Everything Starts There

YOU, TOO, CAN FIND PRO-LIFERS

By Scott Fischbach

If we are going to be most effective in our fight for unborn children's lives, we must continually and creatively identify others who share our opposition to the slaughter of unborn babies. Of all the jobs that we must perform in this Movement, this is probably the most time consuming but also the one that provides the greatest payoff.

"People power" is the only way by which we can offset the benefits that accrue to an opposition that is awash in money and media favor. Ordinary men and women (and teenagers, too) are the single most important asset in this battle for life. Let's look at the most effective ways to locate and mobilize new additions to our ranks.

One of the best ways, proven over time, is to distribute the Petition to Congress/Petition for Life. These petitions are free from National Right to Life, or from your state office. When you receive them, the back side has numerous suggestions as to how to get them signed. (One is included on pages 18-19 of this edition.)

The best place and most often used place is your church. Simply ask your clergy if you may place the petition in the back of the church, or have the petition passed around during the service.

Also, you can place petitions in a family business, at a shopping mall fair, a friendly family restaurant, or bring them to the office and pass them around.

Never do an educational program without asking people to sign the petition afterward. Also, as mentioned, check with your clergy about getting it into your church. And don't hesitate to attach a petition to a clipboard and walk through your neighborhood. Once you have collected the signatures, make two copies, one for yourself, and one for your state office. Send the original to National Right to Life.

Make sure that you are in contact with your local chapter and can coordinate your activities with petitions. If there is not a chapter in your area, use your petition names to start one. It is an easy process and we will help you every step of the way.

If you have a bake sale, rummage sale, walk-a-thon, or bike-a- thon, try to get a list of all the people who participated, donated, or purchased items. Add them to your "friends" list (which will be explained below). Also, individuals who call up asking for information about abortion should be put on your list.

Many chapters across the country have had great success in running "signature ads" for January 22 to commemorate Roe v. Wade or for Mother's Day or Father's Day. A "signature ad" is simply a list of pro-life people who have come together to pay for the ad to run in a newspaper.

Signature ads are a highly effective way to add more names to your donor list. Make sure that you keep addresses and phone numbers for all who participate in a signature ad.

Also be aware that more students than you think on college campuses are pro-life. They need to be identified as well. Because of their mobility, special efforts will need to go into address updating and correction. But the pro-life message especially needs to reach college campuses.

Nine times out of ten, if people are educated about the facts of abortion, they become pro-life. Cardinal rule number one is that you never throw out a name or a list; you never know when that name or list will be needed.

Once the names have been gathered, make sure that your local chapter has organized them. They should be computerized using a well-known program, making them readily accessible. These are individuals who feel as we do about abortion, so their willingness to help must be tapped into and used effectively.

Ultimately these names can help ensure passage of pro-life legislation on the state and national level. They may never attend a chapter meeting or become actively involved, but when notified of pro-life legislation coming before the state legislature will make phone calls in favor of the bill.

TWO LISTS

It is best if you use two different lists: a donor list (those individuals who have made a financial contribution to your efforts), and the "friends" list (identified pro-lifers). This is easily done on most computers by simply "flagging" a record on each name in your file.

While the donor list should receive more mailings, the "friends" list should be mailed at least once a year.

On the "friends" mailing, the words "address correction requested" should appear on the front. This keeps your list "clean" and up-to- date with minimal expense and work.

So much can be accomplished once we have identified pro-life families! They can help with any projects that need to be done, provide that extra manpower needed in fundraising, write letters to congressmen, and perform community educational programs.

Sure, finding, educating, and mobilizing these new recruits is not glamorous work, but it represents an investment that is absolutely critical if we are to be successful in protecting life.

Never forget the guiding truth of our Movement: Thousands of pro- life people are willing to help us, but we must ask them for that help.

Identified pro-life lists are an essential part of our organization and a tremendous and powerful tool in defense of innocent human life.

Scott Fischbach is the executive director of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life and a former Field Coordinator for National Right to Life.