Posted on Jan 15, 2002 | by Staff

WASHINGTON (BP)--A television commercial featuring three important figures in the legalization of abortion is part of a renewed effort to reinvigorate the pro-life movement.

The TV ad, which was unveiled Jan. 14, features Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff in the Roe v. Wade case that resulted in legalized abortion; Sandra Cano, the plaintiff in the Doe v. Bolton opinion that permitted abortion at all stages of pregnancy; and Bernard Nathanson, co-founder of the National Abortion Rights Action League. In the ad, the three say they once were part of the "lie" of abortion but "will not be part of that lie anymore."

The ad, which provides an Internet address and phone number for viewers, began running Jan. 14 on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC and is expected to continue airing past Jan. 22, the 29th anniversary of the Roe and Doe decisions.

The commercial is the second spot in the "Shake the Nation Back to Life" campaign. The new ad and a Jan. 14 news conference were the latest parts of an effort that was introduced a week before the September terrorist attacks on the United States.

The change of stance by the three once-leading advocates of abortion "illustrates that no one is immune to a guilty conscience," said Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, in a statement released at the news conference. "It shows that speaking the truth in love can free many who are trapped in the dungeon of the pro-death culture.

"We are winning the battle of hearts and minds for the lives of the unborn."

The campaign's goal is not only to establish a culture that is more pro-life but to place more pro-life justices on the Supreme Court. Pro-life citizens may participate in the effort by accessing the campaign's website at www.shakethenation.org. A contribution of at least $25 will provide for a letter and a baby rattle to be sent to each senator from a person's state, as well as a letter to President Bush. The website also may be reached at www.erlc.com.

The president nominates justices to the high court, while the Senate confirms them.

In addition to the ERLC, organizations participating in the campaign include Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, Family Research Council, American Family Association, Prison Fellowship, Eagle Forum, Lutherans for Life and Traditional Values Coalition.

The chief sponsor of the campaign is the Center for Reclaiming America, which is an outreach of Coral Ridge Ministries in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
--30--