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trtl:education:team:presentations:abortion [2023/01/02 17:11] – old revision restored (2022/07/20 04:52) 94.154.239.69trtl:education:team:presentations:abortion [2024/02/08 14:12] (current) – fixed syntax error balleyne
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   - //(introduce yourself)// "Hi, I'm NAME. I'm a member of the Education Team at Toronto Right to Life."   - //(introduce yourself)// "Hi, I'm NAME. I'm a member of the Education Team at Toronto Right to Life."
     * //(introduce yourself beyond TRTL)// "When I'm not doing this, I'm..." (share something about what you do outside of TRTL)     * //(introduce yourself beyond TRTL)// "When I'm not doing this, I'm..." (share something about what you do outside of TRTL)
-  - //(frame the topic)// "Today, we're going to look at the abortion issue from science and human rights perspective. I believe this is an important issue to discuss. Many people in our society today are directly or indirectly affected by abortion. I have friends who have faced unplanned pregnancies and have had abortions. I’m here to present to you the facts behind abortion based on science and human rights, but also to share a message of love and hope to anyone wounded by abortion."  +  - //(frame the topic)// "Today, we're going to look at the abortion issue from science and human rights perspective. I believe this is an important issue to discuss. Many people in our society today are directly or indirectly affected by abortion. I have friends who have faced unplanned pregnancies and have had abortions. I’m here to present to you the facts behind abortion based on science and human rights, but also to share a message of love and hope to anyone wounded by abortion." 
-    * //(if in religion class or place of worship)// "Even though this is religion class, we're not going to approach this from a religious perspective, but using science and human rights. Everything that I'm going to say is compatible with the faith, but if I were in a mosque or at a covention of atheists, I wouldn't say anything differently." [religion class is just where ethics gets covered in the curriculum] +      * //(if in religion class or place of worship)// "Even though this is religion class, we're not going to approach this from a religious perspective, but using science and human rights. Everything that I'm going to say is compatible with the faith, but if I were in a mosque or at a covention of atheists, I wouldn't say anything differently." [religion class is just where ethics gets covered in the curriculum]
-    * FIXME Is there a better "show don't tell" way to frame the presentation?+
   - //(set an AMA tone)// "Feel free to ask me anything. I'll try to answer your questions during the presentation. If not, I'll address them at the end wherein we have time for discussion. I also encourage you to write down your questions so that you'll remember to ask them at the end.   - //(set an AMA tone)// "Feel free to ask me anything. I'll try to answer your questions during the presentation. If not, I'll address them at the end wherein we have time for discussion. I also encourage you to write down your questions so that you'll remember to ask them at the end.
   - //(introduce the survey)// "You all should have a copy of the survey. They're anonymous. We really want to know what you think. Start now by filling out the first question, what do you think about abortion before hearing the presentation. The rest you can fill out at the end."   - //(introduce the survey)// "You all should have a copy of the survey. They're anonymous. We really want to know what you think. Start now by filling out the first question, what do you think about abortion before hearing the presentation. The rest you can fill out at the end."
  
-**Transition:** "Discussing the abortion issue can sometimes be tough because we recognize that the circumstances surrounding an unplanned pregnancy can be very difficult."+**Transition:** //just pause for a second//
  
-FIXME Find an example of someone who in the midst of great suffering/difficulty chose to speak up for the truth and help others.+==== beInspired ==== 
 +<note>**Objective [01:00-03:00]:** //(The [[http://www.unmaskingchoice.ca/beinspired|beINSPIRED concept]] is a way to establish in people's minds from the start an __other-focused__ message, that inspiring people do the right thing even when it's the hard thing and that we're called to rise to the challenge to do the same.)//</note> 
 + 
 +  * **Next step: who inspires you?** 
 +    * "I want to begin by asking you a question: Who inspires you?" 
 +    *  //(ask for audience examples)// 
 +      - Who inspires you? 
 +      - Why? 
 +      - Do you think that //[the reason why they inspire]// is easy or hard? 
 +      * //(aim for 2-3 examples; have some of examples ready if people don't volunteer, either personal examples or examples you've heard from other presentations/activism)// 
 +        * FIXME could add a few quick personal examples with photos, but probably not enough time 
 +  * //(draw the conclusion)// "Although we often have different answers for who //[insert audience answers here]//, there seems to be a common answer for why: people who inspire us face hardship, suffering, difficulty, and what sets them apart is **how they respond** to their hardship." 
 +    * "They don't give up. They rise above. They turn that obstacle into an opportunity. They're more focused on someone else than themselves. In other words, they're selfless, instead of selfish." 
 +    * //(key line)// **"Inspiring people do the right thing, no matter how hard it is."** 
 + 
 +**Transition:** //(segway to the difficult circumstances of abortion)// "When it comes to the issue of abortion, the pro-life message that someone who faces an unplanned pregnancy should carry their pregnancy to term is not an easy message to accept. It's a very difficult belief to actually live out. Why? Because the circumstances of an unplanned pregnancy can be very, very hard." //(don't pause)//
  
 ==== Circumstances ==== ==== Circumstances ====
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 <note>**Objective [13:00-15:00]:** //(frame the key moral question that we need to answer about abortion, and foreshadow how we're going to deal with it in the rest of the presentation)//</note> <note>**Objective [13:00-15:00]:** //(frame the key moral question that we need to answer about abortion, and foreshadow how we're going to deal with it in the rest of the presentation)//</note>
  
-**Next step: Who are the pre-born?**+  * **Next step: Who are the pre-born?** FIXME Make changes on the slide 
 "The key question then, is: //who are the pre-born?// This is the question that we need to answer to understand whether abortion is right or wrong." "The key question then, is: //who are the pre-born?// This is the question that we need to answer to understand whether abortion is right or wrong."
     * //(maybe)// "If the pre-born aren't human, then we don't really need a reason why abortion is okay. Abortion would be like getting a haircut or having a tooth pulled. But if the pre-born //are// human, then there's no reason that could make abortion okay, there's no reason that could make it okay to kill an innocent human being."     * //(maybe)// "If the pre-born aren't human, then we don't really need a reason why abortion is okay. Abortion would be like getting a haircut or having a tooth pulled. But if the pre-born //are// human, then there's no reason that could make abortion okay, there's no reason that could make it okay to kill an innocent human being."
       * "We know abortion can be very complex socially, emotionally, psychologically, practically -- but it's not //morally// complex. Even when circumstances are really, really hard, intentionally killing an innocent human being is never okay."       * "We know abortion can be very complex socially, emotionally, psychologically, practically -- but it's not //morally// complex. Even when circumstances are really, really hard, intentionally killing an innocent human being is never okay."
 +  * //(introduce three question apologetic as a foreshadowing of the rest of the presentation, to use the questions to get people thinking -- read questions slowly, rhetorically -- no commentary at this point)//
 +    * "You could sum up the whole pro-life view by asking a few simple questions" //(these rhetorical questions are just meant to foreshadow the rest of the presentation)//
 +      * **Next step** "If two **humans** reproduce, what //species// is their offspring?" //(just read it slowly and pause, no commentary)//
 +      * **Next step** "If something is **growing**, isn't it //alive//?" //(quick pause)//
 +      * **Next step** "And lastly: Do you believe in **human rights**? //Who// gets them?" //(pause)//
  
 **Transition:** //(outline the rest of the presentation)// "This morning/afternoon/evening, we're going to dive into these questions in detail by looking at 3 key concepts: **Transition:** //(outline the rest of the presentation)// "This morning/afternoon/evening, we're going to dive into these questions in detail by looking at 3 key concepts:
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   - We'll talk about the //ethics// to understand why all human beings should have human rights.   - We'll talk about the //ethics// to understand why all human beings should have human rights.
   - Lastly, we'll look at the reality of what abortion does to pre-born children.   - Lastly, we'll look at the reality of what abortion does to pre-born children.
- 
 ===== Science: When does life begin? ===== ===== Science: When does life begin? =====
 ==== Looking for the beginning ==== ==== Looking for the beginning ====
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 <note tip>You can swap these photos out with photos of yourself, or photos of someone you know. (You can keep the ultrasound video/photos, and just say something like, "what about a child at this age?")</note> <note tip>You can swap these photos out with photos of yourself, or photos of someone you know. (You can keep the ultrasound video/photos, and just say something like, "what about a child at this age?")</note>
  
-But just before we look at science, let's consider for ourselves the "options" for when human life begins. Does human life begin before fertilization, at fertilization, or some time after? +But just before we look at science, let's consider for ourselves the "options" for when human life begins. Does human life begin before fertilization, at fertilization, or some time after? FIXME would need to edit the slides
  
 **Before Fertilization**? **Before Fertilization**?
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     * **next step: dog** "or a dog fetus"     * **next step: dog** "or a dog fetus"
     * **next step: dolphin** "or a dolphin fetus"     * **next step: dolphin** "or a dolphin fetus"
-    * **"You see, fetus is just an //age range// term. Fetus is a Latin word that means offspring or child."** +    * **"You see, fetus is just an //age range// term."** 
-      * "First, you're a zygote, then an embryo until about 8 weeks, then a fetus from 8 weeks until birth, then a newborn until a month after birth, then an infant, until you're a toddler, and so on until you're a teenager, until you're an adult."+      * "First, you're a zygote, then a blastocyst, then an embryo until about 8 weeks, then a fetus from 8 weeks until birth, then a newborn until a month after birth, then an infant, until you're a toddler, and so on until you're a teenager, until you're an adult."
       * **"Age-range terms like fetus or embryo don't tell us //what// species someone is, but //how old// someone is."**       * **"Age-range terms like fetus or embryo don't tell us //what// species someone is, but //how old// someone is."**
-      * **next step** Let's go back to fetal Noah at a much earlier stage in the 1st trimester when most abortions happen.+      * Let's go back to fetal Noah at a much earlier stage in the 1st trimester when most abortions happen.
       * At 3 weeks is when the heart starts to beat and around 5 weeks is when brain activity can be detected with an EKG scanner. Where did fetal Noah come from? Did he magically appear in his mother’s womb? We know he grew and matured from an earlier version of himself namely, the embryo.       * At 3 weeks is when the heart starts to beat and around 5 weeks is when brain activity can be detected with an EKG scanner. Where did fetal Noah come from? Did he magically appear in his mother’s womb? We know he grew and matured from an earlier version of himself namely, the embryo.
-      * **next step** And we know that the embryo came to be as a result of the sperm fertilizing the egg, creating the zygote. Fertilization is the only point in human development that makes sense for the beginning of life, and we know from science this is when life begins.+      * And we know that the embryo came to be as a result of the sperm fertilizing the egg. And whereas the sperm and egg–by themselves–will never develop into a toddler or teenager, won't that single-celled human zygote develop into a toddler and teenager? Tiny as he is, Noah is a human whole who will self-direct his own growth. It is at fertilization when human life begins.
  
 **Transition: immediate** **Transition: immediate**
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 <note>**Objective [18:00-20:00]**: //Assert the scientific fact that fertilization is the beginning of a new individual organism of the species.//</note> <note>**Objective [18:00-20:00]**: //Assert the scientific fact that fertilization is the beginning of a new individual organism of the species.//</note>
  
-  * **next step** "Let's look at the definition of fertilization from the bio textbook used at the University of Toronto in a 3rd year course, called Developmental Biology course. I also encourage you to look at other biology textbooks."+  * **next step: zygote** "Actually, it's not controversial. We already know when life begins! Life begins at the beginning. A clump of crlls doesn't magically turn into a human. A human being starts at the beginning, at the first cell -- at fertilization." 
 +    * "Your one homework assignment from this presentation: check your bio textbook!" 
 +    * **Next step: bio text** "Here's an example from the bio textbook used at the University of Toronto in CSB327, the Developmental Biology course"
       * //(paraphrase highlighted words)//       * //(paraphrase highlighted words)//
         * "The very //title// of the chapter on fertilization is 'Fertilization: Beginning a New Organism'"         * "The very //title// of the chapter on fertilization is 'Fertilization: Beginning a New Organism'"
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           * [life: if something is growing, isn't it alive? if the child isn't alive, then what do you need an abortion for?]           * [life: if something is growing, isn't it alive? if the child isn't alive, then what do you need an abortion for?]
         * "At fertilization, you have your complete, unique DNA that will be with you for the rest of your life, and the process begins the rapid cell development and growth that will continue all the way until you are an adult."         * "At fertilization, you have your complete, unique DNA that will be with you for the rest of your life, and the process begins the rapid cell development and growth that will continue all the way until you are an adult."
 +  * **Next step: gametes** "Maybe you're thinking, okay, but what about sperm or egg cells? Does every sperm cell have a right to life?"
 +    * //(illustrate the difference)// FIXME optional? Does this work?
 +      * //(men)// "I have sperm cells in my body. I'm not worried that I'm going to give birth in 9 months."
 +      * //(women)// "Guys have sperm cells in your body. Are any of you worried that you're going to give birth in 9 months?"
 +      * "Here's one way to think about it."
 +        * "If you take a sperm cell, and give it what it needs to live -- nutrition, safety, a natural environment -- and wait 1 year, or 15 years, what will happen?" //(pause)// "You'll still have a sperm cell."
 +        * "If you take an egg cell, and give it what it needs to live -- nutrition, safety, a natural environment -- and wait 1 year, or 15 years, what will happen?" //(pause)// "You'll still have a sperm cell."
 +        * "If you take a zygote, and give her what she needs to live -- nutrition, safety, a natural environment -- and wait 1 year, or 15 years, what will happen?" //(pause)// "You'll have an infant, a teenager"
 +    * "A gamete has 23 chromosomes, a zygote has a complete set of DNA. A gamete stays a gamete until the transformation of fertilization. A zygote continues to grow older, into a blastocyst, an embryo, a fetus, a newborn, an infant, a toddler, etc. **We know the difference between a human part and a human whole**
  
 **Transition:** //(restate conclusion)// **We know that life begins at fertilization.** **Transition:** //(restate conclusion)// **We know that life begins at fertilization.**
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 <note>**Objective [20:00-24:00]:** //Illustrate the difference between constructed objects and developing beings through the analogy of Mr. Potato Head versus a polaroid picture; assert that human beings are developing beings, not constructed things.//</note> <note>**Objective [20:00-24:00]:** //Illustrate the difference between constructed objects and developing beings through the analogy of Mr. Potato Head versus a polaroid picture; assert that human beings are developing beings, not constructed things.//</note>
  
-  * "But our culture has a funny way of looking at pregnancy." +  * "But there's something going on with how our culture thinks about human development." 
-    * "People think that when you're pregnant, you have 'half a kid', and you won't have a full kid until birth." +    * "It's like people think that when you're pregnant, you have 'half a kid', and you won't have a full kid until birth." 
-    * "This is not accurate. I'll explain what I mean by showing you two contrasting analogies."+    * "The way we think about pregnancy is wrong"
   * **Next step: Mr Potato Head**   * **Next step: Mr Potato Head**
     * //(show just the potato)// "Does anyone know what this is?" //(wait for response)//     * //(show just the potato)// "Does anyone know what this is?" //(wait for response)//
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     * Living beings, organisms, we're not constructed, we //grow//((our growth is directed internally)) -- we just need the right conditions to thrive     * Living beings, organisms, we're not constructed, we //grow//((our growth is directed internally)) -- we just need the right conditions to thrive
  
-**Transition:** //(restate development line)// "Everything is captured in an instant at the moment of fertilization, we just need time to grow from a zygote to an embryo, to a fetus, to a newborn and so on and so forth." //(short pause)//+**Transition:** //(restate development line)// "Everything is captured in an instant at the moment of fertilization, we just need time to grow." //(short pause)//
  
 ==== Prenatal Development Video ==== ==== Prenatal Development Video ====
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 <note>**Objective [24:00-29:00]:** //Use the concept of SLED to show that differences between pre-born and born humans are not morally relevant, continue before/after birth, and are all a function of age.//</note> <note>**Objective [24:00-29:00]:** //Use the concept of SLED to show that differences between pre-born and born humans are not morally relevant, continue before/after birth, and are all a function of age.//</note>
  
-  * "Okay, so, we know from science that human life begins at fertilization. But some people have a hard time recognizing that pre-born children are human beings, who deserve human rights because they’re different from us." +  * "Okay, so, we know that human life begins at fertilization, but maybe you're still thinking..." **next step** "but... they're different!" 
-  * //(reveal photo)// Looking at these two photos, how is a pre-born child different from a newborn child? +    * //(ask the audience)// "How? What are some of the ways that pre-born humans differ from born humans?" 
-  * //(Collect responses from the audience. Affirm answers.)// +      * //(collect and name/categorize the differences used SLED terminology)// 
-    * Yup, pre-born children are smaller.  +      * //(if not directly a SLED difference, ask "why?" to reduce to SLED)// 
-    * They are also less developed which is why they can’t think like you and I or they don’t look like you and I. +        * e.g. "a fetus can't think" -- "well, we can measure brain waves from early on, but yes, a fetus can't think like you or I. Why not? Because their brain isn't **developed** enough yet."  
-    * They are in a different environment. Pre-born children are inside the mother’s womb and we are outside. +        * e.g. "they look different" -- "yes, a fetus looks different from an infant, and an infant looks different from a teenager. Why does a fetus look different from us? They're younger, less developed than us." 
-    * They are also very dependent on the mother for basic needs.  +      * //(reveal the categories -- just name them, no explanation yet)// "All of these differences break down into four basic categories..." 
-    * Now let’s compare two other human beings. //(reveal next photo)// +        * **Next step: Size** 
-    * Is Micah smaller than me? Yes. +        * **Next step: Level of Development**  
-    * Is he less developed than me? Yes. Can he think critically? No. +        * **Next step: Environment**  
-    * Is he in a different environment? Yes, he lives in Ottawa with his family and I’m currently here in [insert town/city where you are]. +        * **Next step: Degree of Dependency** 
-    * Is he dependent on others for basic needs? Yes. We know that if he was left alone in a room, he wouldn’t survive for a very long time. +    * "Let's ask two things:" 
-    * Despite the differences between Micah and I, are we both human beings? Yes. +      - "Are the differences there just before birth, or do they continue //after// birth too?" 
-    * You see the differences we see between pre-born children and born children are the same differences that exist amongst all of us. But these differences do not change who we are, that is we are all human beings.  +      - "Do any of these things determine whether or not we should get basic human rights, like the right to life?" 
-    * And think about it, these differences are just age differences. //(reveal age timeline)// +  * //(walk through SLED categories)// 
-    * Why is a pre-born child smaller than us? Well, how big do we expect a human being to be at that age? +    * **Size / Level of Development:** "For example, an embryo is smaller and less developed than an infant." 
-    * Why are they less developed? How developed do we expect a human being to be at that age? +      * "You don't stop growing and developing when you're born, but you growing until... when? When you're an adult. An embryo is smaller and less developed than an infant, and an infant is smaller and less developed than a teenager." 
-    * Why are they in the mother’s womb? Where else is a natural place for a human being to be at that age? +      * "And, does how big you are determine whether or not you have basic human rights? Bigger humans don't have more of a right to life than smaller humans." 
-    * Why are they dependent on the mother? How independent do we expect a human being to be at that age? +      * //(leave more detail on level of development, e.g. brain/heart/etc, to the function of age part)// FIXME does this make sense? 
-    * These differences are just age differences. +    * **Environment:** "Or take environment, an embryo is within her mother's body while the infant is outside." 
-    * And would it be fair to base our human rights on our differences: size, level of development, environment, degree of dependency? Should bigger, more developed and independent human beings get more basic human rights? And those who are not, should be considered less of a human being? It wouldn’t be fair if you think about. Human rights should be given to all human beings.+      * "Sure, your environment changes when you're born, but it changes many times throughout your life." 
 +      * "And //where// you are does not determine //who// or //what// you are." 
 +        * "For example, take two children at the same age, both 30 weeks, but one is still living in her mother's womb and the other is born prematurely and is living in an incubator. Are they not both equally human? Why should one have basic human rights, but not the other?" 
 +    * **Degree of Dependency:** "What about dependency? An embryo needs her mother's body in a way an infant doesn't" 
 +      * "Have you ever help a newborn baby? A newborn isn't exactly independent! An infant is way more dependent than a teenager." 
 +        * "A newborn baby might still be dependent on his mother's body to live, for example, with breastfeeding" 
 +        * "We don't become independent until //well// after birth." 
 +      * "Do people who are more dependent have fewer basic rights? Actually, the more dependent someone is, the //greater// our responsibility towards them!" 
 +        * "Say your toddler says to you, 'mommy, I need water.' Should you get it for her?" 
 +        * "Okay, fast forward 15 years and say she's coming back home after a semester in residence at university, and says, 'mom, get me a glass of water.' Should you get it for her? She can get it herself!" 
 +        * "The more dependent someone is, the //more// responsibility we have towards them" 
 +  * "If you think carefully about //why// there are these differences between embryos and infants, between infants and teenagers, it's all a function of age" **Next step: SLED = f(age)** 
 +    * "//Why// is a pre-born child smaller? What size should any member of our species be at that age?" 
 +    * "//Why is a pre-born child still in her mother's womb? Where else is the natural place for any member of our species be at that age?" 
 +    * "//Why is a pre-born child more dependent? How independent should any member of our species be at that age?" 
 +    * //(address Level of Development)// "//Why// is a pre-born child less developed? How developed should any member of our species be at that age?" 
 +      * "//Why// can a child not feel pain until about halfway through pregnancy?" 
 +      * "//Why// can't a child survive outside the womb until about halfway through pregnancy?" 
 +        * "Well, our medical technology is only so advanced -- it used to be later in pregnancy before a child could survive outside the womb, in the future maybe it's earlier in pregnancy" 
 +        * "But, given our medical technology, what else would we expect for a human being of that age?"  
 +      * "//Why// are brain waves measurable at six weeks? How developed should someone's brain be at that age? The human brain isn't fully developed until your mid-20s!" 
 +      * "//Why// does the human heart start beating three weeks after fertilization? When should any human being's heart start beating?" 
 + 
 +**Transition:** "These differences are all just //age differences// -- not differences that matter in terms of basic human rights, like the right to life."
  
 ==== human + x ==== ==== human + x ====
 <note>**Objective [29:00-33:00]:** //show that all human beings deserve human rights, but showing that any concept of personhood that excludes some human beings is the very formula for a grave injustice//</note> <note>**Objective [29:00-33:00]:** //show that all human beings deserve human rights, but showing that any concept of personhood that excludes some human beings is the very formula for a grave injustice//</note>
  
-  * "Some argue that it’s not enough to be a human being to get basic rights. They say you have to be a person, i.e. human plus something else, like a certain trait or ability or colour. Whenever we define the word person and it doesn’t include all human beings, we are excluding a group of human beings. And that exclusion leads to a human rights violation. We create two classes of human beings; those who get human rights and those who do not. We’ve seen the consequences of this throughout history." +  * "Maybe you're still thinking, okay, but, a fetus still just isn't a person! Well, what's a person?" //(ask the audience, collect a few answers if offered)// 
 +  * //(frame the concept 'human + x')// "//Any// definition of a person that doesn't include //all// human beings is a grave violation of human rights." **Next step: human + x** "Whenever we say that, to be a person, to get your basic human rights, you have to be a 'human being plus x', that just being a human being isn't good enough, that's the formula for injustice, a formula for a grave human rights violation." 
 +  * "We can see this throughout history, that every time we've said that to be a person, you need to be a "human + x", it's been a catastrophic moral mistake..."
     * **Next step: Virginia Supreme Court** //(read it)// "To be a person, you had to be a human being plus white skin"     * **Next step: Virginia Supreme Court** //(read it)// "To be a person, you had to be a human being plus white skin"
 +    * **Next step: George Canfield** //(read it)// "Here, a person was a human being plus non-indigenous"
     * **Next step: racism** "We know this today as racism."     * **Next step: racism** "We know this today as racism."
       * "I want to tell you a story. This is Ota Benga, a Congolese man who was bought from slavers in 1904, taken to America and put on display in the Bronx Zoo in 1906."       * "I want to tell you a story. This is Ota Benga, a Congolese man who was bought from slavers in 1904, taken to America and put on display in the Bronx Zoo in 1906."
Line 222: Line 277:
       * "We know this today as anti-semitism"       * "We know this today as anti-semitism"
     * **Next step: Canadian Supreme Court** "Yet our own Supreme Court says that..." //(read it)//     * **Next step: Canadian Supreme Court** "Yet our own Supreme Court says that..." //(read it)//
-      * "To be a person in Canada, you have to be a human being //plus a certain age.// Some Canadians define the word person as someone who can think or feel. And since the pre-born cannot think or feel yet at early stages, thus they are not considered a person. But why can’t the pre-born think or feel yet? Isn’t it because as we mentioned earlier, they are less developed. In order to develop those abilities, they need time. And time is reflected on our age. In our country today, the pre-born are denied basic human rights because of their age. Isn’t that simply ageism?+      * "To be a person in Canada, you have to be a human being //plus a certain age//"
       * "This is //ageism//, age-based discrimination" :!:       * "This is //ageism//, age-based discrimination" :!:
     * **Next step: human being + x = human rights violation** "//Whenver// we see this pattern, that to be a person you need to be a 'human being + x', it's the //pattern of a grave human rights violation//"     * **Next step: human being + x = human rights violation** "//Whenver// we see this pattern, that to be a person you need to be a 'human being + x', it's the //pattern of a grave human rights violation//"
Line 232: Line 287:
 ==== The Victims ==== ==== The Victims ====
 <note>**Objective [33:00-38:00]: To make the victims of abortion visible, and show the reality of abortion** </note> <note>**Objective [33:00-38:00]: To make the victims of abortion visible, and show the reality of abortion** </note>
- +Options: 
-  - __Video:__  +  - __Video:__ "I'm going to show you a video. This video includes footage of abortions, and of abortion victims. It's not easy to watch, but I think that you have a right to know the truth about abortion. You can close your eyes or look away, but if you can, I encourage you to watch -- We need to understand the consequences when we deny human beings the right to life, and what's at stake with abortion."
-  - "We can keep talking about the abortion issue with a lot of abstract words like "my body, my choice," reproductive rights, freedom to choose, on the other hand, pro-life, human rights, the right to life, but we need to know the reality of what abortion really is to truly understand the issue." +
-  - "I'm going to show you a video. This video includes footage of abortions, and of abortion victims. It's not easy to watch, but I think that you have a right to know the truth about abortion. You can close your eyes or look away, but if you can, I encourage you to watch -- We need to understand the consequences when we deny human beings the right to life, and what's at stake with abortion."+
     * **Next step: video**      * **Next step: video** 
  
 ==== Unmasking Choice ==== ==== Unmasking Choice ====
 +FIXME Michelle
  
-**Transition:** //(pause for 3-5 seconds after video ends, count it out)//  +**Transition:** //(pause for 3-5 seconds after video ends, count it out)// "What you just saw does not unrape a rape victim. It does not make a poor woman right. And it doesn't prevent two people from becoming parents -- it just makes them the parents of a dead child.
-"What you just saw does not unrape a rape victim. It does not make a poor woman rich. And it doesn't prevent two people from becoming parents -- it just makes them the parents of a dead child.+
  
-When we keep silent about the issue, when we ignore facts, the reality is children die. About 300 pre-born children die every day in Canada. Abortion is allowed until 9 months. We’re talking about innocent lives here that are at stake, broken bodies that are discarded, with no identity, not even a name. This is not just a charitable cause, this is an emergency. +FIXME insert here attack on moral relativism: 
- +  * Choice? 
-**next step: Don't force your view on other people!**  +  * dismantle: "my body, my choice" 
-  * Someone might say, “Don’t force your view on others. It’s their life, it’s their choice.” What I’ve presented to you so far is the truth behind abortion based on science and human rights. This is not just my view; this is the reality. +  * candy analogy? 
-  * And when we recognize that someone’s choice hurts/harms somebody else, shouldn’t we take action? (Give example here, drinking & driving, child abuse, rape) What if you find out that your neighbour next door is abusing their child? Can we simply say, “that’s their life, that’s their choice?” Shouldn’t we do something to stop it? When an action harms an innocent human being, we need to speak up. +  * "don't force your views" child abuse, rape
- +
-FIXME Add Medical Circumstances later+
  
 ==== Wounded Culture ==== ==== Wounded Culture ====
 <note>**Objective [38:00-40:00]:** Convey a message of hope and healing, that while we must condemn the action of abortion, there is always hope for people who have had abortions.</note> <note>**Objective [38:00-40:00]:** Convey a message of hope and healing, that while we must condemn the action of abortion, there is always hope for people who have had abortions.</note>
  
-  * "100,000 abortions happen every year in Canada. That number also tells us that that many women are wounded by abortion. And who are those women? Maybe they're our moms, our sisters, our friends, our teachers. Maybe they're even us. And it's important to remember that while we have to condemn the action of abortion, we need to show love and compassion to those who have been wounded by it because only love can heal a wounded heart.” +FIXME //(pause)// We need //strong minds// to condemn the action of abortion, but we need //soft hearts//." 
-  * //Share Angelina’s story:// "My friend Angelina was raped when she was younger. She became pregnant because of the sexual assault. People told her that abortion was the best solution for her to move on. And so she had the abortion. After that her life became miserable - she did things she wasn't proud of. She thought it was because of the sexual assault but what she realized many years later and even after healing and moving on from the sexual assault, it was the abortion experience that followed her for a long time. She had feelings of grief and regret that she always ignored. She was in denied that abortion killed her first child. Angelina only started healing when she finally broke the denial, recognized and accepted that truth about abortion. She recognized that her daughter whom she named, Sarah Elizabeth, existed even just for a short while. With the help of her friends and Silent No More, Angelina shares her testimony today to prevent others from going through the same experience and to show them that there is hope and healing after abortion.” + 
-  * Angelina told me no one told her abortion looked like that. No one did. It's very important for us to share the truth about abortion and to share a message of healing and hope to those who are wounded by abortion.+  * "With 100,000 abortions every year in Canada, almost 300 every day, and over 3 million since its legalization...  that's a lot of women who are //hurting//." 
 +    * "And who are those women? Maybe they're our moms, our sisters, our friends, our teachers. Maybe they're even us. And it's important to remember that while we have to condemn the action of abortion, that there is //always// hope for people who have had abortions." 
 +      * //(if you know someone personally who has had an abortion, share this briefly)// 
 +  * Catholic humanitarian Jean Vanier, when speaking of the anguish a woman faces in choosing abortion, says that he would not condemn her. Rather, he says, "I would like to walk with her - maybe cry with her."((http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/after-morgentaler-jean-vanier-kept-his-order-of-canada-why/article20390793/?page=all via http://www.prowomanprolife.org/2008/12/02/jean-vanier-and-making-room-for-the-unwanted/)) 
 +  * FIXME offer resources/website? Or refer to resource on handout? transition? 
 + 
 +**Transition:** "We have a deeply wounded culture. //Your voice// is needed more than ever to reach out to the wounded, and to stand up for the pre-born." 
 + 
 +==== Change the Culture ==== 
 +<note>**Objective [40:00-45:00]**: To show how local, student action is important to change the culture, and pitch Student Life Link</note> 
 + 
 +FIXME need to rework this 
 +  * Many people think, what are we supposed to do? How can we stop abortion? 
 +    * Abortion is legal through all 9 months of pregnancy in Canada -- we have //no law// on abortion 
 +    * But we need to change the culture before we can change the law. 
 +      * How many people follow copyright law? Or laws about pot or underage drinking? If people don't respect the law, they won't follow it. 
 +  * First, we need to change the //culture// 
 +    * This happens conversation by conversations, friend by friend, school by school, neighbourhood by neighbourhood, city by city 
 +    * Pro-life students are already doing this already in Toronto and across the country by... 
 +      - presenting compelling evidence 
 +      - having effective conversations about abortion 
 +    * These are projects you can do this and help you to do this in your school, in your church, in your neighbourhood 
 +      * FIXME concrete Student Life Link examples and photos -- specific projects, specific people 
 +      * FIXME Student Life Link sign up / contact card pitch 
 + 
 +FIXME motivation to do something, e.g. Winton/swim, Thomas Clarkson 
 + 
 +FIXME :!: :!: idea: "These are projects that you can run in your school, or your church, synagogue, temple, mosque, or your neighbourhood this year" (transition to "don't force your opinion" 
 + 
 +FIXME should SLL pitch be linked to beINSPIRED at the end? 
  
-  * **Next step: my mom's gonna kill me** "How do we respond to a crisis pregnancy?"+===== Conclusion ===== 
 +<note>Objective [45:00-50:00]</note> 
 +  * **Next step: don't force your views** But maybe you're //still// thinking, "okay, you've raised some good points, but I can't just force my views on someone else" 
 +    * Remember: the pro-life case is based on science and human rights 
 +    * This is not a religious issue. This is not a matter of opinion or preference. When a choice hurts someone //else//, it's not enough to just be personally opposed 
 +      * Would it makes sense to say, "I'm personally against rape, but I don't want to force my views on other people?" 
 +    * When an action harms another innocent human being, we need to speak up! It's a matter of human rights, saving lives, and standing up for the voiceless. If we do nothing, more innocent human beings will continue to be killed every day. 
 +  * **Next step: my mom's gonna kill me** "Maybe you still think that abortion is acceptable out of fear."
     * "A pregnant teenager is pictured here with the caption, "my mom's gonna kill me""     * "A pregnant teenager is pictured here with the caption, "my mom's gonna kill me""
     * Will her mom actually physically kill her? No.     * Will her mom actually physically kill her? No.
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     * Now, if this girl has an abortion, will that actually physically kill her child? Yes.     * Now, if this girl has an abortion, will that actually physically kill her child? Yes.
     * If it's wrong for this girl's mom to kill her, because she's unexpectedly pregnant, why would it be okay for this teenage mom to kill her pre-born child because she's unexpectedly pregnant?     * If it's wrong for this girl's mom to kill her, because she's unexpectedly pregnant, why would it be okay for this teenage mom to kill her pre-born child because she's unexpectedly pregnant?
-  * We need to provide real support to women facing a crisis pregnancy. If you'd like to know more on what resources are available in the city, please feel free to email me. +  * "And someone may say, well, because it's hard. So let's remember how we started" **Next step: be inspired** 
-  * Our culture needs to know the truth about abortion. And we should always find ways to alleviate suffering, but never to eliminate the sufferers. Thank you.+    * "Inspiring people do the right thing, no matter how hard it is." 
 +    * FIXME this is why Blaise shares his inspiration from his mom, facing five difficult pregnancies 
 +  * **Next Step: stump a pro-lifer**
  
 ==== Wrap-up ===== ==== Wrap-up =====