The online skirmish pro-life activists won
[Today’s post is by Phil, the Northeast Regional Coordinator of Students for Life of America.]
The recent online “war” between pro-life activists and
abortion advocates over Susan G Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood had
me thinking a lot about a previous electronic skirmish that didn’t make the
news…
abortion advocates over Susan G Komen for the Cure and Planned Parenthood had
me thinking a lot about a previous electronic skirmish that didn’t make the
news…
Last May, NARAL Pro-Choice America (yes, they actually call
themselves that) thought it would be fun to get their supporters to take
pictures of themselves holding signs showcasing their support for the mission
of NARAL – i.e. legal abortion on demand through all nine months and for any
reason. They created a Flickr
photostream where individuals could upload their photos, and the photostream
could then be embedded on other websites.
They put out alerts to their members, telling them to join in what some
were referring to as an online photo-petition to Congress.
themselves that) thought it would be fun to get their supporters to take
pictures of themselves holding signs showcasing their support for the mission
of NARAL – i.e. legal abortion on demand through all nine months and for any
reason. They created a Flickr
photostream where individuals could upload their photos, and the photostream
could then be embedded on other websites.
They put out alerts to their members, telling them to join in what some
were referring to as an online photo-petition to Congress.
Then we showed up.
LifeSiteNews,
Jill
Stanek, SFLA, and other pro-life outlets began encouraging their supporters
to flood NARAL’s Flickr
photostream with pro-life images and signs.
That flood grew throughout the day and continued into the night, and by
the next morning, NARAL employees awoke to find THOUSANDS of pages (not photos,
but pages of photos) filled with pro-life images. Some images were sad (post-abortive women
holding signs, graphics of aborted children), some were funny (photoshopped
NARAL signs with ridiculous messages, a Darth Vader doll identifying
himself as an abortion advocate, etc), and some were rocks (I kid you not, some
folks just uploaded random images that had nothing to do with abortion
whatsoever, all in an effort to flood the photostream).
It may not have done much in the large scheme of things, but
it did accomplish two primary things:
it did accomplish two primary things:
- Pro-lifers from across the spectrum were united
in a simple online action, and had fun doing it – something that is essential
to avoiding burnout among long-term activists. - Abortion advocates were forced to recognize that
we too have an extensive online community of e-activists that are capable of making
out voices heard – or in this case, visualized.
The notion that pro-lifers are a motley crew of
technologically-inept fools has been gradually worn down over the past few
years, and we’re now at the point where life-affirming organizations are not
only embracing new technology and social media, but excelling at their use of
it in advocacy efforts (I’m looking at you, AbolishAbortion.com and Live Action!)
technologically-inept fools has been gradually worn down over the past few
years, and we’re now at the point where life-affirming organizations are not
only embracing new technology and social media, but excelling at their use of
it in advocacy efforts (I’m looking at you, AbolishAbortion.com and Live Action!)
Last week, we saw Planned Parenthood supporters unleash a
massive Internet-based campaign to punish Susan K Komen for the Cure after they
decided to not renew any funding contracts with PP. It was somewhat successful, and SGK reversed
course (sort of….some wonder if they themselves even realize what their stance
is, now). The “We-love-Planned-Parenthood-and-can’t-stand-pro-lifers”
sentiment that many in the mainstream media hold was evident, and PP received
not only glowing coverage and kid-glove treatment, but also a flood of
donations – $3 million, according to a recent press release.
massive Internet-based campaign to punish Susan K Komen for the Cure after they
decided to not renew any funding contracts with PP. It was somewhat successful, and SGK reversed
course (sort of….some wonder if they themselves even realize what their stance
is, now). The “We-love-Planned-Parenthood-and-can’t-stand-pro-lifers”
sentiment that many in the mainstream media hold was evident, and PP received
not only glowing coverage and kid-glove treatment, but also a flood of
donations – $3 million, according to a recent press release.
But most (if not all) of the approximately $3 million
Planned Parenthood raised last week went into their Breast Health Fund, and not
to a general fund that could be used for advocacy efforts. If PP decides to use that money for something
other than breast exams, it could damage their integrity in the eyes of many
donors.
Planned Parenthood raised last week went into their Breast Health Fund, and not
to a general fund that could be used for advocacy efforts. If PP decides to use that money for something
other than breast exams, it could damage their integrity in the eyes of many
donors.
And according to the most
recent data available, PP had seen a HUGE drop in private contributions –
over $84 million in one year alone! So fine,
they raised $3 million…they’ve still got $81 million to go in order to make up
the loss!
recent data available, PP had seen a HUGE drop in private contributions –
over $84 million in one year alone! So fine,
they raised $3 million…they’ve still got $81 million to go in order to make up
the loss!
Flooding NARAL's flikr made me smile a whole lot.
You're right; we need to have fun together too!
I suppose if you hate the fact that other people can get abortions, this is a less destructive outlet than murdering a doctor who provides those services.
PS you folks should start a miscarraige funeral service company ( you know, since you believe a zygote is a person )
Uh, you are aware that people do have funerals for miscarried babies, right? And that regular old funeral homes provide that? Mourning a miscarriage is NORMAL; why would that be the case, if it were just a clump of cells, hm?
Some teenage girls pledge their virginity until marriage at a special ball where they dance with their fathers, who are encouraged to praise their daughters' physical attractiveness in effusive but polite terms: "I applaud your courage to look your daughter in the eye and tell her how beautiful she is."
Some people in Northern Italy eat a special cheese that develops live maggots as a result of the aging process.
Some families kill their daughter if they find out she's lost her virginity before she was married.
all of them are ridiculous.
Some people troll blogs that they disagree with, posting inane, nonsensical comments…..
(also ridiculous)