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May 16, 2024

Students for Life Action Grassroots Recap: Louisiana, Nebraska, Missouri, and Arizona

 

Students for Life Action (SFLAction) has been actively engaging voters and lawmakers in multiple states across the country to push back against multiple abortion-on-the-ballot campaigns, countering signature collection campaigns, and holding Republican officials accountable for their pro-abortion votes.  

These grassroots activities help establish strong connections between the Pro-Life Generation and legislators and their staff, but also educate voters, as well as motivate students and volunteers to help push meaningful and life-saving legislation.   

READ: Students for Life Action to Activate the Youth Vote Ahead of 2024 Elections to Engage with Leaders in 17 US States & Mobilize to Oppose Chemical Abortion 

 

Arizona 

Wednesday, May 8, students from Grand Canyon University (GCU) and East Valley Students for Life went door to door in neighborhoods of the Arizona Republican Senate and House members who joined pro-abortion Democrats to pass HB2677, which removed the recently upheld pro-life laws protecting life early in pregnancy.  

During this action, we visited the neighborhoods of Reps. Justin Wilmeth and Matt Gress.  

Below are highlights of those visits, from Heather Litchfield, pacific southwest regional coordinator, who was on the ground: 

  • Justin Wilmeth’s neighborhood: We knocked on his neighbors’ doors and were pleasantly surprised that most of them were extremely receptive to what we were telling them. One lady said that she had already talked to him about her disappointment. One older man yelled at and told us that Wilmeth was a “great man,” and our mudslinging was going to hurt our cause more than help it. When we got to Wilmeth’s house, there was no answer and left him a pamphlet at his door. 
  • Matt Gress’ neighborhood: While the way to get in was majorly blocked by fences, we were able to talk to some of his neighbors that were out and about. They were not receptive and stood by Gress’ decision. 

READ: Students for Life Action Begins Voter Education in Arizona Districts of Key GOP Legislators who Abandoned Principles to Repeal Pro-Life Protections   

The following day, staff and students from East Valley Students for Life went out with a focus on the upcoming Arizona ballot initiative with Decline to Sign materials, joined by reporters from the New York Times.  

During the door knocking, the grassroots team had a varied range of experiences with those they met: 

  • Several voters were enthusiastic about the pro-life materials presented, with some expressing that they had no idea that abortion was on the ballot. One woman, who had a pregnant daughter, expressed how awful she felt the limitless abortion proposal was. 
  • One man, however, was extremely hostile and slammed the door in our face when we told him about the parental consent law.  

This effort is part of a larger nationwide Decline to Sign” and “Just Vote No” campaign to push back against pro-abortion groups Get-Out-The-Vote effort on behalf of a faltering Biden Administration. If voted forward, this measure would allow individuals to get an abortion at any point before 23 to 24 weeks gestation (around five and half months of pregnancy).  

READ: Abortion IS on the Ballot: The Top Pro-Life Ballot Initiatives for 2024  

 

Louisiana  

SFLAction testified before the Louisiana State Legislature on Tuesday, May 14, regarding several proposed laws that would improve adoption access and awareness (SB312), Medicare reimbursements (SB190), and penalties for those who give women Chemical Abortion Pills without their knowledge or consent (SB276).  

The student testifying, Delia Tuttlebee, Mississippi College student, Louisiana native, and Students for Life of America (SFLA) intern spoke, saying, “The data tells us that over 40% of the abortions happening in America, happen between the ages of 20-30. That used to be the prime age to start a family – but these days that’s less and less the case. But just because these women aren’t ‘ready’ doesn’t mean they need to reject life and end their preborn child’s chance at finding a loving family. 

As Vice President Mike Pence pointed out at the 2019 National Adoption Month Celebration, ‘[…] the number of families that struggle with unexplained infertility is roughly equal to the number of abortions.’  

Giving these children loving homes with families who desperately want babies is a win for everyone.” 

READ: Students for Life Action to Testify on Need for Expanded Medicare Reimbursement & Adoption Support for Pregnant Mothers, Criminalization of Coerced Chemical Abortion  

 

Missouri  

Grassroots activists from SFLAction and other pro-life groups have been combatting and following the efforts of the pro-abortion groups on the ground, as they push to get abortion expansion passed on the November ballot. Like many other American states, Missouri could face an abortion ballot referendum in the fall. But SFLAction has been countering signature gathering efforts on eight different campuses including: 

  • St. Louis University 
  • Missouri State 
  • University of Missouri 
  • Truman State 
  • St. Charles Community College 
  • University of Missouri, St. Louis 
  • Univ of Missouri – Kansas City 
  • Southwest Baptist University 

SLFAction also engaged voters with “Decline to Sign” messaging language in an extensive door knocking campaign in key districts, with over 5,000 doors knocked to date.  

At this time, it appears that the signatures collected by the Planned Parenthood backed pro-abortion groups have collected and submitted the signatures for review – but until this is confirmed by the Missouri Secretary of State, the fight will go on.  

Nebraska 

On Saturday May 11, SFLAction volunteers from Lincoln, Nebraska knocked on 626 doors and were able to talk to 128 voters within the district. They were also able to talk to college students at the University of Nebraska Kearney on the importance of why we must continue our efforts, and to not grow apathetic in the mission to protect preborn life. 

“Kearney is the fifth largest city in Nebraska, but in the middle of the prairies of the state. It is this remoteness that is currently keeping the abortion lobby from reaching it. This is why we must be proactive in this battle,” said William Anderson, event organizer and Midwest regional coordinator.  

Nebraska, like many other states, has abortion on the ballot this fall. If successfully placed onto the ballot, and voted into law, it would (according to the verbiage from the proposed law) “establish the right to an abortion. The measure would provide for the state to regulate abortion after fetal viability, except where medically indicated to protect the life, physical health, or mental health of the pregnant individual.” 

Currently in the state of Nebraska, abortions are legal until the 12-week mark: the point when babies can feel pain in the womb. This outcome is largely because of the actions of Sen. Merv Riepe, a Republican who joined pro-abortion Democrats to vote down a Heartbeat Protection law that would’ve protected preborn life up until six weeks. 

SFLAction has been actively campaigning against Riepe since that vote, including a billboard campaign. 

READ: Students for Life Action Returns to Nebraska to Raise Awareness of Senator Merv Riepe’s Broken Promises to Protect Innocent Life in New Billboard Campaign   

Through the remainder of the 2024 election cycle, SFLAction will engage and educate lawmakers and voters alike on the best ways to protect pre-born life in law and in service. And a big part of this strategy is engaging the Youth Vote – which now makes up more than one third of the American electorate, the largest voting bloc. 

To learn more about SFLAction’s Engagement the Youth Vote, click here. 

 

AND TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GRASSROOTS EFFORTS IN OTHER STATES, READ: Recapping Students for Life Actions Lobbying Day Efforts in Over a Dozen States