Information Technology
The NRLC Website:
An Invaluable Asset to the Grassroots
By Pat McGee, Director
NRLC Information Technology Department
For me, taking up the pen (or, in my case, tapping on the keyboard) is a daunting task. But there are important developments I'd like to share with grassroots pro-lifers.
It is no exaggeration to say that 2003 was a historic year for National Right to Life, the largest and most representative pro-life organization in the world. None of what happened - - including passage of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act - - could have occurred without your indispensable input. And, as I will discuss in a moment, a big part of enabling you to enable NRLC to do what was required was the information you found and utilized at NRLC's Website: www.nrlc.org.
The grassroots were magnificent. Whether it was writing/calling/e-mailing your congressman or senators; discussing the pro-life agenda with colleagues, friends, and family; or making donations to NRLC, what you did allowed NRLC to be incredibly effective. Each and everything you did helped us promote the cause of unborn babies and the medically dependent.
As we all know, the fuel that powers this Movement is information. But it must be high-octane - - absolutely accurate. There can be no knocking or pinging if that information is to be useful in changing public opinion and persuading elected officials.
With that in mind NRLC takes pride in assuring you that what you find at www.nrlc.org - - just as what you read in National Right to Life News - - is thorough, well-researched, and able to withstand scrutiny. When it comes to pro-life issues, our web page is indisputably the most accurate and complete to be found anywhere on the Internet.
For example, there is nothing anywhere - - on the web or in newspapers or magazines - - that can hold a candle to the cache of information on Partial-Birth Abortion created by NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson. This massively detailed and well-organized examination of the history of partial-birth abortion can be found at www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/index.html.
The trove of information goes all the way back to 1992, when Ohio abortionist Martin Haskell presented an instructional paper to the National Abortion Federation, explaining step-by-step how a partial-birth abortion is performed. (You can actually read the 10-page paper titled "Second Trimester Abortion: From Every Angle.")
And this is just the beginning. In addition to much more regarding federal legislation, the website is filled with useful information on just about every pro-life topic you can think of, and some you might not.
In addition to constantly updating the web page, staff also produces the popular "Today's News & Views," now in its fourth year of providing daily commentary both on breaking news and less time-sensitive issues.
A visit to www.nrlc.org ought to be a daily habit. Such regular visits are imperative if you are to be on the cutting edge of events and be in a position to respond at a moment's notice if needed.
(There is a special feature called the "Hot List," which we talk about in the other article on this page. Please take a moment to read about the "Hot List" and then pass that information onto your friends.)
2003 saw great progress made in the battle for life. With your continuing help, 2004 will be even better.