SpeakOut Illinois Motivates Illinois Pro-Lifers

Hundreds of Illinois pro-lifers gather at SpeakOut Illinois [Photo by Sam Scheidler]

Here in Illinois we are fortunate to have a strong coalition of pro-life organizations, under the banner of SpeakOut Illinois. On Saturday, January 30, SpeakOut Illinois held its twentieth annual conference.

Over 350 adults and 130 teens attended the concurrent SpeakOut and TeenSpeak events.

Kline’s Keynote Electrifies Audience

Phill Kline, former attorney general of Kansas, was electrifying as the keynote speaker.

His topic, “The Foundation of Liberty and the Rule of Law: The Need for Truth,” emphasized the importance of electing individuals who will enforce the law, not just those who might pass pro-life legislation.

Rose’s Impressive Undercover Investigations

”]Lila Rose, UCLA student and founder of Live Action, spoke about her experiences at dozens of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics around the country, where time after time, posing as a minor, she was told that the age of her boyfriend was irrelevant.

She played the YouTube video recorded in Wisconsin in which both the nurse and the doctor gave incredibly inaccurate information on the development of the unborn baby.

Lila’s research has been groundbreaking and has resulted in the firing of some Planned Parenthood personnel and in investigations of Planned Parenthood practices in a few states.

Illinois has a strict eavesdropping law, so (unfortunately) the type of video and sound recording Lila and her crew have done elsewhere cannot be done in Illinois.

Ruse Praises Unity on Sanctity Life

The Henry Hyde Life Leadership Award was presented to Austin Ruse, President of C-Fam, for his tireless work at the United Nations to protect the sanctity of human life.

He spoke eloquently about the relationships he has forged between people of different ethnic and religious background who share the Catholic and serious Christian belief in the sanctity of life.

Ruse said many of his friends in the pro-life coalition face criticism from their own pastors or religious leaders for having a close relationship with him, a Catholic. But together they are able to prevent many anti-life measures from receiving approval and funding from the United Nations.

Memorial Gives Chance To Get More Involved

SpeakOut Illinois always concludes with a memorial service for the unborn babies whose lives are lost in abortion.

At SpeakOut 2010, attendees were asked to prayerfully consider how they can better serve the pro-life movement. They were encouraged to fill out a commitment card with a dozen opportunities to contribute time and talent to a pro-life organization.

SpeakOut Illinois is sponsored by more than thirty pro-life groups, so there is plenty of opportunity for people to volunteer with a crisis pregnancy center, an activist group like Pro-Life Action League, a religiously affiliated organization, or a politically oriented group.

The SpeakOut Illinois coalition has created a basis for pro-life leaders in northern Illinois to get to know one another better and develop a successful working relationship.

Fight Illinois FOCA

SpeakOut was one of the vehicles for motivating Illinois pro-lifers to fight the Illinois version of FOCA in 2009. It will be used again in 2010 to defeat a new version of the Reproductive Health and Access Bill and to fight back attempts to undermine the parental notice act, currently held up in court.

SpeakOut will sponsor two buses to Illinois’ State Capitol in Springfield on March 10, for a day of visiting legislators and helping them understand pro-lifers’ concerns.

Other states would do well to imitate Illinois’ pro-life coalition and take advantage of the strength in numbers that a coalition like SpeakOut Illinois can provide.

To order conference CDs call 800-393-3884 or visit LCE Media’s website.