The relevance of the new feature film “Unplanned” to Texas colleges and universities is culturally underrated.
Part of education is learning how to live well, and how to put energy and value into the things we love. The film “Unplanned” helps us understand the value of life and why each of us should, regardless of our leanings, beliefs and background protect the unborn.
“Unplanned,” the story of former Planned Parenthood employee turned anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson, details her journey to how she became involved with the Planned Parenthood near her alma mater, Texas A&M University, and progresses to the intricate detail of Johnson’s life during her tenure running Aggieland’s clinic as one of the youngest clinic directors in the nonprofit’s history.
Showcasing her strength as a woman, “Unplanned,” adapted from Johnson’s own memoirs, paints the whole picture of her life.
Having met both Johnson and Karen Herzog, the woman who with great love helped Johnson come in from the cold to become the most influential turncoat in the war for life, I found the film to be true to the character of these wonderful women. The film hits home with the familiarity of classic Texas Friday nights at your favorite Tex-Mex café and with one of the best scores of the year.
Unplanned takes you to a dark place where you start to understand the trauma associated with the most contested issues of our time, but then provides a much liberating light into the goodness of grace and forgiveness that the lord can provide to any on, in the case of “Unplanned,” being our real-life protagonist, Abby Johnson.
In a subtle yet shocking manner, “Unplanned” provides insight as to what the work of providing abortion-related services can do to the mental and spiritual health of employees of the abortion industry.
For all intents and purposes it is clear this film is a pathos charged attack on what is widely accepted as the worst genocide of our generation, but it is by no means partisan or fallacy ridden. The faith and community it took to make this movie possible is a testament to what it stands for. The anti-abortion movement is a cause every person should at least understand, considering each of us is alive today.
Regardless of our official stance on such issues, “Unplanned” lends us a better understanding of this topic that is so often unfairly avoided in civil discourse, and it will certainly help change that.
