At the Kansas Conference, it was obvious that the pro-abortionists and pro-lifers are agreed on at least one thing: that the 1984 elections will be the most significant since the Supreme Court Decision in 1973, which legalized abortion-on-demand.
Naturally, the pro-life point of view is different. Dr. J. C. Willke, the President of National Right-to-Life Committee told the delegates that the next five months are crucial to the future of the nation. He asked people to forget about their summer holidays, to do at least five times as much pro-life work as they had planned between now and November.
“It’s one, or two, or three hours a day out of your lives from now until election,” he said. “There is nothing any of us will probably do in our lifetime that is more important than being an active part in the re-election of President Ronald Reagan in November.”
This message was reiterated by speaker after speaker, and was always greeted by loud, long, spontaneous applause. It is obvious that the workers in the pro-life movement in the United States will cross party lines to stop abortion.
The traffic will not be just one way. Republicans will also cross over to elect pro-life Democrats to Congress or in State elections if their own party candidate is pro-abortion.
One of the strongest appeals came from Dr. Bernard Nathanson after he had shown his real-time ultra-sound videotape of an actual abortion on a 10-11 week old fetus.
He emphasised that all pro-lifers must do everything they possibly can to re-elect Reagan, “because if we fail – if we fail – history will not forgive us.”
Following the Convention, Dr. Willke reiterated his belief that Reagan’s election is crucial. He stated, “I’ve been around a few years. I’ve watched the progressive destruction of the family and fought the cutting edge of this degeneration, the direct killing of every third child conceived in America. Yes, other issues are important, but in the long run of history, they all pale before this one. If we re-elect President Reagan and if his ‘new’ Court stops this senseless slaughter, then, one-by-one, those other moral and societal issues will be straightened out. But if we cannot even stop abortion then all is lost.
“Mr. Mondale’s position is firmly abortion. Mr. Reagan’s position is firmly pro-life. Will we move further into darkness? … November 6 is when we’ll know”.