Here is the new and improved version of the Joel and Ariel MTV pro-life video. Joel and Ariel are brother and sister pro-life missionaries who started taking part in sidewalk counseling and peaceful protest at abortion clinics when they were teenagers. The video was done at a time when a lot of sidewalk and street activism at abortion clinics was being squelched by the media’s portrayal of a few violent protesters.
In the early ’90s several doctors and abortion clinic workers were shot. However, when compared with other social protest movements in American history, the pro-life movement has been by far the most peaceful. This video was shown repeatedly on the Unfiltered program and went a long way to show young people what really happens in front of abortion clinics.
Ariel ended the piece by saying that “we are just peaceful people” and challenged viewers to come out to the abortion clinics to see for themselves what is happening and not to accept any “pro-choice” media bias. We know that the video actually led to some young people getting involved in pro-life activism.
Since I was a full-time Christian worker who actually owned the property across the street from the Aware Woman abortion clinic, I taped about half of the “b-roll” shots you will see in the video. It was interesting because at the time I was praying about moving to Cantonment, Florida to work with Reel to Real Ministries in order to get training in non-linear video production. I took it as a small miracle (or more accurately: a providential event) that the first production I helped with ended up being a positive portrayal of pro-life activism on MTV’s reality show Unfiltered — of all programs!
We have had this video clip on The Forerunner Pro-life Videos website for the past seven years. Then recently I asked Joel and Ariel to offer a critique of the content and quality of the program. Watch the program and see for yourself. And I also challenge YOU to come out to the local abortion clinic to see what happens on a “killing day.” I don’t think everyone is called to do sidewalk counseling or be there on a weekly basis (as I was 24/7 for a few years) but it is always a powerful life-changing experience to take even a small part in saving a human life.
