A Renewed Sense of Urgency

By Raimundo Rojas,
NRLC Hispanic Coordinator

On June 18, 2003, the Census Bureau announced that Hispanics are now the United States' largest minority. This demographic milestone happened more quickly than had been previously forecast. As was evidenced at this year's National Right to Life Convention, pro-lifers are eager to meet the challenges and opportunities afforded by this milestone head on. So much so, that this year's Hispanic Outreach workshop had its largest attendance ever!

At the workshop, I was able to present the new and fully bilingual Hispanic Americans for Life newsletter which features stories on appeals court nominee Miguel Estrada and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. I also announced that there are now many Spanish-language articles on National Right to Life's web page with many more articles to come. I've written a brief recap of the workshop as well as some poll numbers and recent developments in regard to Hispanics and the life issues which you will find at www.nrlc.org.

With Hispanics' new position as the largest minority in the United States comes a much higher level of interest. More and more organizations and media outlets want to know what our views are on many issues of the day. As a result, many polls have been taken in recent months and everyone wants to know what cola brand we prefer, what is our favorite food, what magazines do we buy, and what television shows we watch. They even want to know what our political beliefs are, and what we think about various social issues. One thing remains true in all poll results: Hispanic Americans are pro-life.

As Hispanics, most of us come from cultures where abortion is morally and legally unacceptable. This remains true for Hispanics in this country. Unfortunately, what the polls do indicate is that the longer a Hispanic is in this country, the more the pro-abortion mentality that has permeated non-Hispanic America, begins to take a foothold. Nonetheless, the vast majority of Hispanics in this country, nearly 75%, self-identifies pro-life.

It therefore comes as no surprise that Democratic presidential candidates Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) and Joe Lieberman (D-Ct.) have omitted their pro-abortion views from their Spanish-language web pages. Both candidates were present at this year's NARAL banquet in January, where they paid obeisance to NARAL President Kate Michelman. While their English-language web pages very boldly pronounce their pro-abortion views, they know full well that their position on abortion isn't something they can sell to Hispanics.

They are both on pretty shaky ground with Hispanics, as are all of the Democratic senators running for president, because of their insistence on blocking the nomination of Honduran-born judicial nominee Miguel Estrada because he will not commit to support abortion. Polls show that when Hispanics are educated on Miguel Estrada they are outraged at the Democrats for holding Mr. Estrada's nomination hostage, and for the lack of regard these Democrats show for their Hispanic constituency.

The sheer number of pro-life Hispanics that the recent polls reflect is a confirmation of what pro-lifers have long known about the Hispanic mindset in regard to abortion. However, Hispanic women still make up a disproportionately large number of women given abortions every year. Hispanic women of childbearing age make up 12.8% of the population, yet over 20% of all abortions performed in this country are performed on Hispanic women. We as pro-lifers have to do more to combat the targeting of minorities by Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups. This is where you and Hispanic Americans for Life can help.

Education is the best tool we have to fight this anti-life onslaught, and clearly there is a great need for education in the Hispanic community when it comes to abortion. We need to distribute information about fetal development, about abortion and its danger to the mother's life, about the staggeringly large number of Hispanic children being aborted every year, and about the emotional toll that abortion takes on the mother.

It is vital we understand that everything we do at the local pro-life chapter level, we now urgently need to be doing in the Hispanic community as well. If your chapter has a speakers' bureau, it is crucial to find someone willing to go into the Hispanic community and do the same. Become aware of Hispanics in your community.

Are there churches with Spanish-language services? Then it's important to get bilingual pro-life information into that church. Do you have a county or state fair where your organization has a booth? Then please consider adding Spanish-language literature to your booth.

Find Spanish-language media outlets, both Christian and secular. They are always appreciative of any information you can pass on to them. If your organization ever does press releases, be sure to include your Spanish-language media in your circulation. Most outlets have English-speaking people working there so, for the most part, you don't have to translate your press releases. But please become aware of them and send your information to these outlets.

As you can see, the concept of a Hispanic Outreach in your area is quite simple. The difference is that more than ever everything we've been doing for years, we now need to do in the Hispanic community. National Right to Life and Hispanic Americans for Life are here to help you. We have Spanish-language and bilingual handouts.

Please visit our web page at nrlc.org for more information. Contact us directly at hal@nrlc.org with questions, requests, and suggestions. You may also call us directly at (202) 378-8857.

As I told the well-attended workshop, little that I've mentioned in this article is new. What I want to make sure you understand is the urgency!

The Hispanic community is an untapped resource of huge dimensions. But if we don't actively cultivate Hispanics, who are naturally, intuitively, and culturally pro-life, guess who will?