let's look at women who have graduated from college, and where are they?  73% pro-abortion, 24% pro-life.

 So Planned Parenthood is worried that if the new Feminists For Life campaign really has what they call "a potentially profound impact" on college campuses, then they'd have reason to worry.

 Well, what is this plan?  It basically is a campaign on campuses and in the nearby pregnancy help centers throughout America.  It has very modest funding.  It hopes to provide services to enable students to carry pregnancies to term.  The campaign will advocate on-campus housing, child care, maternity health care coverage and will urge continuing college education for both partners.  It hopes to educate young women about their rights to child support from the father.

 Their goal?  I quote: "Women on college campuses will no longer be led to believe that abortion is their only choice."

 And so, Feminists for Life has prepared an array of pro-life materials to supply to student pro-life organizations and to campus crisis pregnancy centers.  They hope to saturate some campuses with these fliers and posters.  They have a pro-life, feminist resource kit and pregnancy resource kit.  They want to put them in college libraries, women's studies departments and women's resources centers.

 For instance, here's one of the comments in one of their fliers:  "To Question Abortion -- Abortion rights activists promised a world of equality, a world where every child would be wanted.  Instead, child abuse has escalated, and even more of the burden has shifted to women."

 Here's another:  "They say I have a free choice," the pamphlet states, "but without housing on campus for me and my baby, without on-site day care, without maternity coverage and my health insurance here at college, it sure doesn't feel like I have much of a choice."  And there's more.

 Well, let's hope that this does have an impact.  It sounds promising.  And if any of you are in a position to help with this campaign, by all means do so.
 

[11/19/97]