Doing our best each day, promoting LIFE
Presidential Message

In the days just preceding the Fourth of July holiday, I received several e-mail messages heralding the importance of the 225th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the courage of the extraordinary men who have a special place in our nation's history.

These patriots paved the way for us to be able, without fear of reprisals, to petition our elected officials and express our desires about proposed legislation. Some times it is forgotten that our lawmakers are public servants who serve at the will of the people.

Often we hear complaints about our legislators and their voting decisions. But have we registered our concerns about a bill moving through the state or federal legislative bodies? Citizens have a responsibility to inform their elected officials of their views.

I know that isn't always easy in our busy lives. To help our members with information about pending legislation, this issue of the RLM News has a special section devoted to important proposed prolife legislation with suggestions of ways to interact with elected officials.

I know many of our members have already contacted their legislators about some of our key legislation. Some of the contacts have been very fruitful; others have been disappointing.

The following is a description of one telephone call to a legislator's office:
After the constituent explained the bill and asked for the legislator's support, the aide informed the caller that the legislator was "prochoice." The constituent said that she understood that but still wanted her legislator informed of her call and her request. The aide then rudely replied, "Didn't you hear me? I said that he always votes prochoice."

That is not a typical response from any legislative aide, but even such a response should not intimidate any citizen from contacting their elected official, their public servant. When I heard about this exchange, I was reminded of something attributed to Mother Teresa. She wrote:

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
The good you do today, people often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.
If you give the world the best you have, it may never be enough. Give the world the
best you have anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God.
It is never between you and
other people anyway."

I urge you to use the special legislative section and to share it with fellow prolifers to express your support for legislation that will make a difference. You can even order extras of this special section for your church family. With legislators on summer recess and appearing at public events in local communities within their districts, now is the time to stand and speak strongly for life.

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