Outreach to Youth Paying Huge Dividends

Kids These Days:
What Motivates Young People to Get Involved in the Pro-Life Movement?
By Holly Smith & Derrick Jones

The motivations for involvement in our great Movement are as diverse as the young people themselves. But as many and varied as those reasons may be, collectively they mean that young Americans are becoming active participants in the right-to-life movement in large and enthusiastic numbers.

Some have assumed a place at the pro-life table largely because they inherited their activism as the children or grandchildren of pro-life activists. Some are students whose consciousness was raised when they were assigned to write or speak on abortion, or put down for voicing their pro-life convictions.

Others are young people who've been confronted with the reality of abortion when they helped a friend going through an unexpected pregnancy. Still others are simply teenagers or college students who have great empathy for the plight of the unborn and their mothers.

The generations of Americans born after Roe v. Wade have been uniquely affected by legal abortion. For instance, while we can never know the unborn victims of abortion, the post-Roe generations do know that between 1/2 and 1/3 of our classmates, friends, teammates, and even siblings never saw the light of day. They weren't with us in the sandboxes and playgrounds, at slumber parties and at high school proms, nor in our college dorms or graduation exercises. And they should have been.

Those of us born after Roe also know the women who have had abortions and the men who failed them in their time of need. They are our mothers, aunts, and teachers. They are also our friends, classmates, teammates, and siblings. Fifty-two percent of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25: women age 20-24 obtain 33% of all abortions, and teenagers obtain 19%. One of every five abortions is performed on college women. And 43% of American women will have at least one abortion by age 45.

Yet in spite of - - or, more likely, because of - - all this, anecdotal evidence and polling data from the last several years have revealed a clear trend: young people are becoming more and more pro-life. In the Washington Post's coverage of the annual March for Life last January 22, Manny Fernandez reported, "The event was attended by scores of teenagers and college-age students. And were it not for the signs and chants, the young people in varsity letterman jackets, dyed hair, school backpacks and pierced eyebrows would have seemed at home at a Pearl Jam concert."

For many people outside the Movement, the initial evidence that times have really changed came when they read a March 30, 2003, New York Times article entitled "Surprise, Mom: I'm Anti-Abortion." It revealed the progress the pro-life movement has made with young people. The gist of the article is that, much to the chagrin of their "pro-choice" parents' generation, more and more young people are identifying themselves as pro-life.

The reporter, Elizabeth Hayt, pointed out, "Teenagers and college- age Americans are more conservative about abortion rights than their counterparts were a generation ago." She also revealed another important change in thinking between their parents' generation and their own. "A student who opposes abortion, and who says her views are more conservative than those of her parents, put her argument succinctly: 'It's more about the baby's rights than the woman's rights.'"

The results of a spring 2004 Zogby poll bear this out. Asked if they were pro-life or pro-choice, 51.6% of 18-29-year-olds responded "pro-life." This is remarkable, not just because it confirms that a majority of the post-Roe generation is pro-life, but because they label themselves so.

While it's true that when given specific information, they support protection for the unborn in much higher numbers, that a majority labeled themselves "pro-life" shows that young people have come to see the "pro-choice" agenda for what it really is: a pro-abortion agenda. Nearly 3 out of 4 in the 18-29-year-old age group (72.6%) think abortion should only be legal at most in the cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger.

These and other stories bring to light a more important point than young people having pro-life sentiments. They tell us that students are becoming involved in the pro-life movement by attending marches and educating their peers.

And these cases are not isolated. To the surprise of many adults, much of the post-Roe generation is actively and effectively participating in the movement to lead our culture to respect the right-to-life of the innocent unborn.

High school and college students are contacting National Right to Life and its youth outreach programs, National Teens for Life and National College Students for Life, more frequently than ever to ask for information to get more involved. Some of the many teen and college activities include peer education, peer counseling, and assisting the educational and legislative efforts of National Right to Life's local chapters and state affiliates.

What Are Their Reasons?

What is it that motivates these students to act on their convictions by seeking out new ways to promote respect for life? The reasons are as varied and unique as the pro-life young people you ask. But like all grassroots volunteers, at some point, they were moved to turn their beliefs into action and to do something to protect unborn babies and their mothers from abortion.

Oftentimes, a very negative classroom experience is the ultimate motivator. It is not uncommon when students have the courage to rebut instructors teaching pro-abortion ideology to be put down by the professor.

But soon they are buoyed by likeminded students who tell them that they had been afraid to speak up. Confident in the knowledge that they aren't the only pro-life students with pro-life values on campus, these students look for ways to more formally promote life, like starting a pro-life club.

Many courses dealing with current events require students to write papers or make presentations on a hot-button issue. Students who choose to research the abortion issue often develops a passion for the cause. Not only do they do an excellent job for their class, but they also want to share their education with as many people as they can. They begin to look for avenues to do just that.

A common complaint voiced by many college students who contact us is that they are frustrated by pro-abortion rhetoric that is taken at face value on their campuses. This can come from professors, the "Women's Center," or the administration through its choices of campus or graduation speakers.

One of the silver linings of the national pro-abortion march last April was that the more campuses publicized the march through guest speakers, posters in classrooms, and by sponsoring buses to Washington, D.C., the greater the number of students who contacted us looking for ways to promote life on those same campuses.

One especially encouraging development is that many college right-to-life leaders get their starts in high school as members of Teens for Life clubs. When they start college, if there is not an active Students for Life club, they immediately recognize the need to start one.

So, the next time you are at a pro-life event and are surprised to see young people in the crowd, rather than scratch your head wondering, "what are they doing here?" approach them and ask what inspired them to come. Then find ways to use their energy and desire to do more to reach out to young people. This will help continue the lifesaving work of the pro-life movement into the next generation.

You can reach us at students@nrlc.org or by calling (202) 626-8809.