Australian pro-life tour recap
Rich and I are at the airport. It’s 12:30p on July 16 here. (Happy 30th birthday to son Tim!) Our plane departs for America soon, thus ending our whirlwind pro-life tour for Right to Life Australia.
No matter what state or country I visit, I find pro-lifers amazingly similar. We are our own unique culture, like our own ideological country. No matter where I travel, I meet instant best friends. There’s no time or need for small talk. We jump right to the topic at the front of all our minds, the sanctity of innocent human life. So it was in Australia. I will miss my new friends.
There are cultural differences here. Australians are more reserved, so the boldness of American pro-lifers is a bit startling to the senses. It is interesting to observe us from the outside.
Also, the culture is more secular, so there is much more apathy on the life issue.
Finally, there is no explicit constitutional right to free speech in Australia. And so we see the first pro-life university group to organize in two decades, Life Choice Sydney, already in danger of dissafiliation after only four weeks in existence. Please “like” the group’s Facebook page to increase their volume of support, which may help for the upcoming hearing. (The uni group Prolife Auckland in New Zealand is encountering the same attempt at censorship.)
I was honored to meet with two pro-life Members of Parliament in Victoria, and my speech in Queensland was held in a Parliament meeting room, with several pro-life MPs in attendance.
One thing is for sure, as I’ve mentioned before. Pro-life groups and politicians around the world look to U.S. pro-lifers for inspiration and ideas. We are the tip of the spear, a big responsibility.
Along with that, we somewhat bear the brunt. International pro-lifers also look to us to see how our cutting edge legislation, etc., is greeted by pro-aborts. They learn from our battles and mistakes.
Rich is telling me we have to catch our flight, so I have to bid you g’day! I’ll be back online in about 24 hours. I’ve missed you! Thanks to Kelli and the mods for holding down the fort.
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Safe travels. We miss you.
Can’t wait to welcome you back to this continent, Jill!
It was great to hear you and meet you in Adelaide Jill. It was the highlight of our holidays. I have written about it on my big but need to give a bit more thought intotelling everyone about how proactive your work is. Hopefully I will get another pisr up this week.
Sounds like a wonderful trip!
So glad you will be back soon! :)
Also, the culture is more secular, so there is much more apathy on the life issue.
9_9
Well, I guess we have a lot of work to do there. After we’re done with America. Going to have to deal with Canada at some point as well.
I can’t read what’s on the sign that you’re pointing at, Jill.
Can you read it for us?
So did you tell the Aussies about how you knew Barack Obama before he was Barack Obama?
Hi Jill and Moderators,
I really look forward to the Sunday Funnies, so I was wonderin’, can we get a mid-week Australian sunday funnies? I’m curious how their political cartoonists comment on the issues.
ninek,
I’M NOT THE ONLY ONE?! I freakin’ LOVE Sunday Funnies! I was neurotically checking the site all day yesterday just waiting for them. :P
Welcome back Jill! LL <3
It was a huge treat to get to meet you face-to-face, Jill. Thanks for being willing to travel so far with a very busy itinerary for the sake of the littlest Aussies and their mums.
Let me know when you and Rich (and Andy, Daena and Boonie, and anyone else who’d like to tag along) are ready to come back for a proper Aussie holiday, and we’ll make sure you’re well looked after! Xx
Hoiday. Cute.
You can come too, Carder- we have plenty of room! :)