Who Speaks for the Preborn Child? ...YOU DO!
Abortion is the cause of our time and the issue of our era: we owe it to the tens-of-thousands of children killed before birth to get involved in the pro-life battle.
To see abortion as “just another issue” is a problem. The abortion issue is so much more than just a “political issue”. It is literally an issue of life and death. Abortion is the issue that outweighs all others.
Because 1,000’s of babies are killed in the womb everyday, this is not an issue we can simply “agree to disagree” on. But who will speak for the preborn child if you won’t?
Put aside the marginal issues and vote Life. There is no issue more important than the protection of preborn life in the womb. We must be willing to cause political discomfort for politicians by waging public campaigns. We must hold candidates and officeholders accountable to not only vote for but also fight for the preborn.
Similarily, pro-life politicians must reject a strategy of silence. Staying silent fails because this strategy allows opponents to define your brand and prevents you from taking advantage of widely supported pro-life positions to attract traditional and new value voters. Furthermore, remaining silent allows the other side to paint you as “untrustworthy” and accuse you of having a “hidden-agenda”: forcing you to wear all of the baggage – but gain none of the benefits – of a pro-life position.
When pro-abortion supporters use abortion as a wedge issue, their aim is typically to split the support base of their political opponents rather than to boost enthusiasm within their own. The goal is to suppress the pro-life support within their opponents’ base, not to energize their own. Reversing or disavowing support of previously held pro-life policies loses one the support of abortion opponents without earning one the trust of abortion advocates who will remember your original policy (lose-lose). Instead of abandoning your values, alter your messaging and points of emphasis based on what the person your speaking with cares about.
Many politicians choose their positions pragmatically, based on the effect their stance will have on their careers. Politicians won’t “see the light” until after they feel the heat. Pro-life Albertans, by getting involved in the political process, can exert an influence greater than their number; making the interests of the preborn too politically pragmatic to be ignored by politicians.
Support politicians who err on the side of life.
For too long political parties and politicians have either ignored the pro-life cause, or paid us lip‐service, only to break their word after an election campaign. Pro-lifers are often exploited for their vote or financial support by politicians who choose to ignore life issues after an election. The reality is: it’s much harder to create change after someone is in office than before, when their electability is still on the line. That’s why our dedication to right-to-life issues can swing elections, especially in competitive ridings, and in party nominations where we have the power to help decide who gets to run under a party banner in the first place.
Those who hold pro-life views are more likely to vote based on those views than those who don’t.
Too many politicians wrongly perceive the issue of abortion as politically toxic. They think that because a majority of Canadians identify as “pro-choice” that being pro-choice necessarily means opposing any and all legal protection for the unborn. This is simply not true. Not only do the majority of Canadians support some degree of legal protection for the pre-born, the intensity of support of those who hold pro-life views is much stronger than those who support abortion. But if pro-life candidates aren’t articulate and upfront about what they support, abortion activists will fill that vacuum – and the public will believe them.
*** Intensity, not preference, motivates people to act in politics. ***
So although it may be true that more Canadians identify as “pro-choice”, it is those who identify as “pro-life” who are more likely to cast a ballot for someone who shares their convictions. For although voters might agree with a candidate on every other issue, they’ll vote against him/her on the abortion issue alone. Because abortion is often the issue for many pro-life supporters in deciding to vote or work actively for a candidate, a candidate running for political office stands to gain more votes by holding pro-life views than to lose votes, because of those views. Conversely, abortion is often not the issue for many “pro-choice” supporters in deciding who to vote for or support. So holding a pro-life position results in a net gain of votes, rather than loss, even if it is the minority position.
Polls have shown that the pro-life position enjoys a 2-to-1 advantage over the pro-abortion position in the percentage of the population that will actually base their votes on the issue.
In short, pro-lifers are intensely committed to outlawing abortion while the general public is only weakly committed to supporting it.
Meanwhile, charitable pro-life organizations can issue tax-receipts, but can’t engage in politics (they would lose their charitable status); other political pro-life organizations can’t issue tax receipts, and can only engage in politics outside of provincial elections. Prolife Alberta, however, can both issue tax-receipts and engage in politics – including during provincial campaigns. The best of both worlds.
Prolife Alberta can bring abortion to the forefront of the hearts and minds of Albertans even during an election campaign - when other pro-life organizations are prohibited, and political parties are too scared, to talk about it.
Prolife Alberta is a vehicle to grow the political pro‐life movement in Alberta, mobilizing pro-life Albertans to actively participate in the political process. With your help, we can make the pro‐life cause a politically relevant force in provincial politics even during election campaigns: forcing candidates to confront an issue they would rather ignore, and educating large numbers of people concerning abortion and other life issues.
So, why don’t Albertans hear the case against abortion during an election campaign? Because of the fear of political parties to speak against abortion, and government prohibition on other pro-life organizations from simply doing so …Until Now.
Be a voice for the voiceless: Demand action on the policies that matter. Let those running for political office know that if you can’t count on them to support life, then they can’t count on your support!
Wondering what you can do about it? Click here!
