The Mission
Pro-Life in the Public Square (PLPS) is a new organization dedicated to strengthening the “public square outreach” branch of our movement. PSO engages the BROAD spectrum of public sentiment to change hearts, minds, souls, and votes.
Local public square outreach has three sub-branches:
1. Foot soldiers taking positions at strategic locations to engage with signs, literature, and conversations. (Life Chain events, overpass outreach, protesting abortion and abortion enablers, face the truth tours, and responding to ad hoc outreach opportunities.)
2. Displaying fixed signs. (Billboards, yard signs, and advertising)
3. Setting up displays for personal engagement. (Fairs, festivals, and tabling events.)
The sole purpose of Pro-Life in the Public Square is to promote public square outreach by assisting and financially supporting local pro-life groups nationwide.
It is useful to think of public sentiment as three ranges (see side graphic):
- the pro-life faithful,
- the hardened abortion supporters,
- and the hugely important “mushy middle” (unaware, undecided, uncertain). The pro-life movement has been focused on communications to the pro-life faithful, with a relative neglect of the mushy middle.
Success in public square outreach engages the wide range of public sentiment to change today to increase the red/pro-life area over time.
[This organization is devoted to LOCAL public square outreach. PSO can also be at a broader or national level. Consider the powerful participation of Lila Rose on the Dr. Phil Show and the Surrounded/Jubilee podcast. These were not preaching to the pro-life faithful.]
Here for one-page
essay on Lincoln
and public sentiment.
Pro-Life in the Public Square is an outgrowth of Pro-Life Waco, as illustrated by the graphic to the right. PLW has delivered public square outreach since its inception in 1995. The top-of-the-list was the Girl Scout Cookie Boycott of 2004.
Relying on the ongoing foundation of Pro-Life Waco, Pro-Life in the Public Square will assist and provide funding for other local public square outreach initiatives.
One motivation for creating PLPS is that the overall pro-life movement has not sufficiently penetrated the mushy middle. This is painfully clear from our post-Dobbs (2022-2024) losses in 14 of 17 states with abortion directly on the ballot. Our ballot losses were typically by wide margins.
A second motivation for creating Pro-Life in the Public Square is this branch has become weaker while other branches have become stronger in the 21st century. Other branches at the local level include pregnancy care, sidewalk counseling, and prayer vigils. We must be self-critical about where we are as a movement. The way forward must include the revival of the public square outreach branch that makes penetrating the mushy middle its top priority.
Pro-Life in the Public Square is unique in two ways. As far as I know, this is the only pro-life organization with “public square” in its name. This reflects the lack of emphasis on public square outreach in the pro-life movement. Second, Pro-Life in the Public Square may be the only national organization that exists solely for the purpose of assisting OTHER organizations.
Financial and other assistance are currently provided for:
1. Monthly Pharmacy Protest at CVS and Walgreens.
2. Yard Signs for Life community campaigns.
3. Billboards at the Edge of Town, where a highway runs through a city.
Pro-Life in the Public Square will do all it can to contribute to the revival of local public square outreach. Your support, participation, and prayers will be appreciated.
John Pisciotta, Executive Director
Pro-Life in the Public Square (founded in 2024)
Pro-Life Waco (founded in 1995)
