By Joseph Landrum

As Internet access has become as common as cell phone service, more and more pro-lifers are already making use of the valuable resources available at www.nrlc.org. In case you are just learning to navigate the web in general and NRLC's web page in particular, what follows are a few highlights.

Whether you are new to the web or surf it constantly; whether you are a grassroots leader, student, or anyone who just wants to learn more about the struggle to protect innocent human lives, the message is the same:  www.nrlc.org is the site to go to routinely to access up-to-date information.

An excellent resource currently available only on the web is “Abortion: Some Medical Facts.” Found at  www.nrlc.org/abortion/index.html “Some Medical Facts” describes the various abortion techniques,  physical, and psychological risks associated with abortion, and alternatives. The information is well documented with over 100 footnotes referencing the textbooks and medical journals from which the information is drawn.

Many also find our fact sheet collection extremely useful. The range of topics is outstanding, such as the latest abortion statistics, the activities of Planned Parenthood, the nation's leading abortion provider, the importance of parental involvement in minor's decisions, and the physical and psycho-social consequences of abortion. All can be seen and downloaded free at http://www.nrlc.org/Factsheets/index.html

Of course our web page’s Legislative Action Center has the very latest information for students about bills in Congress that NRLC supports and those it opposes. There is a great deal of material here for students learning how grassroots citizens’ groups can participate in the legislative process.  See http://www.capwiz.com/nrlc/home.

Those interested in elections can check out http://www.nrlpac.org/index.htm for information from our Political Action Committee. There they can find information on where various candidates stand, and see polling data that demonstrates that pro-life candidates continue to enjoy an advantage because they are pro-life

But perhaps most overlooked on our web page are the past issues of NRL News going back to December 1997. Students researching, say, the connection between abortion and breast cancer or the controversial topic of embryonic stem cell research can search the indexes of NRL News going back a decade and find many, many articles dealing with these topics. See http://www.nrlc.org/news/index.html for the current issue, and scroll down for the indices for each year.

“The Choice I Made,” originally appeared as an insert in the December 2003 issue of NRL News. It is still available online at www.nrlc.org/news/2003/nrl12/index.html. Click on the articles under “Special Supplement.”

This is an extremely useful and always timely collection of personal testimonies. So let me talk about this resource at length.

Many women having abortions are not celebrating their “freedom of choice,” but are aborting because they do not believe that they have realistic alternatives. "The Choice I Made" dispels some of the misconceptions they may have about abortion, motherhood, and adoption.

The set of articles features the searing first-person accounts of three young, single teens who faced unplanned pregnancies. One kept her baby, one had an abortion, and one chose adoption. "The Choice I Made" helps the reader understand the thinking that led to the decision each made, and the consequences that followed.

The collection features a powerful essay by Trust Fund researcher Laura Antkowiak Hussey, titled “I Can Do It.” She addresses the ways society has made the abortion “option” into a virtual obligation and denied the positive and empowering experience of motherhood.

An extended article on pregnancy care centers details the support and services offered by over 3,000 centers across the United States. Here women have real choices, a complete contrast with abortion clinics, whose only “option” is death.

“The Choice I Made” also contains helpful short articles that address common fears and misconceptions pregnant teens may have, the different types of adoption, medical risks associated with abortion, and basic facts about the baby’s development in the first trimester.

In addition, there is information about a web site where she can find information on centers in her area or send in queries by e-mail. She can expect a quick, confidential reply. The reader will also learn about a web site where she can read stories of other girls and women who have also faced a crisis pregnancy.

As always, we’re here to help if we can. Let us know what we can do to help you write that pro-life paper or get your presentation ready.

Joe Landrum is administrative assistant for public information for the National Right to Life Educational Trust Fund.

Please send your comments to daveandrusko@gmail.com. They are much appreciated. 

Part One