Pro-life leaders ask GOP to stand strong on abortion

Top pro-life advocates are calling on the Republican Party to maintain its pro-life stance despite calls from some to back off from the position in the wake of the presidential election.

"A real soldier doesn't stay on the defensive," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, which works to promote pro-life candidates and policies. "You go out and state your best case."

"The folks that have taken the stand on this issue have taken it because we're talking about defending vulnerable human life," she told CNA on Nov. 30. "If it's not about that, it's not about anything."

Dannenfelser was one of several pro-life leaders who responded to suggestions by some Republicans, including Arizona senator John McCain, that the GOP should drop or mitigate its pro-life stance in order to broaden its appeal after losing the presidential election.

Appearing on "Fox News Sunday" on Nov. 25, the senator – who unsuccessfully ran for president against Barack Obama in 2008 – suggested that while "I can state my position on abortion," Republicans should "other than that, leave the issue alone when we are in the kind of economic situation and, frankly, national security situation that we're in."

When asked by host Chris Wallace whether his suggestion to "leave the issue alone" meant allowing "freedom of choice" to abort, McCain responded, "I would allow people to have those opinions and respect those opinions."

"I'm proud of my pro-life position and record, but if someone disagrees with me, I respect your views," he said.

Pro-life advocates immediately rejected such suggestions, arguing that the adamant support of life is both a winning battle and the right thing to do.

Dannenfelser pointed to the historic words of Martin Luther King, Jr., "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's loss on Election Day should not be attributed to his opposition to abortion, said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, and Brendan O'Morchoe, the organization's national field operations director.

In a Nov. 12 blog post on the group's website, Hawkins and O'Morchoe responded to pundits who were already blaming Romney's loss on his support of life.

They pointed to a FOX News exit poll from election night showing that 59 percent of voters supported legal abortion and only 36 percent opposed it.

These numbers do not reflect Gallup's recent poll showing that the majority of Americans are pro-life, they said. Rather, the low turnout shows that pro-lifers did not vote.

They suggested that Romney's relative silence on the subject hurt him at the ballot box, noting that while he said he would de-fund Planned Parenthood and sign pro-life legislation, he did not match the Democratic Party's heavy emphasis on the subject.

"If the Republican Party had made any effort to highlight President Obama's extreme pro-abortion record, we believe the results of this election would have been much different," they said.
 
The grim reality of resistance within both parties points to the realization that the pro-life movement must not rely on politicians in the nation's capital, they said. Rather, it must continue working to change the culture.
 
"Our mission of abolishing abortion in our lifetime still stands," they stated. "It will happen in our lifetime. Culture shapes politics, and our culture is becoming pro-life."

Contact: Michelle Bauman
Source: CNA

Studies from France, China Report Breast Cancer Risk Climbs with Number of Abortions

A French study on women with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which are associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancers, shows "the clearest dose effect of any (abortion-breast cancer) study." Professor Joel Brind (Baruch College, City University of New York)
 
"Communist China's one child per couple policy is at least partially responsible for its escalating breast cancer rates, according to at least two studies. Researchers expect an epidemic of 2.5 million cases of breast cancer by 2021 among women from the One Child Generation who will then be between the ages 55 and 69." (Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer)
 
Studies from France and China have reported that breast cancer risk climbs with number of abortions. Demonstrating a "dose effect" is considered an "important measure of credibility" for establishing a cause-effect relationship.
 
Click here to read more.

Contact: Karen Malec
Source: Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer

Senseless Push for 'Emergency Contraception'

 
One physician doesn't think it's ethical for the American Academy of Pediatricians to urge all doctors to counsel underage girls and provide a prescription for the "morning-after" pill to keep in advance of intimacy.

For the most part, the prescriptions would be given to 13- to 16-year-old girls. Dr. Patricia Lee June is with a different organization, the American College of Pediatricians, which opposes the suggestion. She cites studies that reveal that the "morning-after" pill does not reduce the unplanned pregnancy rate.

She is also concerned that it increases early sexual activity and allows older men to prey on young girls.

"For girls in the 13- to 15-year age range, a high percentage of them are impregnated by men over age 20," Dr. June reports. "And being able to say hey, just take this pill and you won't get pregnant makes it much easier for them to coerce or seduce them."

And she notes another factor that has apparently been discarded: "The parent is not in the loop."

"Children's brains are not mature until the mid-20s," the doctor explains. "They can't make mature decisions, [so] the parents need to be involved."

As for the doctors who follow the Academy's suggestion, Dr. June tells OneNewsNow, "Let's just say their ethics are not the same as my ethics." But she believes a large number of pediatricians will ignore the recommendation because it simply "doesn't make good sense to them."

Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow.com

Why is the United Nations Foundation Bashing Pro-Life Advocates?

Life Legal Defense Foundation Responds to UN Supporting Abortion Promoters

The United Nations is singing Attorney General Eric Holder's praises, both inaccurately and inappropriately, via its United Nations Foundation blog, Reproductive Health Reality Check (also known as RH Reality Check). The blog is authored by Jessica Mason Pieklo, RH Reality Check, Senior Legal Analyst, who identifies herself online by the handle "Hegemommy," and confesses, "My feminism [is] not always on target, and my politics [are] not always appropriate. I sometimes behave badly." Pieklo's November 26 opinion piece on Holder confirms the blogger's self-admitted shortcomings.

Attorney Dana Cody, President and Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation, takes issue with Pieklo's misrepresentation of the facts. Cody has been championing the rights of women and the unborn for over twenty years. She offers the following response:

Why is the United Nations Foundation Bashing Pro-Life Advocates?

"Ms. Pieklo needs a reality check. Attorney General Eric Holder's record for prosecuting people under FACE (Freedom of Access to Clinic Entry) is dismal. In fact, in Florida the charges against pro-life advocate Mary Susan Pine were dismissed and she was awarded damages.

"I would bet Ms. Pieklo attended a government university because her critical thinking skills seem lacking. Since when is a report by the National Abortion Federation (NAF) considered unbiased information about clinic violence? Not only are NAF's materials biased, they are false.

"Take for example the resource guide provided at the NAF training on FACE on August 25, 2010, in Portland, Oregon. The training materials included NAF's guide, 'Resource Guide: Violence Against Reproductive Health Care Providers.' The guide materially misrepresents constitutionally protected speech and the constitutional rights of those who wish to express their views regarding abortion. Some examples of the misrepresentations in the resource guide are as follows:

"Page 8 contains a brief history and description of the National Task Force on Violence Against Health Care Providers, comprised of members from the US Department of Justice (USDOJ) and the FBI, as well as other federal agencies. Listed among their duties is the 'investigation and prosecution of incidents of abortion violence' and examination of 'criminal anti-abortion activities.' Yet, in the pages that follow, the resource guide labels legally permissible, constitutionally protected non-violent activity as threatening, violent, and intimidating and calls for the investigation and prosecution by the FBI and USDOJ of pro-life advocates who engage therein.
"On page 20, under 'Violence and Disruption Statistics' compiled by the NAF, picketing (an entirely lawful activity) is included as a 'disruption' and accounts for 6,361 of the 8,180 reported incidents.

"Page 15 includes a surreptitious insertion under the heading 'History of Clinic Violence.' The listing names 'the use of huge anti-abortion posters' and 'graphic signs,' engagement in 'campus campaigns,' and participation in 'boycotts against abortion providers.' The same discussion complains of 'anti-abortion extremists' dissemination of information over the internet and their initiation of lawsuits for 'alleged' freedom of speech violations. (It should be noted that many pro-life lawsuits have successfully proven freedom of speech violations.)

"On page 67 the resource guide states that the USDOJ encourages enforcement of the FACE Act by gathering evidence on 'leaflets or pamphlets' and 'signs' distributed and carried by pro-life advocates. The discussion goes on to advise that the USDOJ 'maintains a database of names, photos, license plates, etc. of anti-choice groups and individuals' and indicates they work 'proactively' with local law enforcement. Also included is a watch-list on pages 39-41 of website names and addresses of numerous non-violent pro-life organizations.

"Contrary to the impression given by the resource guide, none of the activities named are violent, nor are they unlawful. The attempt to label peaceful, legal speech activities as criminal activities is an old tactic, but fortunately a tactic which the First Amendment was created to prevent.

"Ms. Pieklo would rather see the free speech and other civil rights of life advocates oppressed than allow their message to be communicated to women entering clinics, because those messages promote true, actual, informed choice. I guess that means that in actuality, Ms. Pieklo seems to be the anti-choice radical."

Contact: Dana Cody
Source: Life Legal Defense Foundation

Mississippi May Become First Abortion-Free State as Hospitals Refuse Last Abortion Facility

Mississippi is poised to become the first abortion-free state in the nation as the last remaining abortion facility within its borders reports that it is having difficulty complying with the law.

Earlier this year, lawmakers in Mississippi passed a regulation that requires abortion facilities in the state to have board certification and obtain admitting privileges. The latter requirement, which allows abortionists to send women that are injured during an abortion to local hospitals for further treatment, was said to serve as a safeguard to protect women that need critical medical care.

After the bill was signed into law, Jackson Women's Health Organization, the last abortion facility in the state, filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the requirements. During a hearing in July, the facility explained to the court that it had been unsuccessful in obtaining admitting privileges, and was granted six months of additional time to comply with the law under the direction of federal judge Daniel Jordan.

Jackson Women's Health Organization now has until January 16th to find a hospital that will grant it admitting privileges, but with one month left to go, the facility says that it is still being refused by area hospitals.
 
According to court documents filed last week by administrator Shannon Brewer, the facility has applied to seven hospitals in central Mississippi, and all have turned it away. Some locations would not even provide an application to complete.

"At Baptist Medical Center, executive assistant for medical staff services Teresa Ayala told JWHO administrators that hospital would not send an admitting privileges application," reports Jackson Free Press. "Brewer's declaration also indicates that Ayala was less than helpful in providing the clinic information it needed to contact Baptist's physicians."

University Medical Center in Jackson said that it would only grant admitting privileges to employees of the hospital.

"The other five hospitals that rejected JWHO's applications–River Oaks Hospital in Flowood, Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon, Madison River Oaks in Canton, Woman's Hospital in Jackson and Central Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson–are owned by Naples, Fla.-based Health Management Associates Inc.," Jackson Free Press continued. "Each of these hospitals responded to JWHO with similarly worded letters citing the hospitals' abortion policies and concerns about 'internal and external disruption of the hospital's function and business within this community.'"

Rusty Thomas of the States of Refuge campaign, which focuses on ending abortion in the five states in America that have just one abortion facility, told Christian News Network that he believes the facility will likely close — just in time for the 40th year of Roe v. Wade.

"All of the pieces of the puzzle are pointing to Jackson, Mississippi for the 40th year of Roe v. Wade," he stated. "We are on the verge of making history."

States of Refuge, therefore, is planning a gathering in Jackson in January 2013 instead of Washington, D.C.

"Imagine one state being set free from blood guiltiness," Thomas said with excitement. "If one state falls, it does send a message that it can continue in other states."

He said that he hopes that if and when the facility closes, it will encourage others to take a stand for life.

"Hopefully, it would inspire others that you don't have to wait for the Republican Party or [any] politicians," Thomas commented. "These are the moments God uses to get others involved."

The other four states where only one abortion facility remains are Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.

"Once it falls, the march is not over," Thomas advised. "On to other states."

Contact: Heather Clark
Source: Christian News Network

Planned Parenthood Mandates Abortion for its Affiliates

There's more evidence that Planned Parenthood is devoted to its primary mission of abortion.

In late 2010, Planned Parenthood mandated that its affiliate centers throughout the U.S. provide on-site abortions by 2013. Mallory Quigley of the Susan B. Anthony List tells OneNewsNow the Planned Parenthood of South Central New York is pulling out and becoming an independent organization for that reason, making it the third Planned Parenthood to do so.

"At Susan B. Anthony List, we think that this is just evidence that Planned Parenthood's chief concern is about making money off of abortion," she says. "It's a huge moneymaker, and the most recent data we have available is that they perform over 329,000 abortions in one year."

Quigley also believes it is evidence that the national office is ruling with an iron fist. Proof of that comes from three former center directors who left the organization.

"They say that the reason that they got into this business is because they wanted to help women, and a lot of them believe in access to contraception and non-abortion healthcare services for women, but this is just going to show that Planned Parenthood really is synonymous with abortion and that they will not stand for any of their affiliates to dissent in any way to their abortion-on-demand ideology," she remarks.

On March 1, 2013, Planned Parenthood of South Central New York will become Family Planning of South Central New York.

Two Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas went independent in 2011 after refusing to comply with the corporate abortion mandate.

Contact: Charlie Butts  
Source: OneNewsNow.com

Abortion advocates push for over-the-counter morning-after pills for minors

Representatives of 40 pro-abortion organizations will meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and urge her to permit the morning-after pill to be sold to minors over the counter.

"When it comes to emergency contraception, time is of the essence," said Kirsten Moore, president and chief executive of the Reproductive Health Technologies Project. Making people get a prescription, and get that prescription filled, is a barrier to care – and we don't need to be putting that barrier in people's ways."

According to the National Institutes of Health, the morning-after pill works "principally by preventing ovulation or fertilization (by altering tubal transport of sperm and/or ova). In addition, it may inhibit implantation" of a fertilized egg "by altering the endometrium" – thus potentially acting as an abortifacient.

Source: CWN

U.N. Treaty Fails in Senate

Several pro-family and parental rights groups are relieved to see the U.S. Senate fail to ratify a United Nations treaty concerning the disabled.

The vote on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was largely along party lines. Prior to the vote, Utah Senator Mike Lee (R) rose to argue against the bill, citing concerns over possible relinquishment of sovereignty of the United States to a U.N. body.

"I've also heard from parents of disabled children who are concerned that this treaty will threaten their rights as parents to determine the best education, treatment and care for their disabled children," he cited.

Lee also pointed out that the United States is already the world leader in terms of providing for the needs of the disabled, so it does not need a United Nations panel as a forum in order to be a model to other nations looking to improve their laws.

It would have taken the votes of 66 of the 99 members present to ratify the treaty.

"On this vote, the yeas are 61; the nays are 38," the Senate president announced. "Two-thirds of the senators present not having voted in the affirmative, the resolution of the ratification is not agreed to."

Groups like the Home School Legal Defense Association and Joni and Friends strongly opposed the treaty. Susan Yoshihara of the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute warned OneNewsNow in September that ratification of the measure would have opened the door for more abortions.

Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow.com

News Links for November 30th

Supreme Court orders lower court to hear challenge to HHS mandate

Nurturing your baby before birth

Chinese study shows abortion increases breast cancer risk

Abortion and Religion in Ireland

Michigan May Extend Tax Breaks For Prenatal Care

Missouri business granted injunction against HHS mandate

Will prenatal tests revive temptation toward eugenics?

Uncertainty surrounds emergency contraceptives

Clerk fired for "Tweet-attacking" Kline during abortion/ethics case

New WHO manual prescribes unsafe abortion for poor women

Becoming less pro-life won't help GOP

Irish pro-life group insists abortion on demand is likely

Dehydrating Disabled Babies in UK Hospitals

Colombia overwhelmingly re-elects pro-life official

GQ magazine names pro-life activist 'Rebel of the Year'

A secular men's magazine has praised Chinese anti-abortion advocate Chen Guangcheng in its December 2012 issue, placing him on the list of “Man of the Year.”

Gentleman's Quarterly, the popular men's entertainment and fashion magazine, lauded the blind activist for his fight against forced abortions and sterilizations in China, calling him a “humanitarian cause célèbre.”

Despite its usual fare of risqué photo spreads and articles, the latest issue features a three-page interview detailing Chen's house arrest, torture and eventual escape to the United States in May 2012.

Blinded by a serious illness when he was young, Chen is a self-educated human rights attorney who spoke out against China's one-child policy and the coerced abortions and sterilizations that are often used to enforce it. His work attracted the anger of Chinese authorities.

Chen spent more than four years in prison and was subsequently placed under house arrest in September 2010. Both he and his family were held without formal charges, endured violent assaults and were refused medical treatment.

Chen's routine beatings “went on for a year and a half, all because the self-taught lawyer had sued the Chinese government to stop forced abortions in his village,” John B. Thompson of GQ wrote for the December issue.

In late April, Chen made international headlines by escaping from house arrest and reaching the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.

He left the embassy for a hospital in Beijing on May 2, after being promised by Chinese authorities that he and his family would be secure. Shortly afterwards, however, he voiced fears for his safety and asked to come to the U.S. with his family for a period of peaceful rest. 

Although he felt “sorrowful” to leave his country, Chen believes that he will “inevitably return to China, standing tall.”

“I don’t think China can continue like this forever,” he told GQ.

Chen was offered a fellowship to study law and learn English at New York University’s law school and was ultimately allowed to travel to the United States with his family, arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 19.

On Aug. 1, bipartisan leaders of U.S. Congress came together to meet with and offer their support of the Chen and his work in China.

While politicians “might not agree” about which rights he is fighting to protect, Chen told GQ that his work opposing China’s one-child policy is not only a fight to protect the “rights of unborn children” or of women, but of all people.

“Men have rights. The elderly have rights,” he said. “This is a human problem, a fundamental concept.”

Source: CNA