As many NRL News readers know from personal experience, Jacki Ragan is not only the director of NRLC’s State Organizational Development Department but also directs the annual NRLC convention. It is always a delight to check in with her to see what National Right to Life has planned for the upcoming year. Q: It’s now year 46 since the Supreme Court gave us Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. You’ve been in this fight for many years. What are the top two lessons you’ve learned in combating the Culture of Death? First and foremost, you never give up. Not optional. Second, never judge, never back down, and always be kind — smiling doesn’t hurt either. You have no idea what is going on in another person’s life so start out with kindness and a calm even voice. Reach out and be inviting when you do. Q: What are the three things any grassroots pro-lifer can and should do in 2019? 1. If you haven’t already, join a local chapter. This is a must and will give you back far more than you will put in. You don’t have to devote your entire life or even every minute of your spare time, but join a chapter. If there isn’t one, start one. We are happy to help. 2.Decide, and remain faithful, that you will: contribute to a pro-life group each month (doesn’t have to be a lot of money, but can “It is an exciting time to be involved in the RTL movement” An interview with Jacki Ragan certainly equal 3 or 4 cups of coffee); do one public thing a week that stands out as prolife (drop off diapers at your local Pregnancy Help Center, ask your Church if you could provide pro-life Church.

Bulletin Inserts for them on a particular Sunday, post something pro-life on social media, etc.). 3.Volunteer for 5 hours each month. If you joined that Chapter, you may already be there, but if not, contact your state right to life organization and just ask, if you had a spare set of hands today or tomorrow for a few hours, what would you need done. You can do this and I promise you will feel so much better once you have done it! Q: What resources does NRLC’s State Organizational Development Department have that pro-lifers can utilize and how/where do they find these assets? Well, we have educational materials, fact sheets, church inserts, stop abortion signs, petitions, and we have us. We can help you with whatever you need, social media help, help in starting a chapter, help with an event, help with fundraising, we have seen a lot and we have learned a lot, and we are ready and willing to pass that knowledge along to you. Contact us at stateod@nrlc.org

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1973 Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton Decisions Legalized Abortion in the U.S. for theFull Nine Months of Pregnancy Prior to 1967, abortion was prohibited in all 50 states except when the mother’s life was in danger. Between 1967 and 1973, 18 states added further exceptions, mostly to allow abortion in cases of rape and incest, or for certain limited medical reasons, or on demand (New York). In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court rendered two decisions, Roe v. Wade 1 and Doe v. Bolton 2 which, taken together, have allowed legal abortion on demand at any stage of pregnancy in all 50 states. The two original decisions established legal abortion as follows: In the first three months of pregnancy, no one can interfere with a woman’s decision to abort her child. After the first three months, but before the “viability” of the unborn child, an individual state can enact laws to protect the health of the mother but cannot prohibit the abortion of the unborn child. After “viability” of the unborn child, an individual state can, if it chooses to do so, enact laws to protect the unborn child but abortion must be allowed if the life or “health” of the mother is at stake. The Supreme Court defined “health” as “the medical judgment that may be exercised in light of all factors – physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age –relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate to health.” 2 Consequently, the broad definition of “health” has made abortion legal up to the moment of birth.

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