This is the week. The “Fake Clinics” campaign is on, an effort to somehow expose pregnancy help ministries as sham operations.
But at its core, this week is an effort to tell the unsuspecting that “pro-life” is about egregious attacks on women. We know it’s not true. And as Jay Hobbs pointed out last week, those served by pregnancy help ministries know who we are, and they won’t be fooled.
Those who oppose us search high and low for that one example where someone in one of our centers said the wrong thing. They’ve brought in taping devices, asked leading questions in anonymous phone calls and even protested our work (funny, we’re probably the only group to receive protests for providing free assistance—shame on us, right?).
This shouldn’t anger us; we should welcome the scrutiny. But the point is, we’ve stood tall in the face of everything thrown at us.
Sure, every few years or so, abortion proponents find that one example to somehow justify their anger. We must always seek to do the very best we can and if any one of us misses the mark, let’s correct the mistake and move forward. However, as one of my bosses used to say, “If you don’t ever make a mistake, it means you’re not doing anything.” Wise words.
In comparison however, the abortion industry gives us almost daily evidence of medical malpractice, under-the-table illegal payments and “educational” initiatives that will shock any caring parent.
And again, those we serve know who we are. Especially for our centers outside of large metro areas, our potential clients likely understand we are life-affirming organizations. After all, word gets around among friends through texts, phone calls and even social media.
Yet while our clients and patients probably know what we believe before they come in the door, they come anyway. Why? Because our former clients have told them that we’re okay—we can be trusted and there is no judgment at our centers.
Even those thinking of ending a pregnancy are unafraid to come inside our doors. They understand we are a safe place; that whatever their decision, we will be here for them when they need a listening ear. It’s who we are. Those who wish to defeat us can march, shout and pout. But eventually, truth wins out.
The #ExposeFakeClinics crusade has two fundamental flaws; nothing we do is “fake” and we are already transparent regarding our outreach to those who need us. There’s nothing to “expose.”
If there is anything positive about this week’s crusade, it’s that maybe, just maybe, a bunch of frustrated abortion proponents will have a chance to release some energy. It won’t do them any good—as we’ve pointed out previously on this site—but perhaps they will feel they’ve accomplished something.
As for us, we go to work each day, building relationships with the struggling, the fearful and those looking for hope. This never makes the news, but it does change lives.
And next week, when the false reviews have been posted and the protests are over, we will do the same thing again. Let the protestors have their one week—or two each year—for caterwauling about our work.
We fulfill our mission all 52 weeks of the year, because those who look to us for support in a difficult time see us as the best choice. All the protests in the world won’t change that.
This blog was originally published by Pregnancy Help News and was written by Kirk Walden.
