Reaching the morning arrivals at IVCC [Photo by EJS]
After the recent mayhem at UIC, we were pleased to bring the Face the Truth campaign to a more supportive higher education setting for the April 21 La Salle County Face the Truth Day. The League’s Eric Scheidler traveled with son Nate to coordinate the Truth Day with Pat Wagner and Illinois Valley Citizens for Life.
The Truth Day came only a day after a devastating tornado passed through La Salle County, killing eight people at a tavern in Utica where they had sought shelter. There were some who criticized our timing, but with over 140 babies being killed in abortion facilities throughout Illinois each day, it’s never a good day to keep silent about about abortion.
Face the Truth on campus at IVCC [Photo by EJS]
Our group of a dozen pro-lifers was able to reach hundreds of students driving into at Illinois Valley Community College in the morning, when we lined the main entrance, and at noon when we came right onto campus and lined the main sidewalk to the parking lots and distributed hundreds of pieces of literature. There were of course some who disagreed with our message, but most students were polite and many were supportive. Campus security was extremely cooperative.
In the afternoon we took the Tour to Ottawa High School and faced angry opposition from some residents in the neighborhood around the school. Police arrived just in time to diffuse the situation before a particularly irate resident could follow through on threats of violence. Ironically, several area parents concerned that their children might see the pictures, apparently weren’t troubled that the kids might see their parents ranting, raving and swearing out on the street.
Hundreds of students were reached with just a few signs at the parking exit [Photo by EJS]
With only four signs lined up at the exit of the school parking lot, we were able to reach hundreds of students in cars and busses as they left the school, while another eight volunteers held signs across from the main entrance and two distributed literature. Reaction from students was about evenly mixed between support and opposition, with younger students generally being more prop-life.
Three Ottawa H.S. students join the tour [Photo by EJS]
One student on a bus proudly displayed his “Abortion is Mean” t-shirt and took a stack of literature through the window to distribute on the bus. Three pro-life students who stopped to hold signs for a while and a teacher came out to thank us for being there were given information on starting up a pro-life club next year.
Students and factulty will be talking about abortion for days to come at Illinois Valley Community College and Ottawa High School. It’s amazing what a handful of committed pro-lifers can accomplish.
