Can't the Pro-Life American Be Treated with Civility?

Written by John Horvat II
About the only thing more certain than the fact that hundreds of thousands of pro-life Americans go out into the streets nationwide every January 22 is the fact that the official establishment media will ignore or belittle their efforts.

As activists nationwide gather on the date of the fateful Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, they know they will not get a fair hearing. If media do print stories, they will generally minimize the numbers and passion of those who brave cold winter weather to appear in Washington and other capitals. Reporters will always find a few pro-abortion counter-protesters amid the pro-life throngs to present disproportionally “both sides” of the story. More often than not however, the media will simply ignore this groundswell of Americans who enter the public square to voice their concerns. It is as if there is an unwritten rule that this story be forever unwritten.

Such treatment speaks volumes of the state of the nation. There has been much talk about a lack of civility in our society. The blame has curiously been shifted to a lack of public discourse.

Yet, the March for Life and other such rallies are healthy expressions of a desire for public discourse. These are striking manifestations of Americans asking for a voice in the public square. This huge movement has converged upon Washington for 38 years, for example, without a single incident of violence in its whole history. With the greatest of civility, participants have been courteous, compassionate and prayerful. At similar peaceful events all across the country we see a cross-section of every major group in America–all without any violent rhetoric. They are ever younger and more enthusiastic. They are as American as apple pie.

All they ask for their effort is a fair hearing–a voice in the debate, some recognition and respect for their great efforts. They want the other side of the issue to be told. All they receive from most official media is to be ignored, belittled if not scorned. Pro-life Americans are blamed for creating a climate of hostility and hate for the “crime” of merely disagreeing with establishment media on these issues. They are unjustly condemned as guilty by association when crazed individuals (with leftist anarchist views) like Jared Loughner fire upon a crowd. That is to say, the pro-life American is treated like a second-class citizen without any civility in this one-sided debate which hardly qualifies as discourse.