Paul Hughes/The Hoya Congressman James Langevin (D-R.I.) discusses the challenges of holding anti-abortion rights views as a Democrat as well as life in a wheelchair on Wednesday.

Congressman James Langevin (D-R.I.) spoke to about 60 students on Wednesday evening about how being in a wheelchair since the age of 16 has given him a deep respect for life. Langevin’s lecture highlighted a variety of his political viewpoints including his support for health care coverage for disabilities, his stance against abortion and his approach to war in Iraq.

Langevin said adversity is not a new experience for him, whether on Capitol Hill or from his wheelchair. “Challenges – personal or political – shouldn’t derail you. They should empower you,” he said.

Langevin began his speech by sharing the story of how he was confined to a wheelchair as a teenager. As a cadet in the Boy Scout Explorer Program, he was accidentally shot in the neck. The bullet left him paralyzed.

“Learning to live with a disability is a difficult process,” Langevin said. He said he pushed himself to graduate with his high school class even though he was a month behind his fellow classmates upon returning to school after the accident. He emphasized his desire to be independent, even if it meant the struggle of typing his papers one letter at a time. He felt that his experience inspired him to move beyond his accident. “With the right patience and hard work, I could overcome anything,” Langevin said.

Although his “dream to put on a blue uniform” and become a police officer could not come true, Langevin felt the call to public service on Capitol Hill. He discovered, “A badge or a gun aren’t the only ways to fight the bad guys,” and started to use the ballot and legislation as his weapons.

To Langevin, respect for the dignity of human life “includes children – the born and unborn, seniors, the disabled and minorities.” He founded a bipartisan disabilities caucus, supports the living wage for families, promotes the Patient’s Bill of Rights, advocates a partial birth abortion ban and participates in a children’s advocacy caucus. He asserted that “all Americans have a voice in our government. I want to stress the word `all.'”

He expressed his views about abortion and added, “It’s the right thing to do. It’s not because of politics.” Langevin said he tries to remain true to his Catholic identity as a congressman. He remarked, “These values stay with you for the rest of your lives. [They are the] values that guide me with my job.”

Whenever he makes public statements on difficult issues, Langevin said he takes advice from his constituents, listens to fellow leaders and asks for strength from God. Langevin praised Georgetown’s Jesuit identity for upholding those values and encouraging a “passion for justice, commitment to public service and compassion.”

“Having come so close to losing my own life, I am reminded of how precious life is,” Langevin said. “I am a strong supporter of the unborn at every stage.” Sponsored by Georgetown University Right to Life, Langevin’s lecture addressed his position as an opponent of abortion rights, contrary to the traditional platform of the Democratic party. Langevin explained his reasoning by saying, “I knew it wasn’t a popular position, but I’d rather lose for the right reasons that win for the wrong ones. Being who you are is the first step.”

Georgetown University Right to Life President Jennifer Bradley (MSB ’03) said that Langevin is an inspiration to the group she leads on campus. “His willingness to go against his own party’s platform serves as a model to all of us to continue to work for the rights of the unborn even in the face of opposition,” she said. “His speech and his commitment to protecting life from conception until natural death confirms all the service and work we do at GU Right to Life.”

As a resident of the 2nd District of Rhode Island, Christian Jenner (CAS ’03) said his representative’s position does not affect his ability to get elected. “It is a common myth that a pro-life democrat would be easily defeated in a primary; Rep. Langevin’s strong pro-life position is an example of how false this myth is,” Jenner said. “That’s why I vote for him, and why I will continue to vote for him in the future.”

Langevin’s brief speech ended so he could return to Capitol Hill for a floor debate in Congress over the United States’ approach to Iraq. Langevin has a multilateral approach, asserting that the “damage to our status as a world power” should be important to guide the president’s actions. He added, “I do believe that Saddam Hussein poses a great threat to our security. It’s so important that we act as a world community.”

After graduating from Rhode Island College, Langevin earned a master’s degree in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 1994, he served as the youngest secretary of state of Rhode Island and was reelected in 1998 with the largest plurality of any general officer. In 1988, Langevin began his first term as representative of the Rhode Island 2nd Congressional District and was reelected in 2000. He is a member of the Save the Bay, the Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus.