One Body ~ Many Parts

One Body ~ Many Parts
From Colorado Right to Life Committee's president to the pro-life community of Colorado:

A number of years ago, America experienced the birth of a new part of the right to life movement. For some in the movement, it was an outrageous display. For others, it was … about time.

Operation Rescue descended upon many cities in our country like a tempest. The public was seeing a side of the pro-life movement that it had not experienced before. The networks broadcast footage of people being dragged, handcuffed and arrested; people chained to abortion chamber doors; disturbing photographs on oversized posters; large groups of people yelling, other groups singing, and oh! that dreadful praying.

Familiar with a movement that lobbied, educated, advertised and, oh yes, prayed, the public was, understandably, shocked. What ever happened to decorum? And isn't there something about “closet and praying?

Many of the long-term activists in the right to life movement had just as much trouble accepting this new dimension of their cause. “This is going to hurt us,” they opined. “People will think we're just a bunch of lawbreakers. They will not listen to us because your actions have repulsed them.”

“Not so,” countered these newly formed activists. “Your meekness has not brought us closer to victory. We have brought the abortion issue back into the public debate. We have, with a mighty wind, placed squarely before the people the truth about the evil of abortion.” And so a division was created and remains quite unhealed today; except, I hope, in Colorado.

Over the years, I have had many reasons to be proud of my involvement with Colorado Right to Life Committee, none more significant than CRLC's position concerning Operation Rescue and Civil Disobedience. At a time when some pro-life groups were “washing their hands” of this new type of activism, CRLC had and still has the wisdom to understand that the body of the right to life movement has many parts and that all of these parts are legitimate.

So, it is with that same acceptance of the diversity of pro-life activism that, on behalf of Colorado Right to Life, the board welcomes Operation Save America (OSA) to our state. During the week of July 16 through 23, OSA will conduct activities in Colorado Springs, Denver and Boulder. On the streets and in the churches, these courageous pro-life warriors will preach fervently, teach passionately, and witness bravely.

I am aware that not everyone in Colorado 's pro-life collective will be comfortable with some of the OSA tactics. To those people, I say, “Look into the hearts of these Christian soldiers and I trust you will see the same deep reverence for the sanctity of human life as you hold. They are but a different part of this great pro-life body.”

To those who lead, organize and participate in OSA activities, I ask that you, too, recognize the true hearts of those who have been working to restore protection to the unborn children for the last 35 years here in Colorado where the abortion holocaust began. All of us, from the volunteers who prepare mailings to the sidewalk counselors, from the pro-life legislator to the budding pro-life minister, from the board member to the financial supporters, are part of this blessed, hopeful, and dedicated pro-life body. Our God works through each of us to bring forth the inevitable victory against the great evil that is corrupting the soul of our nation.

Diane Hochevar, president CRLC