BECOME EFFECTIVE, INFORMED,
AND INSPIRED
COME TO THE NRLC CONVENTION
JUNE 18-20 IN ORLANDO, FL

On January 23, 1973, I "manned" a right-to-life information booth in the student union building of West Virginia University - - quite unaware that the horrendous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions had just been announced. A student came up to me and announced, "You people can go home now. It's all over for you. The Supreme Court just made abortion legal." I didn't "go home" on January 23, 1973, nor did thousands of other pro-lifers.

RECHARGE THE BATTERIES AT THE NRLC '98 CONVENTION

No, we have never given up, and we never will until the children are safe. But we have learned that to stay effective as pro- lifers we have to work at staying informed and seek inspiration from other pro-lifers. Nothing cheers you up more than experiencing the fellowship of other committed pro-lifers. And nobody informs you more than a thoughtful right-to-life "pro" who lays out what works and what doesn't.

Whether you came to work in the right-to-life vineyard early or late in the day - - it's time for you to pause and recharge the batteries. In other words, it's time to sign up for the NRLC '98 Convention, June 18-20, in Orlando, Florida. Get a well-deserved break and learn how to become an effective worker in the pro- life vineyard.

WHERE, WHEN, AND WHAT

The convention will be at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport Hotel in Florida. The meeting facilities are great, and you won't need shuttles or taxis to get to the hotel; just follow the signs in the airport. The hotel is so well insulated that you won't hear any airplane noise.

NRLC '98 starts at 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 18, with a general session featuring Dr. Jean Garton, the author of the pro-life classic Who Broke the Baby? (revised 1998). The convention ends with the Closing Banquet on Saturday evening, June 20, "starring" actor-writer-lawyer-professor and "lonely pro-life voice in Hollywood" Ben Stein.

In between, there are over 50 workshops, four general sessions, and the Prayer Breakfast on Friday morning, June 19, at 7:30 a.m. with the Rev. Peter Marshall, author of the bestsellers The Light and the Glory, From Sea to Shining Sea, and Sounding Forth the Trumpet.

Renowned pro-life cartoonists Chuck Asay and Steve Benson will again appear as "The Dueling Cartoonists" in Thursday's evening session. This 8 p.m. session is so popular that you should not dally too long over dinner or you won't get a seat.

The workshop topics include: Pain, Fetal Development, and Partial-birth Abortions; confronting the language of the culture of death; communicating pro-life values to youth; the Oregon experience - - living with assisted suicide; being aggressive in seeking lifesaving treatment; etc. You will also receive up-to-date information on federal and state efforts to ban partial-birth abortions, the Child Custody Protection Act that was just recently introduced in Congress, and our labors to stop free-speech-suppressing campaign "reform."

As the information stream in the establishment media is mostly controlled by pro-abortionists, pro-lifers must rely on reliable "alternative" sources of information. NRLC offers you reliable information. It's up to you to take advantage of opportunities such as the convention workshops. Where else can you find out how to draft pro-life legislation that is effective, avoid the legislative traps pro-abortionists set for us, present the pro- life message to the public - - and deal with the pro-abortion media?

There are two other conventions associated with NRLC '98: One is the annual meeting of the Association for Interdisciplinary Research in Values and Social Change which takes place on the eve of the convention (June 17, 8-11 p.m., at the convention hotel). The meeting is open to the public without charge. Topics include historical aspects of the pro-life movement, misuse of science to promote abortion, adolescent and adult psychological reactions to abortion, and abortion research on the internet.

The other convention is the National Teens for Life Convention which runs in parallel to NRLC '98 and shares some sessions with it. NTL's convention provides workshops for teens, the National Right to Life Oratory Contest for teens, and special workshops for college students.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

The registration fee is only $95 if you register before June 3, 1998. After that it costs you $115; so it pays to register right now. The hotel rooms are available at a special flat rate of $105 if you register before May 24. (Call 407-825-1234 and ask for the NRLC '98 convention rate.)

Couples can register for $125, and senior citizens for $60. These registrations include the workshops and the general sessions.

The registration fee for college students and teens is $15; they have special workshops. The pastors' registration is $60; it includes a complimentary ticket for the Prayer Breakfast.

Tickets to the Prayer Breakfast with Rev. Peter Marshall are $15 for convention registrants and $25 for non-registrants. Tickets to the Closing Banquet with Ben Stein are $35 for convention registrants and $50 for non-registrants.

Child care during convention hours is $10 for children up to 3 years, and $20 for children of age 4-12. The fee for the older group includes lunch and field trips.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU CAN'T COME

You can help make NRLC '98 a success by becoming a Patron for Life. While the IRS won't give you a tax deduction for your contribution (payable to NRLC '98), we will honor you by publishing your name. You may make your contribution in memory or honor of another person. (See NRL News, May 7, 1998, page 11). If you can't come, you can also sponsor and send a pastor, journalist, or friend to NRLC '98. You will change their life!