Last week, I told you about the opportunity I had to co-host a show, broadcast live on YouTube, on January 22,m the 42nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This second annual show, “A Matter of Life,” from River Song Productions (RSP), was set up to interview leaders in the pro-life movement, interspersed with interviews on the Washington mall with attendees of the March for Life.
Probably the most unusual (and encouraging) aspect of this show is that the production crew consisted almost entirely of Pennsylvania high school students (and their teacher) doing this as a project for their broadcast communications class. (A few former students, who are now in broadcasting in college, came to help with the event.)
These high school students operated the cameras and other equipment, conducted the interviews from the rally site, and coordinated the frequent switches between the rally interviews and the in-studio guests.
I joined the in-studio interviews as co-host with Maryann Lawhon, executive producer of the video, “The Voice of John.” Maryann is a nurse who, in 1977, stumbled upon a live baby, the result of an abortion, who had been left to die on a cold metal table. She held the baby and baptized him before he died, telling him she would be his voice and let the world know what had happened to him. I met Maryann last year when I was interviewed on the show and was thrilled when she asked me co-host this year’s show.
RSP reserved a room in the hotel that was used as a base of March for Life operations. Because of problems with internet service in the hotel, those watching live had to wait a little bit before the show actually went live, as scheduled.
Our first guest, Congressman Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), was on his way back to his district in Pennsylvania and participating by phone. Congressman Barletta told us he was pleased to vote yes on the No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act which passed the House earlier that day, and that he was a proud co-sponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.
We then had the pleasure of interviewing Donna Harrison, M.D., executive director of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She addressed the problem of premature births as a result of previous abortions, as well as the link between abortion and breast cancer.
Dr. Harrison was followed by such notables as Kelsey Hazzard, president of Secular Pro-Life, who reminded us that the pro-life movement is not monolithic, and Fr. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life, who discussed the dual emotions of mourning for the loss of unborn babies while we rejoice in the beauty and gift of Life.
We also chatted with Bryan Kemper of Stand True, Kristen Hawkins of Students for Life, and many others.
The 3 1/2 hour show is available for viewing on YouTube at A Matter of Life.
By Carol Tobias, President, National Right to Life, NRL News Today
