Palin encourages ‘culture of life’ at pro-life charity banquet

Evansville, Ind., Apr 17, 2009 / 16:31 pm

Addressing the largest U.S. Right to Life banquet, Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin spoke of the miracle of life and urged the audience to speak out on pro-life issues.

On Thursday evening at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life banquet in Indiana, Palin thanked the estimated crowd of 3,000 for their generosity and contributions to the pro-life movement before telling them the story of her youngest son, Trig, who was born nearly one year ago.

When Palin, a strong pro-life advocate, was 13 weeks pregnant, she found out Trig would be born with Down syndrome.  “It was a serious time of testing,” she explained.  “A time when I had to ask myself, ‘am I just going to talk the talk, or walk the walk?'”

She was nervous about how everything would work out.  Palin, 44, was a busy governor with four active children and was concerned that she could not give the baby what he would need.

For a fleeting moment, she told the audience, she considered an abortion, however instead she turned to prayer.

“I had just enough faith to know that trying to change the circumstances wasn’t any answer,” she said.  She continued to pray that she would be able to meet the challenges of the new baby and that she could give him all he needed.

"The moment he was born, I knew that moment my prayers had been answered, and my heart overflowed with joy." Palin said. “I felt a love I had never felt before…he has brought so much happiness.”

"I know for sure my son is perfect just as he is, and I do believe he was made in the image of God," she continued.

As a culture, we need to embrace life, Palin continued.  Our “children are perfect gifts, not burdens!”

She then urged the pro-lifers in attendance to make their voices heard.  It is important to speak up and remind everyone that we are proud to be Americans because we believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Also speaking at the event was Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, whose contradictory comments on abortion caused the local Catholic bishop to not attend.

Although Bishop Gerald Gettelsfinger is an annual participant in the charity event, he announced last month that he would not be attending due to Steele’s “soft” language when he addressed the topic of abortion with the magazine GQ.