The Media Tips Their Hand

Last week, on the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a reporter from a local TV station called to ask what we at the PRC were doing in commemoration of the date, and to get my reaction to the new White House administration.

My response was that today we were planning on doing what we’ve been doing for nearly 2 ½ decades: loving women in crisis pregnancy situations, helping them to choose life and staying committed to walking with them even if they don’t.

I told her that we’ve counseled with women from 3 weeks to 30 years post-abortive, and shared with her the type of impact this decision has on them. I further told her that we see thousands of women each year who are frightened and confused about what to do next. I explained that we offer hope and a life-giving way out of what seems to be an impossible situation.

Then I boldly told this reporter that our focus isn’t so much whether abortion is legal, but rather our concern is for women who are so desperate that they can’t think of a better solution than to terminate a part of themselves growing in their womb.

“That’s what we’re doing today,” I told her.

First there was a long silence. Then she finally said, “Wow. I didn’t realize you did all that.”

A lot of people don’t, I thought. In fact, many people in this community have no idea how loving and caring the PRC is until they step inside one of our centers.

Then the conversation abruptly ended because I wasn’t helping her get her story. While she seemed genuinely impressed with the work being done at the PRC, she finally tipped her hand.

“Ah, is there someone in Grand Rapids I could call that is more controversial?” she asked. “I mean, it sounds like you’re doing a great work and all, but I need to talk with someone who has more of a reaction to the Obama administration taking office.”

I referred her to a pro-life organization that deals with the political aspect of the work, but as I hung up the phone it struck me: helping women and their families just isn’t sexy enough to sell the story. It was a poignant example of how the media seems to need things trumped up and sensationalized.

Then, when I got home that night I read in the newspaper the story of a man in another town who drove his car into the local abortion clinic. “Jesus told me to do it,” he said.

Now that sells.


-Jim Sprague