For so long, I had a limited understanding of the abortion debate as being “pro-lifers vs. pro-choicers.” We battle it out at marches, in politics and all over social media. When emotions come into play, as they so often do, it’s easy to forget that the antagonism stirred up between our two groups comes from our loathing of abortion — not of people. I belong to the Georgetown University Right to Life Club, Vita Saxa. Our goal is to reach out in peaceful dialogue, the true key when talking about abortion.
The RTL club has reminded me that our fight is not with those who are pro-choice, but with abortion, and more generally, with the lack of respect for life. We prep those who speak on behalf of our club to know the difference between arguing and having a conversation. It’s not about being weak or shying away from defending the truth. We know what we stand for. We stand for life. And we can back up our beliefs with science and facts. But most importantly, we remember what we’re fighting against, not who. We respect life. All life. Including the life of the person we strongly disagree with.
Just to be clear, it’s not easy. It’s tempting to respond to a pro-choice argument with a retort or an attack. It’s hard to keep calm or keep smiling when students roll their eyes at our pro-life table. Speaking the truth while trying to respectfully engage someone who is just as passionate as we are is no walk in the park. Add the stress of exams, studying, and college in general and it’s even more difficult.
Life Week, our annual observance of the respect life cause, is the most difficult time for us as a club. Each day we host a pro-life activity, Flag Day being one of the most confrontational. On Flag Day, we display 3,300 small pink and blue flags on a small section of the front lawn accompanied by a little white board that reads: “3,300 abortions occur in the U.S. daily.”
My shifts at the display were relatively normal. I was lucky. A good friend of mine not so. Given the longest shift on our very first day, she was barraged with the whole spectrum of pushback — from whispers to loud accusations that she was shaming women. The worst comment, one that nearly cracked her resolve, was the claim that our display could trigger someone into depression; that if someone went home and harmed herself, it would be our fault.
That day taught me a couple of things, like how valuable the other RTL club members are. We cheered my friend up, reminding her that all the anger and distress shot at her only proved how mentally damaging abortion can be. And while we picked up our flags, avoiding the condoms protesters sprinkled over one corner, and just talked, I realized that doing this with actual friends is better than simply not being alone.
It might sound cheesy or cliché, but that is one of the best things any new pro-life college student can do. If you want to be active in pro-life advocacy and know you will be facing a sea of peers who think the opposite, find a club that won’t just have likeminded members, but people who will actually be considered friends.
These are the people to whom you can talk about abortion without contest or debate. These are the ones with whom you can be more passionate about pro-life issues, without scaring them off. These are the ones you can vent to, or be snarky with, without giving bad face to the pro-life cause. These are the ones who will help you recharge and find resolve before heading out into less supportive waters.
Being passionate about being pro-life isn’t easy. There’s really no sugar coating it. It will feel awkward, uncomfortable and stressful. But it can also be really fun — especially if you are with people who can turn a shift at the RTL club table into a sing-a-long with Andy Grammer music. Just remember what side we’re fighting for and that life rocks.
Gabriella Muñoz is a sophomore at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., where she is a board member and vice president of the Georgetown Right to Life Club. She is from Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Pearl City and was valedictorian for Mililani High School’s class of 2014.
“Vita Saxa,” the name of Georgetown University’s Right to Life Club, translates into “Life Rocks.” It’s a play off “Hoya Saxa,” the official cheer of Georgetown University, which translates as “What Rocks.”
