Brian Lewis

After singing songs, including “It is Well with My Soul,” Gianna Jessen spoke last night about surviving abortion. Jessen said her mother attempted to abort her as a 7-month-old fetus. Jessen praised President Bush, said she was unashamed to be a Christian and spoke about her anti-abortion stance.

Gianna Jessen didn’t pull any punches last night.

“I’m not one to shy away from controversy so I’ll start right off the bat,” Jessen said. “They starved Terri Schiavo, said she was a vegetable.”

“They said the same thing about me, that I would be a vegetable,” she said.

Jessen said her biological mother attempted to abort her 28 years ago today when she was 7 1/2 months pregnant.

But Jessen survived. Because she lost oxygen to the brain during the procedure, Jessen has cerebral palsey.

She shared her story as she has for the last 14 years with about 700 students and Lawrence residents last night at the Kansas Union Ballroom.

Jessen’s appearance was the main event of the Stand Up for LIFE week sponsored by KU Students for LIFE.

Calling her cerebral palsy a gift, Jessen said Americans need to stop treating people with disabilities as victims.

She said Americans needed to crave life more than death.

“I’m just made for a fight,” she said. “I would never have all this if I didn’t have this struggle. Pain is not the worst thing.”

Jessen answered a question about her opinion on allowing abortion for rape victims by saying that she does not advocate abortion. She said she knew women in that situation and that it was horrible, but she added that it was only one percent of all abortions.

“We are not God,” she said. “It is not up to us to give or take life,” she said.

But she said she did not speak to condemn women who had abortions or who contemplated the idea.

Jessen referred to her beliefs when asked about stem cell research. Human beings should not meddle with certain ability only meant for God to handle, she said.

“I just don’t believe we were made to do some of the things we are doing,” she said.

Anne Liggett, Portland, Ore., freshman, said she didn’t know what to expect from Jessen before the speech, but she appreciated her straightforwardness.

“She stands and speaks the truth

and I have a lot of respect for that,” Liggett said.

Jessen also mentioned that she has forgiven her biological mother, which surprised Aubrey Dahl, Leawood freshman, who was expecting a more negative reaction.

“It’s just really inspiring that someone could overcome trials and wake up each day and look at life in the perspective she has,” Dahl said.

Jessen praised President Bush and Jesus Christ, which prompted applause and several “amens” from the audience.

She met Bush on Aug. 5, 2002 — the day he signed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which guarantees that live-born infants, regardless of their stage of development if they survived an abortion, would receive full legal rights under federal law. She said Bush was a man capable of greatness because he told her he would not give up on her

Mariah Wolken, Greeley freshman, said she wasn’t against Jessen before hearing her speak, but she also didn’t know what to think about it.

“I think her story is really neat and she should continue to talk about it,” she said.