“We had the good fortune to chat with a couple college students who decided to pull over and stand with us,” said Steve in Plano.
However, they were standing in front of Planned Parenthood with pro-choice signs.
They said they were libertarians, which provided an opening for one of the vigil participants. He was also a libertarian, he said – and that’s why he was against abortion.
Abortion supporters often use the “it’s my body” argument. But the two young men agreed that there are cases in which individual freedom can be constrained – drunk driving laws, for instance, that take into account the rights of other drivers who do not consent to share the road with intoxicated motorists.
The same principle, they were told, applies to unborn babies, who have not consented to being aborted. Of course, at that point the two questioned whether the unborn have any rights.
The 40 Days for Life volunteer then quoted from the Declaration of Independence: “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.”
The vigil participant emphasized “created equal,” not “born equal.”
The young men then objected that the baby is not conscious. The two were asked if they’d ever had surgery. And one had.
“Were you under anesthesia?” a volunteer asked.
“Yes, I was,” the young man answered.
“Would it be okay if while you were under anesthesia the doctor decided to murder you because you are unconscious and you won’t be aware of it?”
“Of course not!” the young man answered.
“A second ago, you said consciousness was the barometer to determine whether it’s okay to murder. If you’re not conscious, why is it wrong for a doctor to kill you?”
“Because I will regain consciousness,” the college student answered.
“Exactly. And if left alone, the babies will become fully conscious – if they’re not already.”
After chatting for a long time, the two college students thanked the 40 Days for Life participants for talking with them. One even shared his email requesting more information. They said they were surprised and pleased that they were allowed to ask questions and share their views without being ridiculed.
“Folks, when the pro-choicers show up with their signs, that is a blessing,” Steve said. “It’s a blessing because whether they realize it or not, they’re often being called by God … and sometimes these encounters lead to spiritual conversions … because the Holy Spirit is at work on the grass.”
