As the summer draws to a close, college students find themselves planning out their next semester. It's easy to get trapped in the college life bubble and have a tunnel vision when chasing high GPAs, but your local college campus could be the perfect place to start up conversations that matter. By being at a college campus, you are constantly surrounded by people with differing world views and opinions, as well as women who could potentially face an unplanned pregnancy in their lifetimes. Here are a few ways to engage in pro-life conversations at your college campus.
1. Use Your Classes
If you get a chance to raise your voice in class, do it. Need a topic for a speech? Want to lead a study group in anthropology? Discussion in ethics? Views on abortion are relevant to all of these things. For a philosophy class, I once wrote a paper about the philosophical views that would allow for and disallow abortion. Of course, ask your teacher if you're unsure of the parameters regarding classroom discussions or papers, but most teachers will be happy to let you speak about a pro-life standpoint as long as you can substantiate your arguments.
2. Distribute Literature
A good way to educate your college campus on the pro-life view and engage in discussions is to set up a table and distribute pro-life literature. Most college campuses will allow this, so be sure to set up your stand in a strategic place where your stand will be exposed to as many people as possible. Pamphlets, articles, and bulletins can be printed from various sites such as abort73.com. Be prepared to calmly engage in discussions from those who disagree with the pro-life movement, and sensitivity will go a long way to being winsome in your debates; the college students you speak to may have painfully close encounters with abortion.
3. Bring a Speaker
Many churches or pregnancy crisis centers have speakers available who will present a pro-life talk at colleges. Get together a couple of like-minded friends and set up a small event that will have a large impact.
4. Don't Forget the Moms
Many pro-choice advocates complain that pro-lifers tend to be misogynists. This isn't true at all (and you can visit feministsforlife.com for a detailed description of why abortion is anti-woman) but it is true that women have felt marginalized by pro-life advocates. Remember that mothers considering abortion are often scared and alone, pressured by a flawed society into thinking that abortion is her only choice. Follow up your anti-death rallying with pro-birthmother support. Whether that means donating diapers to your local crisis center or offering help to a single mother, show birth moms that you are on their side too.
