In the Crosshairs

By Raimundo Rojas
NRLC Hispanic Outreach Coordinator

From the establishment of the first abortion clinics in impoverished neighborhoods populated by Latinos in the northeastern United States, to the shameless radio and television ads airing in the barrios of Los Angeles today, Hispanics have never been far from the crosshairs of those who promote, provide, and profit from abortion. There can be no conclusion other than that the policy of abortion in the United States has been, and continues to be, racist, a conclusion shared by many African-Americans as well.

It's not surprising, then, that though they only represent 25% of the population of women of childbearing age, African-American women and Latinas account for more than half of all abortions performed in the United States. This isn't by accident; it's by design.

Over the course of the years, many writers more talented than I have published in these pages the history of Planned Parenthood and its founder, Margaret Sanger. For many readers these stories have constituted a kind of horrifically fascinating account of a true modern-day evil.

For Hispanics in the United States and abroad, the Sanger/ Planned Parenthood legacy of targeting them is not something merely to be read and considered in the abstract. It is, rather, a grim reality that has to be confronted and vigorously opposed each and every day.

A movement that has no qualms about destroying life to further its cause and profit margins will do everything in their zeal to further the Sanger legacy. For example, aided and abetted by the likes of California's pro-abortion Hispanic Lt. Governor Cruz M. Bustamante and the whole of the current Congressional Hispanic Caucus, the relentlessly pro-abortion message blitz is beginning to take its toll in Hispanic communities all across the world.

But instead of selling soft drinks or hamburgers, the pro-abortionists are selling the destruction of millions of unborn babies. As the number of dollars expended in purchasing advertising increases, so, too, does the body count in many Latino communities.

For instance, in Miami, a Spanish-language flyer that is inserted in the grocery bags of customers in a Latino supermarket includes over a dozen advertisements for abortions. Many of the ads offer a discount if you bring the flyer to the clinic.

In Los Angeles abortion providers aired television ads on KMEX, a Spanish-language television station. Again the providers offered discounts to women if they mentioned the ad once at the clinic. Whether they be on radio, television, or newspapers, these types of ads can be found in any major metropolitan area with a large Hispanic population.

That the pro-abortionist would come after Hispanics comes as no surprise to us in the pro-life movement. We know their history and their contempt for the poor and the underprivileged.

If any further proof is needed consider this: In all of the noted examples, not one of these abortion clinics advertises in any English-language media. Nor do the English-language counterparts of the newspapers or radio stations print or air abortion ads at all. It is absolutely a blatant full frontal attack.

But all is not lost. In previous columns I've written about the pro-life mindset of the Hispanic community, and how welcoming Hispanics are to our message. We can beat back the pro-abortionists, but only if we are as determined to save lives as they are to take them.

We have the best defense - - we have the truth. So much of the success of the pro-abortion strategy has been based on a willingness to exploit the poor, and those who are not educated as to what an abortion actually does to an unborn child.

And education and outreach do work. We've seen the number of abortions dramatically decrease for white non-Hispanic women during the last several years in many areas due in part to the incredible efforts of the right to life movement. We need to replicate those very same educational efforts in areas where Hispanics live.

Hispanic Americans for Life really needs your help. As I said last month, that means deliberately, conscientiously, and systematically reaching out to Hispanics. It's just taking that first step.

This for sure includes an emphasis on the "basics." It's giving a slide presentation at a youth group or handing out bilingual or Spanish brochures at a fair booth. It's giving a fetal development talk at a predominately Hispanic school or providing Spanish bulletin inserts into your church's program.

It's having Spanish-language materials, not just in the national office, but also at your state and local offices. It's finding someone in your community who is bilingual and who is willing to take on the task.

And because more and more local pro-life chapters ARE taking not just the first step but also the second, third, and fourth, we have real reason to believe we can turn the tide. If you have questions or comments, please contact me at hal@nrlc.org or call (202) 378-8857.