More on Clinic Defense

They won't stop, so we can't.

In my last post I talked about why clinic defense is so important. An email I received today made me even more sure of my position:

Next month, the Pro-Life Action League will be taking part in the second annual National Sidewalk Counseling Symposium up in the Twin Cities, and I'm excited to tell you all about it.

Sidewalk counseling is the single most critical pro-life ministry of all: compassionately offering abortion-bound mothers one last chance to choose life for their babies.

And that's why a symposium like this is so important, with the nation's experts sharing what works and what doesn't in the life-saving work of sidewalk counseling.

Last year's symposium was a closed-door affair, open only to veteran sidewalk counselors and those responsible for coordinating established sidewalk counseling programs.

But this year's symposium July 19-21 is open to all: not just ALL sidewalk counselors, but ANYONE interested in this life-saving ministry.

The symposium is sponsored by our friends at Pro-Life Action Ministries -- not to be confused with the Pro-Life Action League -- and features a lineup of great presenters, including:

* FR. FRANK PAVONE of Priests for Life
* DAVID BEREIT of 40 Days for Life
* WALTER HOYE of the National Black Pro-Life Coalition
* JOE & ANN SCHEIDLER of the Pro-Life Action League

I'll be speaking at the symposium about the special challenges for sidewalk counselors at Planned Parenthood's new "mega-centers" that have been constructed over the past 5 years.

*** BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM BY JUNE 28 ***

The cost for the two-day National Sidewalk Counseling Symposium is $25, with a special hotel room rate of $85 if you book your room by June 28.

Book your room by calling the Hotel Sofitel at 952-835-1900. Ask for group reservations and say you're part of the Pro-Life Action Ministries Symposium.

To register for the symposium itself, call Pro-Life Action Ministries at 651-771-1500 with your credit card, or mail in this printable registration form:

http://www.plam.org/News/NSCSFlyer.pdf

Please let your friends know about the National Sidewalk Counseling Symposium, too -- especially those who are involved in prayer or counseling at abortion clinics.

Events like this are helping to make the entire pro-life community more effective, all across the United States. I'm excited to be a part of it, and hope you can take part, too.

Yours for Life,

Eric Scheidler
Executive Director
Pro-Life Action League

P.S. Remember, the National Sidewalk Counseling Symposium is for ALL who are interested in this life-saving ministry, with sessions to help anyone from a veteran counselors to those just getting involved for the first time.

There are some good things about this. One, the group is offering their training to anyone, and they aren't closing off the seminar or forcing people to prove their pro-life credentials. This might indicate that they had trouble drawing a crowd last year.  On the other hand, it might also mean that last year they were test piloting the program, and now they are ready to roll it out big time.

What does this mean? It means that those who conduct clinic defenses have to up their game. First, there needs to be more of them. Second, they need to become as regular as those on the other side manage to do it. It also means we who are interested in supporting and protecting reproductive and women's rights need to learn as much as possible about the tactics and the people behind them on the other side.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on "sidewalk counseling."