Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this guest post are solely those of the guest author.
March 1 was a day of both disappointment and opportunity for the pro-life movement. Walgreens and CVS announced they would begin a national rollout of their entry into the abortion industry. Walgreens will fill abortion pill prescriptions in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, and Illinois. For CVS, the launch will be Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
On February 1, 1960, four students from North Carolina A&T State University sat at the Woolworth segregated lunch counter in downtown Greensboro. The “Greensboro Four” triggered intense controversy. In three days, more than 300 gathered in protest. By the end of March, the lunch counter movement spread to 55 cities in 13 states.
On July 25, 1960, segregated lunch counters ended for all Woolworth stores. The first Black Americans served were four Woolworth employees in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination in public accommodations. The Greensboro Four provided the spark.
What happened in the challenge to segregated lunch counters in 1960 provides an important model for the pro-life movement. There is no need for civil disobedience. However, we should mobilize quickly, boldly, and broadly with outreach in the public rights-of-way of Walgreens and CVS pharmacies in every state.
The opportunities for a massive pro-life collaboration are right before our eyes. Walgreens and CVS each have approximately 9,000 stores. And the pharmacies of 1,900 Target stores are CVS.
Beginning in March of 2023, Pro-Life Waco has delivered Pharmacy Outreach. This has been each month and, for a period, each week. We have learned a lot and can help you launch monthly Pharmacy Outreach in your hometown.
Thanks to a generous donor, Pro-Life Waco can send outreach signs to your front door. Depending on the pharmacy you choose, we will send four 2’x2′ signs, which name either Walgreens or CVS. Additionally, you will receive two 2’x4’ signs naming both corporations. All signs are corrugated plastic printed on both sides. Here are photos of the signs and additional details.
You will also receive 100 copies (and a PDF file) of the flyer PLW created on all facets of the chemical abortion controversy. The topics include how to transfer prescriptions. Pro-Life Waco has found extensive opportunities to distribute flyers to travelers, pedestrians, and customers.
Civil rights achievements of the 1960s relied on outreach in the public squares of local communities. Facing a difficult political climate in 2024, the pro-life movement should follow this example. We have strong local outreach for pregnancy care, sidewalk counseling, and prayer vigils. However, local public square outreach is weak.
Let’s seize this opportunity to challenge Walgreens and CVS across America. The benefits will be beyond what we can envision.
Bio: Contact John Pisciotta, Founding Director of Pro-Life Waco and creator of Pro-Life in the Public Square group on Facebook, at prolifewaco@gmail.com or 254-644-0407.
