We Do Not Have a Choice

Black or White, the Issue Must Be Life

While the number of abortions has been decreasing nationally in the last few years, unfortunately the rate and number of abortions is increasing among Blacks.

In the last 25 years, there have been more than 12 million legal abortions performed on Black women. Over 12 million Black babies have died as a result.

With this tragedy uppermost in our minds, we must take a serious look at what opportunities exist for the right to life movement to reach this segment of America's population.

Critical to making an impact is to educate right to life participants, as well as members of the Black community. While limited budgets and labor resources contribute significantly to the challenge of reaching African-Americans, through an enhanced understanding and appreciation of the cultural nuances, idiosyncrasies, and communication systems, right to lifers will still be able to maximize current resources to lay the foundation for progress.

Once there is an understanding of the culture, concerns, and apprehensions of Blacks regarding this issue, right to lifers will be able to empower Black community leaders to take an active role in addressing this issue in their local communities. This is not, however, to imply that in order to successfully expand the right to life movement to Black communities participants must be Black.

To the contrary, the most significant contributing factor in expanding the campaign to include Blacks in the pro-life movement is sincerity. Blacks must understand and feel there is a sincere interest in the lives of their children.

Right to lifers who enter these communities must be prepared to answer questions regarding mistaken impressions about them and in language to which members of the target audience will respond.

From research conducted by The Watkins Group over the last decade, our findings strongly indicate that Black Americans are not supporters of abortion. When interviewed regarding the issue of abortion, Black women overwhelmingly oppose abortion, and Black men are even more vehement in their opposition.

During the recent National Right to Life Convention in Milwaukee, we made a video presentation in which several Black women voiced their views and thoughts on the issue of abortion. The findings were as follows:

In all but one case, respondents indicated they feel the process of abortion is murder. All felt the procedure is an act against the will of God, and is a sin. All indicated they do not consider abortion a choice any time.

Particularly interesting was the response of a woman who classified herself as "pro-choice." In this particular instance, the respondent, a Black female 56 years of age, after indicating that she was pro-choice, responded to questions in the following manner.

When asked, "when does life begin?" she responded, "at conception." To the question, "Do you consider abortion murder?" she responded, "yes." To the question, "Would you consider having an abortion or supporting an abortion at any stage?" she responded, "No." These are not the responses of "pro-choice" supporters.

When asked if any right to life organization had contacted them, all of our respondents said, "NO."

There are great opportunities to reach members of the Black community and get their involvement in the campaign to save unborn babies. While there are cultural nuances and idiosyncrasies that must be considered, they are not the problem. Getting over the fears of going into Black communities and putting aside personal prejudice are first steps in addressing the abortion issue with Black Americans.

There is no denying that great strides and advances have been made in the fight against abortion. Yet there is literally an entire population of Americans who are being killed because they have been mis-educated by "pro-choice" advocates.

The Black community is committed to family; it respects God, and is committed to the future of its children. Life is understood to be a precious gift, a blessing sent by God not only to parents, but to all of us, the entire world. Being involved in the right to life campaign is not a hard sell to Blacks.

Yet pro-life advocates have not yet succeeded in getting their message widely heard in this community.

We must work together to find ways of overcoming our fears of each other, to put aside our differences, and to rally around the issues and concerns that are important to our future.

It is never and can never be an issue of race or skin color. It must always be an issue of life or death.

Yes, there is never enough money and yes, volunteers are needed. But first and foremost we must find ways to address the murder of - - not Black children or White or Hispanic or Asian or Indian childrenbut OUR children, our future.

We do not have a choice.

Vincent B. Watkins is the CEO of The Watkins Group, Inc. based in Atlanta. He has conducted workshops on communicating the pro- life message to African-Americans at NRLC conventions for the past several years.