Bound4life

Bound4LIFE is a grassroots pro-life organization originating in the United States. The non-profit organization was founded in 2004 by Lou Engle when he and a group of mostly young people gathered for silent prayer in front of the United States Supreme Court in Washington, DC. The key identifying element of the movement is a piece of red tape with the word “LIFE” handwritten on it that is worn over the mouth during prayer gatherings. “Taping their mouths shut” is a voluntary way of promoting prayer as opposed to vocal protest. In this context, prayer is described as an appeal to God as the Judge of heaven and earth. A major goal of the organization is to train and multiply the number of Christians that pray regularly for the ending of abortion. [ [http://bound4life.com/about-us about "bound4life"] ] [ABC News Nightline, “God’s Interns,” 11/29/05]

Language

The term “Silent Siege” is used to describe the silent gatherings where participants stand in a straight line facing a courthouse or building. [ [http://bound4life.com/the-silent-siege The Silent Siege] ] [Eric Hurtgen, "A Cause Worth Fighting For", Relevant Magazine, November/December 2006, p. 64]

Activism

Participants living in the Washington, DC area claim to have stood nearly every day in front of the Supreme Court since October 2004 wearing the red “LIFE” tape. Additional groups have joined in participation around the country by standing in front of local courthouses and abortion clinics. Over 120 “chapters” are listed representing most states in the U.S. The organization claims to have recently extended into as many as seven different countries. [ [http://bound4life.com/local-chapters Local Chapters] ] ["35 Ideas That Changed the World", Relevant Magazine, March/April 2008, p. 69]

The organization encourages participants to make a three-part pledge. The first deals with praying daily for abortion to end; presumably for the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade to be overturned. The second part calls for participants to only vote for candidates that support a similar point of view concerning abortion. The final part calls for participants to “obey God in acts of compassion and justice.” [ [http://bound4life.com/make-the-covenant Make the covenant] ] [Jay Tolson, "Reading the Abortion Ruling", U.S. News & World Report, April 30, 2007, p. 36] Sources state that over 320,000 participants have taken this pledge.

References are also made to promoting adoption as a legitimate alternative to abortion regardless of circumstances.

Bound4LIFE participants in the past have shown interest in and have attempted to directly and indirectly influence federal and state legislation through personal contact and voter mobilization.

Leadership

The national and international leadership responsibilities were assumed by Matt Lockett, an associate of Engle, in January 2007. Local chapter participants provide their own leadership and receive resources and information from the parent organization, which is currently headquartered in Charlotte, NC. [ [http://bound4life.com/articles/2007/04/11/special-and-important-personal-announcement-from-lou-engle/ Special & important info] ] [Liz Halloran, "A Brewing Fight on the Right", U.S. News & World Report, October 22, 2007, p. 34]

Press

Since its inception, most national news magazines and newspapers as well as television news programs have featured the image of young people wearing red “LIFE” tape when reporting on abortion-related material.

In its 5-year anniversary issue, Relevant Magazine listed Lou Engle and the red “LIFE” tape as one of the top 35 ideas that have changed the world. [Debra Rosenberg, "Battles on Three Fronts", Newsweek, April 30, 2007, p. 10]

References