I’ve always been pro-life. My family raised me to respect life from conception until natural death, and when I grew, I only strengthened that foundational belief through my research and learning. Once I became a mother, the respect for life was complete; seeing that first positive pregnancy test, fearing for the life of my child when I was bleeding when I should not have been, allowed me to cherish human life on a completely different level.

I was now emotionally involved. I knew how important that little person was. I was no longer studying the ethics of human life in college, I was carrying a human life in a womb in my womb, and I was my child’s mother. My daughter was born, and I had another daughter after her. And each child made my conviction to protect life from conception stronger. I wanted to do more and help show people the intrinsic worth each person has.

I remember very clearly being invited to a pro-life event in our city. I remember walking up to it with my husband and hearing violent screams, and I was immediately shocked and worried. A podium was visible where a man in a wheelchair was giving his testimony. In this testimony, he shared his gratitude for being alive and having been given the chance to live by his mother.

What does this have to do with being "pro-choice"?

The screaming was produced by about 30 angry, aggressive pro-choice people. They were in the corner with their beers and perverse slogans written on cardboard signs. I remember a woman holding a sign which said “I aborted” as if it were an achievement and something to be proud of. I was initially very sad; I remember clutching my baby and thinking, “she could have been just another statistic.”

Being rather hot-headed, my mood quickly shifted, and I took my baby, walked over to her, and told her that it was horrid that they were yelling while a disabled man was pouring out his heart about his life. How was that pro-choice? Shouldn’t people be happy to hear someone’s experience if they are genuinely “pro-choice”?  Even if that person is pro-life?

I remember one woman on the other side of this loud spectacle giving me the finger and screaming at me. In a fit of anger, I acted little better than her by making gestures indicating her corpulent body. I was upset with these people, particularly this young woman – I started nicknaming her “Rosie” since I did not know her name. I regretted my actions, and I apologized to her the next time I saw her, which was once again on the streets, and she yet again was giving me the finger.

"My body, my choice"

This event, particularly the encounter with Rosie, fuelled me to start a pro-life movement in my city. I was so upset that these women were not allowing the other side to voice its opinion. They did not seem open to people having choices; they were convinced that abortion was a great path to venture down, denying the possibility of better choices. They did not seem in the least bit concerned that besides killing the life of an innocent human being, it also often caused physical and psychological problems to women who undergo the procedure. All of these “details” seem to be irrelevant. All choices are silenced as long as the slogan ‘my body, my choice’ can be yelled out.

How ironic to see young men carrying such signs and yelling these slogans. What does it mean when a man says these things? Does it mean he truly cares? Or does it tell that he is happy to rid himself of the responsibility of parenthood and shift all the consequences on his partner? These men were not there because of a deep concern for the women they know or the whole of my sex. To this group, abortion is not seen as something unfortunate that has to happen but rather as something empowering, something to be proud of and encouraged.

I owe my zeal to keep fighting for life to you.

I am so grateful to have been there that day and to have seen that aggressive counter-demonstration. To have heard those shouts and been insulted. I know that there will always be those against the pro-life opinion, but what hurt me the most was that there were not more pro-life people at that square. Even though many believe that a pre-born child should be protected, only too few will go against the comfortable mainstream opinion and profess their convictions out in the open.

If you are reading this and feel strongly about this issue, please stop and think about being more vocal about your position. Challenge people you know, a friend at work, a family member, or strangers, to think about the real issue here, the killing of an innocent child; millions and millions of children are being dismembered, tortured, and killed every year.

Please stand up for those with no voice

If you want to get more involved, please let us know how we can support you to be more active in your community. Every bit of activism helps go against this culture of death that is permeating our world. Please stand up for those with no voice, our society's smallest and most vulnerable.

I want to thank Rosie and all the others who professed their hatred at Martin Luther Platz in Augsburg in June 2019. I owe my zeal to keep fighting for life to you. I pray that one day you may change your hearts and realize what you have been fighting for was a lie. Perhaps we will meet again in peace.