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LU welcomes “Jane Roe” at kick-off of pro-life conference

To represent those lives that have been lost to abortion since its legalization, a fourth of the Liberty student body wore black shirts to convocation, while the rest wore white.

 

Norma McCorvey, the plaintiff “Jane Roe” in the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case of 1973.
Mat Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law
Matt Mihelic, president of Liberty University Student Government Association

 

The Liberty University Student Government Association (SGA) is speaking up for the unspoken this week by hosting the largest fully student-initiated Pro-Life conference to be held on a college campus.

In response to the 50 million lives that were ended before taking a first breath, students at Liberty felt called to take action and educate others on the significance of the tragedy in hopes that their generation will be the force to put an end to abortion in America.

“This is the first pro-life conference that Liberty has ever held and we are calling it R.O.S.E. (Reclaiming Other’s Sacred Existence) and we’ve got speakers from all over the country that are here to inspire us and tell us information that has been suppressed for the last 36 years,” said Liberty University Student Government president, Matt Mihelic.

The conference kicked off with Wednesday’s convocation dedicated to the pro-life cause featuring special guest Norma McCorvey, who was the plaintiff “Jane Roe” in the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court case of 1973.

McCorvey, who was an active abortion proponent in her early 20s has since become a Christian and dedicated her life to overturning the very case she originally won.

In a phone call with Mihelic prior to her visit to LU, McCorvey said, “I’ve been forgiven for 14 years, but I’ll never stop the fight.” To which Mihelic responded in convocation, “Today the student body of Liberty University stands with you and we’ve got your back.”

A short video clip of McCorvey’s testimony was shown followed by a standing ovation from the students for her transformed life and dedication to fight for the truth.

McCorvey was followed by an address delivered by Mathew D. Staver, dean of Liberty University School of Law.

Staver, whose mother chose to give him life against her doctor’s recommendations to carry out an abortion, is very passionate about the issue. During his speech, he used a series of photographs of infants in the womb at different stages of a pregnancy to give evidence of human traits even as early as three weeks.

“The debate as to when life begins has been settled a long time ago within the medical and scientific world,” Staver said. “The debate today is no longer when life begins, but what value do we put on life.”

Staver also shared Liberty cofounder Dr. Jerry Falwell’s response to the 1973 court decision as an issue that had gone beyond politics and become a God issue he would have to fight for. He encouraged Liberty students to carry on the effort Falwell started.

“What we do here at Liberty ultimately affects real lives. This is not a theoretical, legal issue, it is a personal, life, God issue,” Staver said. “If we don’t stand together for those who are most vulnerable, innocent children in our very midst, then God help us because all the other liberties that we enjoy are illusory.”

The pro-life conference continued on Wednesday afternoon with dual panel discussions addressing the Bible’s position on life and the role of the Judicial System in the abortion debate.

The rest of the week will include speakers such as Rev. Dr. Clenard H. Childress, Jr., founder of the nation’s largest African-American pro-life organization; Carol Everrett, a former owner of an abortion clinic that facilitated 35,000 abortions; and U.S. Congressman Trent Franks (R-AZ). The conference will conclude on Saturday with a workshop on student activism hosted by the newly formed LU chapter of Students for Life.

 


SPECIAL PRAYER

Also during convocation on Veterans Day, campus pastor Johnnie Moore shared bad news with the student body concerning an LU Online student who lost her husband to the tragedy at Fort Hood this past week. Moore said a prayer for Major Libardo Caraveo and his family expressing Liberty’s heavy hearts for the loss.

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