NECAC Street Level Forum on Abortion, UMass, Amherst, September, 19, 1985

John C. Rankin

In my four stories on rape and incest (click here), one came from a “street level forum on abortion” held in front of the Student Union at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. I did maybe a half dozen of these forums, and the one at UMass was the most dynamic. We set up a microphone and speaker system, and I stood up at 11:30 a.m. and just started talking in the presence of about two two dozen people, beginning with some members of the sponsoring group). Many passersby thus stopped by, some for just a a few minutes, and some for the whole two hours (the timetable was open-ended and this is how long it lasted). Toward the end at the apex, we had about 100 students and faculty present at one time, and thus 200-300 people in total may have stopped by at least briefly or more so. And the highlight was the young woman who testified about being conceived in rape, and likely incest (see above link, third article). After my initial presentation, the rest of the time was all questions and answers.

Below is the flyer we distributed in advance.

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STREET LEVEL FORUM ON

ABORTION

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A RELIGIOUS WAR, AND NOTHING LESS  — abortion rips apart the unborn, it rips apart women, and it is ripping apart the social and political fabric of the United States as no issue since slavery.

ABORTION ON DEMAND IS INDEFENSIBLE — whether intellectually, scientifically, theologically, socially, legally, emotionally, morally, philosophically, or in terms of women’s rights.

ABORTION IS THE ULTIMATE MALE CHAUVINISM — when women get pregnant, especially outside of marriage, many men find it convenient to leave. Women are forced to face it alone.

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A CHALLENGE TO ANY AND ALL ADVOCATES OF LEGALIZED ABORTION — or anyone who is “pro-choice,” including those  who are “personally opposed” but believe others should have the right to choose abortion.

Come to the STREET LEVEL FORUM ON ABORTION:

Student Union Steps, Thursday (9/19) at 11:30 a.m.

Hear John C. Rankin, M.Div., Executive Director of the New England Christian Action Council, spend 10-15 minutes presenting a six-point thesis opposing abortion, the integrity of which is unimpeachable. The purpose is then to have an open forum where this thesis can be questioned, commented upon, or challenged.

BE THERE — and bring any “pro-choice” person you may know. Socrates would love it! (sponsored by the New Testament Fellowship @ UMass).

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