Inside the Action: Connor’s Eye-Opening Pro-Life Experience

Dear All, This is Connor Knight bringing you the third and final edition of the South Carolina Citizens for Life trip to Washington, DC, June 25-30. 2024. At the National Right to Life Conference, I chose to attend the breakout session titled “What Prenatal Testing Doesn’t Tell You.” In this session, two mothers shared stories about their children who were diagnosed with genetic disorders. They talked about how doctors constantly pushed them to abort their children, suggesting they would become burdens to everyone around them. One mother’s child grew up and thrived despite the prenatal testing results. Sadly, the other mother’s child died in the hospital due to medical malpractice. Some hospitals enforce what’s called an Internal Futility of Care Policy, allowing doctors to decide not to treat a patient if they deem it “unethical.” It was a tragic story because proper treatment could have saved the child’s life. Both mothers emphasized the importance of having the doctor put whatever medical advice they tell you in writing because they will be far less likely to lie to you that way. One of my favorite speakers was Jean Marie Davis who gave her moving testimony. She shared how she escaped her former life of being trafficked by pimps and how she found support at a New Hampshire pregnancy center where she was introduced to Christianity and where her unborn son’s life was saved. Several years after finding faith, the woman who helped Jean escape from being trafficked handed her an application for a job at a Vermont based pregnancy center. Miss Davis was ultimately offered the job of executive director, where she is today. She pointed out that 8 out of every 10 prostitutes who attempt to leave their pimps end up returning. Her solution to this cycle is to share the Gospel with these women when they visit pregnancy centers. She stressed that we have to do more than just help them financially, we have to be there to help them spiritually. Another compelling speaker we heard in two breakout sessions was Dr. Randall O’Bannon. On the first day, he discussed the increasing use of chemical abortions (abortion pills); how, for centuries, people have sought ‘quick fixes’ to do away with their pregnancies; and how the abortion pills are often more harmful than surgical abortions. With a chemical abortion, there is far more bleeding than with the surgical route. They are extremely painful for women, and in some cases, they often don’t succeed in killing the baby. As a result of suppressing the immune system, abortion pills can potentially lead to infections later on. In another session, Dr. O’Bannon discussed an alternative to the abortion pill – Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) – and dispelled myths spread by the media. The conference concluded with Kayleigh McEnany’s speech at the closing gala. She was the press secretary to former President Donald Trump and currently a co-host of Outnumbered on FOX News Channel, she highlighted that the United States is one of seven countries worldwide allowing late-term abortions, placing it alongside nations like North Korea and China. McEnany shared her personal journey to becoming press secretary for former President Trump. Her story was inspiring because she initially didn’t feel ready to take on such a role as a presidential press secretary. Then she told us how her dad sent her a quote from the book of Esther saying, “You were made for such a time as this.” She urged us to persist in the fight for life, emphasizing its importance in the current times. I would like to close by thanking all the donors that supported our trip so we could get to hear from these awesome speakers, and I hope you will continue supporting SC Citizens for Life as we continue to make a difference in our great state and our great country.