On Monday night in Harvey Hall, 150 people attended Life 139’s panel discussion on men’s roles in the pro-life movement.
The panel of men consisted of Dub Oliver, Union’s president, and Ben Mitchell, the Graves professor of moral philosophy. Three Jackson local panelists also joined the group, such as Eugene Brant, lead pastor at Fellowship Bible Church; Dr. Steve Hammond, an obstetrician and gynecologist; and T.C Talley, an abstinence and men’s mentor at Birth Choice.
“We talk about abortion in the abstract,” said Hammond. “It is a reality.”
Eighty-six percent of women said they wouldn’t have had an abortion if the father had shown an interest. This statistic was the driving force of the discussion, and the panelists challenged men to step up and fight for life, regardless of the situation.
“You cannot be pro-life and silent,” said Mitchell. “Men feel the pain of abortion too.”
Fifty percent of the babies that are aborted are males. Panelists agreed that females are not the only ones affected by abortion – rather, this is a human issue.
Oliver shared a story from his time at Baylor. While he was there, a student was kicked out of Baylor due to being pregnant.
“At Union, we will love both the baby and the mother,” said Oliver. “We want to fight for life and help the mother carry the baby. Cancer is a disease, pregnancy is not.”
These five men candidly discussed their thoughts, stories and views on everything from purity to abortion. Each panelist offered diverse answers to each of the questions asked.
Hammond shared that he had performed over 700 abortions during his residency. He now speaks boldly against abortion and has even authored a book on the issue. No matter their background, each man was passionately pro-life.
“I really appreciate the diversity of the panel,” said Samuel Sadler, a junior philosophy major. “It was encouraging to see the turnout of people. It was challenging and encouraging.”
Life 139 will be hosting more events in the future. To learn more, you can follow them on Instagram.
We had a great time, I am truly thankful for the opportunity to speak on this very important issue!