| Hard To Do, Harder Not To |
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| Written by Amy Pachla | ||||
| Friday, 12 October 2007 | ||||
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The bleary drizzle of an October afternoon seems a perfect setting for important issues. On the afternoon of October 7th, 2007, the issue was abortion. Chippewa County Right to Life, in conjunction with several area churches, conducted the annual Life Chain event in recognition and respect for life and children.
Two dozen people stood for an hour in a silent line, spaced about forty paces apart along the I-75 Business Spur at the M-129 intersection, each one holding a plain white sign reading, “Abortion Kills Children” in stark blue block letters. Some passing drivers honked in agreement and support, some offered dissent in the form of a particular finger, some shouted, some waved, but one thing everyone in every passing car did was start talking. Talking, whether to agree or disagree, means thinking, and thinking is the most important thing anyone can do. Chippewa County Right to Life Board Secretary Tony Stackpoole says, “If we change one person’s mind on the issue, that’s good. That’s why we’re out here.” The Life Chain has been built the first weekend in October (National Right to Life Month) for many years, timed to coincide with a sister event in Soo Canada. In previous years, the Chain had been made in the downtown area. This is the first year the event has taken place along the Business Spur, and the change is due to the increased traffic volume going to and from the stores at the end of the Spur. Jackie Hildebrand was happy to be taking part in the Life Chain. Until recently, she had been the missions coordinator at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. For her, the cause of life is more than babies. Ms. Hildebrand also finds cause for concern in end of life issues as well. “We need to protect life through all stages,” she says. Gina Livingston, Chippewa County Right to Life Board Treasurer and twenty year veteran of the movement, is similarly passionate about respecting and preserving life, and is acutely aware of the conflicts and arguments on both sides of this heated issue. While Ms. Livingston recognizes the hard impact of the message on the sign she holds, her reasoning is simple. Although there are still questions as to what life is and when it begins, she says about the words “Abortion Kills Children”, “This much we know for sure. [I]t’s easy and it’s hard to come out [but] it’s harder to not come out than it is to come out.” Last week, Ms. Livingston was in attendance at the Right to LIfe dinner held on October 1st on the campus of Lake State. She was delighted at the number of students who were present for the event. Ms. Livingston was very pleased to see “so many pro-life kids at the college level, and that is just so encouraging to us.” For more information on the national LifeChain event, please visit their website at http://nationallifechain.org/. For more information on the National Right to Life organization, Right to Life of Michigan, affiliate organizations, and related information, please visit http://www.rtl.org/. The author and this publication welcome opposing student viewpoints. Please submit any letters c/o The Compass to our office located on the lower floor of the Walker Cisler Center. Your thoughtful commentary is appreciated.  Add as favourites (0)
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