The Common Ground Network for Life and Choice Manual

conflict is blocking public action, can be an opportunity, as well a stimulus, for efforts to
organize pro-choice and pro-life constituencies for common ground action. Real-life examples
include: new proposals related to welfare reform; a financial crisis in a community service
agency; violent acts against clinics and physicians providing abortions; a high level of teen-age
pregnancy; a need for assistance to a particularly needy group of women or children; the
announcement of the opening of a clinic providing abortions; and a major pro-life demonstration
and campaign.
It is in situations such as these that the combined efforts of pro-life and pro-choice people
working together may bring a positive impact that neither side can achieve alone. The Case
Studies in Appendices 5.1 and 5.2 both illustrate actions taken in response to crisis that had
impact because of the pro-choice/pro-life combination. A further illustration is provided by the
St. Louis Common Ground Association that was active in the early 1990’s. Its members, all
prominent activists, joined together to endorse pending legislation to help crack-addicted
women, and urge that non-germane abortion-related amendments be dropped to insure its
passage.
If you face a pressing local issue, your group may find it necessary to meet more often
than it normally would and to bring together a larger group of people from both sides of the
issue. Effective and rapid ways to do this may include:
• Writing a jointly authored op-ed piece or a letter to the editor. State your concern and why
you think it should be of interest to both pro-choice and pro-life constituencies. Ask people
to contact you if they are interested in talking with people on the other side about this issue
to develop understanding of how they feel about the issue or to explore whether enough
common ground exists to build a cooperative action strategy.
• Contacting pro-life and pro-choice leaders on both sides. Share your interest in bringing
people together. Try to enlist important individuals to invite participation or endorse the
project. Assure the confidentiality of decisions until there is consensus to make them public.
Enlist an impartial facilitator to assist you. There may be a local entity such as a mediation
center that can provide valuable support.
• Holding a media event to offer a joint position. Press conferences and other events can be
used to inject into the community an alternative to increasing tension and polarization. A
press release is a less demanding alternative. You may find local reporters or editors who are