Appeals court rules against abortion mandate

A federal appeals court has once again ruled against the Obama administration's abortion/contraception mandate in a case that has strong implications for religious liberty.

A panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday (Jan. 30) granted a preliminary injunction preventing the mandate from applying to Grote Industries, a for-profit company based in Madison, Ind., and owned by Catholics. The same panel in December issued an injunction preventing the mandate from applying to an Illinois-based business, Korte & Luitjohan Contractor, also owned by Catholics. Both rulings were 2-1.

The issue likely will end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In addition to the Seventh Circuit, the Eighth Circuit and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals have issued either rulings or orders against the mandate, which requires businesses and many religious organizations to purchase insurance plans covering contraceptives, including emergency contraceptives such as Plan B and ella that can kill an embryo after fertilization and even after implantation. Pro-lifers consider that action a chemical abortion.

The Seventh Circuit panel noted that the Grote family claims the mandate "compels them to materially cooperate in a grave moral wrong contrary to the teachings of their church." Not following the mandate would result in "several financial penalties."

"We conclude that the Grote Family and Grote Industries have established a reasonable likelihood of success" based on Grote's claim that the mandate violates the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the panel ruled. "We also conclude that they will suffer irreparable harm absent an injunction pending appeal."

Grote Industries is self-insured and its insurance plans did not cover contraceptives or abortion-causing drugs of any kind prior to the mandate, according to the ruling.

The judges consolidated the Grote and Korte cases.

Although the latest ruling involved a Catholic-owned business, evangelical-owned businesses and evangelical colleges also have won in federal court. There are 44 lawsuits involving non-profits and for-profits against the mandate, according to a tally by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. Of the 14 rulings thus far involving for-profits, 10 have gone against the mandate.

Alliance Defending Freedom is representing Grote.

"Americans have the God-given freedom to live and do business according to their faith," ADF attorney Matt Bowman said in a statement. "Forcing employers to surrender their faith in order to earn a living is unprecedented, unnecessary, and unconstitutional. Honoring God is important every day, in all areas of life, including in our work. Freedom is not the government's to give and take away when it pleases."

Voting in the majority were Reagan nominee Joel M. Flaum and George W. Bush nominee Diane S. Sykes. George H.W. Bush nominee Ilana Rovner dissented.

The mandate was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services in August 2011 as part of the health care law championed by President Obama. Although the Supreme Court upheld the health care law last June, the justices' ruling did not deal with the religious liberty issues surrounding the abortion/contraceptive mandate. That means the nation's highest court could yet strike down what has been for religious groups and some business owners the most controversial part of the law.

Source: Baptist Press

Illinois Federation for Right to Life Mourns an Outstanding Defender of the Unborn

The pro-life movement has lost an outstanding defender of the unborn.  Linda Behnken passed away on January 30, 2013.  Linda's steadfast belief in the sanctity of life was the driving force in her commitment to protect all human life from the womb to natural death.  She was President of Belleville Right to Life and Past President  of the Illinois Federation for Right to Life.  She also served as the Treasurer of the Illinois Federation for Right to Life. She was the Pro-life Coordinator for St. Nicholas Parish for 20 years.  Linda's life of sacrificial giving of her time, energy and personal resources serves as a model for all pro-lifers.  May God reward her richly for her tireless work for His Kingdom.

Following are the funeral arrangements:
 
Visitation
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Friday, February 1, 2012
Kassly Funeral Home
9900 St. Clair Avenue
Fairview Heights, IL 62208-1724
   
Funeral Mass
10:00 AM, Saturday, February 2, 2012
St. Peter's Cathedral
200 West Harrison Street
Belleville, IL
   
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to:
St. Peter's Cathedral
200 West Harrison Street
Belleville, IL
 
or
 
Belleville Area Right to Life
P.O. Box 386
Belleville, IL 62222
 
Thank you for all your kind thoughts and prayers.

Source: Illinois Federation for Right to Life

Pro-lifers, despite Roe's 40th, voice hope

Pro-life Americans have reasons to be hopeful even after 40 years of legalized abortion, leaders in their movement said at the annual March for Life and related events.

Speaking Jan. 24 and 25, pro-life speakers pointed to legislative gains in the states and potential developments in the courts -- as well as God's grace and the movement's perseverance -- as hopeful signs.

This year's March for Life took place Jan. 25 because of scheduling and hotel conflicts with President Obama's Jan. 21 inauguration. The march normally occurs Jan. 22, the anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion.

States are enacting bills that are "dramatically changing the contours of abortion policy in this country," said Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, the pro-life movement's leading legal organization. Yoest spoke at AUL's legal symposium Jan. 24 in Washington, D.C.

Last year, states passed 43 laws restricting abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which is affiliated with the pro-choice movement. That made 2012 the second highest year ever for such laws, trailing only the 92 restrictions enacted in 2011.

The pro-life movement won't advance much at the national level in the next several years, but progress at the state level will continue, Yoest said.

There is a "tremendous tidal wave of pro-life legislation in the pipeline," she told the symposium audience.

"I'm looking offshore, and I'm here today to tell you there is a storm surge coming."

Abortion rights advocates recognize the pro-life gains more than pro-lifers, and they have changed their strategy, she said.

They are "pivoting from choice to coercion," with the new health care system as an example, Yoest said. "What they could not win through choice they intend to impose by coercion."

At least partly in response, the most requested model legislation from AUL by states is for the defunding of the abortion industry, Yoest said. Second is AUL's model to strengthen conscience protections. AUL's legal team is helping in 39 states, she said.

Law professor Gerard Bradley told the same audience, meanwhile, there may be an opportunity to exploit a possibly "fatal flaw in Roe v. Wade's jerry-rigged legal edifice."

Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that abolished all state bans on abortion, combined with Doe v. Bolton, which was decided the same day, legalized abortion, in effect, throughout the country for any reason at any point in pregnancy.

The protagonist in a Supreme Court reconsideration of Roe "will not be a Good Samaritan or a heroic state official. He will be a bad man, one who has killed his own unborn son or daughter," Bradley said.

He will be a man convicted under a state "feticide" law, which treats violence causing death or injury to an unborn child as a separate offense, Bradley said. At least 38 states have approved such laws, he said.

"I submit it might be the undoing of Roe, because [the many defendants] convicted of feticide make an equal protection argument against their convictions, to overturn their convictions," Bradley told the audience. "They say it violates equal protection of the law. It's unconstitutional to hold him accountable for what she is perfectly free to do. They say, in effect, ... 'I'm making the same choice. I have the same intention, commit the same act, cause the same harm, engage even in the same behavior -- whether it's an abortifacient drug or stomping on somebody's stomach -- and I can have the same motivation....'"

Such a case could require the high court to resolve the "foundational question" it has suppressed since Roe, he said: "Who counts as a person?"

Though it will be awkward for the justices "to now take up the foundational question it has long suppressed," he thinks they "actually have no feasible alternative," Bradley said. "[The men convicted under feticide laws] raise equal protection challenges which go right through the personhood question."

A Southern Baptist theology dean encouraged pro-life Christians to speak justly and mercifully, recognizing change may come unexpectedly.

"We are people who are speaking from one conscience to another, often to people who have been wounded, to people who are scared and to people who are seeking to cover and to hide," said Russell Moore, dean of theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky., during a Jan. 25 Family Research Council (FRC) event before the March for Life.

"That means that we don't cower," Moore said. "We speak directly to the conscience. ... And we speak of justice.

"And we must also speak of mercy -- that we are the people who recognize and know that God is able to receive those who have done horrific things, those who have been wounded in horrific ways.

"As we speak, we speak not only to those who are with us, but we speak with justice and with mercy to those on the other side, knowing that hearts can be changed," Moore said.

"And it just might be that in your advocacy, wherever it is, that the arguments that you make will go nowhere for now but will be remembered in a time of turning, in a time of crisis in a way that yields fruit."

Moore spoke at FRC's ProLifeCon conference in Washington for the online pro-life community.

At the March for Life rally, Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J., addressed President Obama, a strong advocate for abortion rights, as he spoke of the pro-life movement's resolve.

"Someday future generations will look back on America and wonder how and why such a seemingly enlightened society could have failed to protect the innocent and inconvenient," said Smith, the leading pro-lifer in Congress. "They will wonder how and why a Nobel Peace Prize-winning president who spoke eloquently about caring, cherishing and safeguarding all of our children could have simultaneously been the abortion president."

Smith said, "Know this, Mr. President, we will never quit. In our diversity, our faith and trust in God is tested, but it also is deepened and overcomes and forges an indomitable yet humble spirit."

After the rally, the massive crowd of pro-lifers -- dominated by young people -- marched to the Supreme Court with the temperature in the mid-20s.

It was the first March for Life ever without Nellie Gray, who died in August. She had been president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund since its founding after the Roe decision. Jeanne Monahan, formerly of FRC, is the new president of the organization.

Source: Baptist Press

Medical Experts Warn of Under-Exposed Abortion Risks

Abortion is associated with numerous unreported and under-reported health risks, according to a panel of doctors.

Surgical and medical abortions are associated with a host of untold and under-reported medical and psychological risks, said a panel of doctors at a recent conference in the nation's capital.

"Abortion reporting has been a major impediment in receiving accurate information about abortion complications," said Dr. Monique Chireau, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Duke University School of Medicine.

She added that "improved abortion reporting, informed consent and public information regarding abortion complications should help reduce abortion rates."

Chireau was part of a medical panel that spoke at the Americans United for Life Symposium on Jan. 24 in Washington. She examined the complications that can arise from surgical abortion, observing that for every additional week of gestational age, "there's a 38% increase in mortality."

She also noted that states with heavier restrictions and mandatory waiting periods for later-term abortions have a 25% lower rate of complications than those without such limitations.

Dr. Donna Harrison, director of research and public policy for the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, also spoke at the symposium, discussing medical abortions, which use chemicals to kill unborn children and expel them from their mothers' bodies.

The complications of medical abortion can be quite severe, and include "hemorrhage, incomplete abortion, and death," she said, noting that the rate of complications increases drastically after the eighth week of pregnancy.

Also concerning is the fact that first trimester medical abortions are generally unrestricted and unsupervised, she added, but these abortions are being promoted around the world.

Harrison also warned of a rise in the unrestricted use of Ella, an "emergency contraceptive" that is nearly identical chemically to the abortion pill RU- 486.

While Ella is labeled as safe for one-time use at the recommended dosage, Harrison noted that there are almost no FDA restrictions on the drug, and many women abuse it, taking multiple doses at a time or using the drug after every sexual encounter within a cycle.

These risky behaviors go unsupervised, she said, and women who use the drugs face potentially deadly complications, often without receiving adequate medical screenings or exams to check for problems.
 
Psychological Aspects

Dr. Priscilla Coleman, professor of human development and family studies at Bowling Green State University, offered commentary on the psychological aspects surrounding abortion.

A number of psychiatric and societal influences impact the mental health of women who have undergone abortions, she said, pointing to studies indicating that those with pre-existing psychological factors experience increased complications from abortion.

However, it is not just "those with pre-existing issues that are harmed by abortion," Coleman said. Rather, research demonstrates that across the board, abortion "significantly increases risk for depression, anxiety, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and behaviors."

Furthermore, she observed, recent studies show that abortions result in a 20% increase in mental distress "compared with unintended pregnancy carried to term."

Source: National Catholic Register

March for Life Turns 40

Pro-Life Leaders Recall Ill-Fated Court Decision



Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kan., was a seminarian when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision legalizing abortion on demand, but the impact of the news remains fresh in his mind.

"I felt very passionate about protecting the dignity of all human life and was saddened and mystified by the court's decision," recalled Archbishop Naumann, who had already been active in the civil-rights movement and later emerged as a leading pro-life advocate in his archdiocese.

As the nation prepares to mark the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, Catholic pro-life leaders across the nation considered how the 1973 decision spurred their own activism, while also shaping the identity and mission of the Catholic Church in the United States.

By the early 1970s, grassroots efforts to overturn liberal abortion laws in states like New York and California had begun in earnest.

Yet few anticipated that pro-life advocacy would become their life's work and ultimately forge a robust ecumenical alliance of Catholic and Protestant churches joined to defend the unborn.

When the high court handed down its decision, it stunned Michael Taylor, now the executive director of the Washington-based National Committee for a Human Life Amendment. At the time, Taylor was directing the National Right to Life Committee, temporarily housed at the bishops' conference before it became an independent, non-sectarian organization.

"The issue was not national in 1972, and my job was to work with right-to-life groups across the country," Taylor recalled during an interview with the Register. "It was a different world in those days: There was more anti-Catholicism. The Church was urging the development of right-to-life groups, but the word 'pro-life' didn't exist."

Four states had already approved liberal abortion laws, and a larger number allowed abortion in cases of rape, incest and to save the life of the mother. Taylor knew the high court would soon hand down a decision in the Roe case. But he was buoyed by the fact that no new abortion laws had passed since 1970, and so hoped that the issue might be losing momentum.
 
Supreme Shock

Then, on Jan. 22, 1973, the Supreme Court's ruling was announced. Taylor rushed to the court to obtain a copy of the decision and immediately realized it was a "game changer."

"We thought they would be more moderate. Instead, it was far more extreme than any other law in existence," he said. "It made the issue national. They had taken the other side's case completely. Every problem we have had since Roe is because the court seized control of the issue."

Just before the ruling, Taylor had thought he could take a break and return to graduate school. Instead, he became even more involved in organizing right-to-life committees across the country — though he did eventually go back to school.

Today, Taylor believes that the high court's decision led Church leaders, along with pro-life advocates of every denomination, to become more engaged in public-policy debates on social issues. And those early days of the pro-life movement have given him a more nuanced view of two emerging movements to uphold traditional marriage and religious freedom.

"The pro-life movement didn't happen overnight. People [who are now pro-life] have told me, 'I spent a whole year working on the [abortion] issue, and I have changed my mind.' Over 40 years, Americans have been educated, and they have educated themselves. In contrast, the marriage issue is new stuff, comparatively."

Phyllis Schlafly, for her part, was "absorbed with the ERA [Equal Rights Amendment]" when the Roe decision was announced.

Yet, just a few years earlier, she and her husband, Fred, had helped to block an effort to legalize abortion in Illinois.

After Roe made abortion on demand the law of the land, however, Schlafly soon perceived that some feminist activists believed the ERA would help secure access to abortion.

"Feminist leaders who supported the ERA" wanted to use it to obtain federal funding of abortion, Schlafly stated during a telephone interview.

"Their argument was that if abortion is only for women, and you deny funding of abortion, you are discriminating against women," she said.

From her perch directing a national political movement opposing the ERA, Schlafly also witnessed some initial friction between Catholics and Protestant opponents of abortion rights. "The Catholic bishops took up the fight right away. They were out front on abortion. The result was that Protestants didn't come aboard right away. Around 1973-75, there was still a lot of standoffishness. But, by '77, the Protestants came aboard and have been prominent ever since," she said.

Read more: http://www.ncregister.com/site/article/march-for-life-turns-40/

Source: NC Register

Lawmakers lament 40 years of legalized abortion

Pro-life politicians from across the country reflected on four decades of legal abortion in America, offering prayers and the promise of renewed efforts to build a culture of life.

Newly-elected Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) said that she is "heartbroken" by all the lives that have been devastated by abortion, but also "hopeful and inspired" by the young people who represent the future of the pro-life movement.

Wagner spoke on the House floor on Jan. 22, the 40th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that effectively legalized abortion throughout America.

She lamented the 1973 ruling as "a decision that has done so much harm to the moral landscape of our nation."

Wagner explained that as a mother, "the sanctity of life is very cherished and personal to me." She recalled traveling to Washington, D.C. 23 years ago to participate in the March for Life, while pregnant with her second son.

"I knew that it was not enough to simply say that I was pro-life," she said. "I literally had to walk the walk."

Wagner was one of numerous legislators from both major political parties who spoke out in support of life on Jan. 22, voicing sorrow over four decades of legalized abortion and pledging continued action to foster respect for all human life.

"While we mourn for the babies and their mothers, we in the pro-life movement must rededicate ourselves to prayer and action to protect life," said Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.).

In a statement provided to CNA, he explained that defenders of life must "not only focus on changing our nation's laws, but also changing hearts and minds, and caring for expectant mothers and their babies."

The congressman said that he is "uplifted by the participation of so many young people" in the March for Life each year. This year's march, scheduled for Jan. 25, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of participants, including a strong youth presence.

"With God's help, they are key to moving our nation away from the culture of death to embracing a culture of life," Lipinski stressed.

Dozens of pro-life lawmakers observed the anniversary of Roe v. Wade on social media sites.

"America knows the collective pain of abortion is a heavy burden no free and prosperous nation can carry forever," wrote Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Twitter.

"My belief in the sanctity of human life has deepened through my experiences as a mother, a Christian, and a nurse," Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) posted on Facebook. She added that the anniversary of Roe v. Wade is a reminder "that every life is a precious gift from God."

Multiple legislators quoted former President Ronald Reagan, who reflected on the 10th anniversary of Roe v. Wade that "(w)e cannot diminish the value of one category of human life – the unborn – without diminishing the value of all human life."

Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the 1973 decision "one of America's most blatant instances of judicial activism."

In an online statement, he mourned the loss of the millions of children who "have been denied the chance to celebrate a birthday, begin kindergarten or go on to contribute their God-given talents to our world."

Rubio pledged to continue fighting for the unborn in the U.S. Senate.
 
"As with many of our nation's most important debates," he added, "the battlefield of this issue is in the hearts and minds of the American electorate, and I pray that we can one day live in a society that fully cherishes every life from conception until death."

Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.), a former nurse, noted all the progress that women have made in modern society.

Black is one of several pro-life legislators who will address the crowds gathered for the March for Life.

Speaking at a Jan. 22 press conference marking the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, she observed that millions of unborn women "are not here to benefit from the progress we have made and share in our hopes and dreams for the future."

"We press on with the hope that one day we will live in a country where each and every life – both born and unborn – is respected, valued and given the opportunity to pursue his or her dreams," she said.

Source: CNA/EWTN News

Priests for Life Leader Father Pavone Honored by Youth as 'Defender of Life'

Hailing him as a "hero of the preborn," Students for Life of America will honor Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, with its 2013 "Defender of Life" award during its annual conference Jan. 26 in Bethesda, Md.

"His ground-breaking work exposing the true horrors of abortion through images of the aborted child, his countless hours standing and praying outside of abortion facilities offering women in crisis real help, and his great compassion for the women and men left with the heartache of abortion have inspired a generation to enter into the pro-life movement," said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life. "Throughout Father Frank's ministry he has been a leader, a visionary, and a courageously outspoken voice for the preborn."

Father Pavone became active in pro-life when he was still a teenager and attended his first March for Life. His easy rapport with youth makes him a crowd favorite every year as he walks with the women and men of the Silent No More Awareness Campaign and the Priests for Life Pastoral Team.

"Young people are not future leaders of the pro-life movement; they are leaders today," Father Pavone said. "They understand that one-third of their generation has been lost to abortion, and that they are survivors. When they speak up for the unborn, they are also speaking up for themselves. This is one reason why this cause is so personal for them."

Leaders of other youth organizations congratulated Father Pavone on his "Defender of Life" award.

Kristina Garza, director of campus outreach for Survivors of the Abortion Holocaust, said: "I cannot think of a more appropriate person to receive this year's Defender of Life award, than Father Frank Pavone. He works tirelessly, not only to defend life, but to end abortion. He is the general in this war on the Culture of Death. He always makes it a priority to empower and inspire young activists because he understands the value and vibrancy of this generation's efforts to end abortion. I will always be grateful for his outstanding example of courage, compassion, and integrity, and for his encouragement in my own work to change the hearts and minds of youth and young adults throughout our nation."

Jeff White, executive director of Survivors, described Father Pavone's role in the movement as that of "encourager, leader, priest, friend. He has been a true defender of God's preborn and has brought unity in a movement like no one else ever has. May God bless him richly for the lives whose rescue he has made possible. No one is more deserving of the Students for Life, Defender of Life award."

Bryan Kemper founded Stand True Pro-Life Outreach and is now also the Youth Outreach Director for Priests for Life. He said Father Pavone is one of his heroes, and much more than that.

"I have been in the pro-life movement for over 20 years and I have a lot of heroes. Father Frank is more than a hero, he is a mentor, a role model and a friend. I could not think of anyone more deserving to receive the Defender of Life Award from SFLA this year. I am so proud to work for and side by side with Father Frank in this fight to end the evil of our age. Together with all of the amazing pro-life warriors rising up I know we will see the abolishment of abortion."

"I am very grateful to Kristan Hawkins and the whole SFLA organization for this honor and for the work they do all year," Fr. Pavone added. "I look forward to visiting many of the Students for Life groups on their own campuses."

Source: Priests for Life

US states' pro-life legislation in 2012 deemed historic

A new report finding "significant victories for life" in state-level legislation during 2012 has left a leading U.S. pro-life group hopeful about the coming year.

"More than half of states have pro-life governors and pro-life majorities in their legislatures," said Dan McConchie, vice president of state legislative action for Americans United for Life, "so we expect pro-life advances to replicate the high levels of success in the past couple of years across the country."

McConchie told CNA that he expects to see "continued interest in restraining abortion coverage" in the new health care law throughout 2013, as well as "late term abortion bans, regulation of abortion-inducing drugs, and clinic regulations."

On Jan. 16, Americans United for Life released its annual "Life List," ranking all 50 states according to their ongoing legal efforts to protect life.

The 2013 list observed that the past year had seen "historic progress for life-affirming legislation" throughout the country.

"Last year, at least 60 new life-affirming laws, including at least 38 measures related to abortion, were enacted," the report said. "Additionally, 16 pro-life state resolutions were adopted."

Americans United for Life has worked for years to model and help enact language for pro-life legislation in states throughout the country.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of the organization, said the state-level successes lay "the foundation for rolling back and reversing Roe v. Wade," the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion nationally 40 years ago.

She predicted that the coming year will see numerous bills "that also work to protect the First Amendment Freedom of all Americans who do not want to be forced into business with Big Abortion."

The "Life List" found that the most legislatively pro-life states in America are Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Arizona, while Washington state, California, New York, Vermont and New Jersey are the least protective of life.

Most improved in 2012 was Arizona, which rose to number 5 on the list from number 14 the previous year. This was partly due to the adoption of the "Women's Health Protection Act," which bans abortions after 20 weeks gestation based on medical evidence of the danger that such abortions pose to women's health, as well as the unborn child's capacity to feel pain.

In addition, South Carolina became the eighth state to pass legislation banning insurance plans that cover abortion from participating in any exchanges operating in the state under the health care reform law.

Among the most popular abortion-related legislation in 2012 were bans on government and insurance funding for abortion and restrictions on drugs that can induce early abortions. Ultrasound requirements, abortion clinic regulations and informed consent laws were also common.

Americans United for Life also noted a nearly 40 percent rise in the number of measures initiated to protect freedom of conscience in healthcare, as well as a significant increase in end-of-life measures.

However, the group said, 2012 saw a nearly 50 percent decrease in biotechnology measures from the previous year, with only two states considering bans on embryo-destroying research and none initiating bans on human cloning.

The report observed that many of the least pro-life states on the list have had a state court "manufacture" a constitutional "right" to abortion beyond what is federally recognized. Others have enacted legislation that effectively blocks laws and regulations that would protect women and unborn children from abortion.

"For those states that have the least protective laws, the priority really should be the basic protections, especially informed consent and parental involvement," said McConchie. "Women considering abortion deserve both information and support before they make a monumental decision of this nature."

Source: CNA

Top 10 Pro-Life, Pro-Death States Unveiled - Where is Illinois?

Forty years and 55 million aborted lives after 1973's landmark Roe v. Wade decision, a list sizing up states in their protection and neglect of human life has been released.

Americans United for Life just unleashed its annual "Life List," to commend some states in their strides to protect the sanctity of life and to challenge others to step-up legislation protecting the innocent, preborn, and disabled.

Survey says

When AUL's analysis of the comprehensive successes of states was tallied, it determined which ones have the best on-going legal efforts to create and sustain a culture of life -- and which ones are more geared toward promoting the "culture of death."

Winning top pro-life honors this year, for the second year running, is Louisiana, followed (in order) by Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Arkansas, Arizona, Nebraska, Indiana, Missouri, Georgia, and Virginia.

"While the 'Life List' notes legislative accomplishments from the previous year, it also takes into account each state's cumulative record in defending and protecting the lives of their citizens -- from conception to natural death," AUL states.

The worst state? Ranking at #50 as the least pro-life state -- and #1 as the most pro-death state -- is Washington State, which has claimed this abysmal position for the fourth straight year. This is the same state that is currently trying to push through a bill that would force residents to buy abortion insurance.

States right behind The Evergreen State as being the worst offenders against human life are (in order) California, New York, Vermont, New Jersey, Connecticut, Oregon, Maryland, Hawaii, and Montana. (See full listing of all states)

The wider scope

This list was compiled to do more than cast light on the most current and powerful attempts to protect life.

"This analysis … [is] laying the foundation for rolling back and reversing Roe v. Wade," said AUL president and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest.

And she predicts that the year 2013 will be anything other than "unlucky" when it comes to laws protecting the preborn.

"Americans United for Life has been leading the way in innovative legislation that protects women and girls from a profit-hungry 'Big Abortion' industry, bloated with taxpayer dollars," says Yoest. "I predict that we'll see a large number of bills this year that also work to protect the First Amendment freedom of all Americans who do not want to be forced into business with Big Abortion."

The pro-life organization also believes that the tides have already begun to turn in the United States when it comes to new legal protections, as 2012 wasn't far behind 2011's record-breaking year.

"The 2012 state legislative year produced significant victories for Life across the United States, building on 2011's historic progress and laying the groundwork for future victories in 2013 and beyond," AU contends. "Through its state representatives and other significant relationships with state-based allies, AUL actively worked in 39 states to enact life-affirming laws and to defeat anti-life initiatives."

Its report shows strides it has made across multiple states.

"In 2012, AUL realized several important victories for life, including the enactment of 19 life-affirming laws," the pro-life organization reports. "[This year], the most popular abortion-related legislative measures included prohibitions on government funding and insurance coverage for abortion, legislation and resolutions related to pregnancy care centers, informed consent for abortion, ultrasound requirements, restrictions or regulations on abortion-inducing drugs and so-call 'telemed' abortions, and abortion clinic regulations and other abortion-provider requirements."

And with all of the pro-abortion healthcare reform floating around from state to state during the first term of the Obama administration, pro-life advocates have been busy at work to counter different kinds of anti-life policies.

"Importantly, there was a nearly 40-percent increase in the number of measures introduced to protect healthcare freedom of conscience," AUL points out. "Moreover, as a result of a substantial increase in the number of bills related to pain management and palliative care, measures related to end-of-life issues increased nearly two-fold."

Pro-life honor roll

For the first time, AUL introduced its Life List All-Stars this year to pay tribute to five states that made key pro-life legislative contributions above and beyond the rest during their 2012 sessions.

Receiving the highest honor for last year was Arizona.

"Arizona became the first state to enact AUL's 'Women's Health Defense Act,' prohibiting abortions at or after 20-weeks' gestation based on the well-documented dangers of late-term abortions to women's health and the pain experienced by unborn children," AUL revealed in its inaugural report, which notes the strides The Grand Canyon State made. "Most improved this year was Arizona, moving from No. 14 to No. 5."

Arizona's governor is also well aware of the leaps and bounds made in her state for life.

"As a pro-life governor and former legislator, I know first-hand the crucial role AUL plays on the state level to advance the cause of protecting the unborn," said Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer. "Without a doubt, AUL is an invaluable resource for pro-life legal guidance and educational materials. Through AUL's efforts, we are winning the battle as we encourage more mothers to make the choice for life and give a voice to those who don't have one."

Also making the pro-life all-star list is runner-up Georgia, with New Hampshire, Virginia and South Carolina taking the third, fourth and fifth spots, respectively.

Source: OneNewsNow

40th Anniversary: Remember the Children

On this 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion, the Republican Coalition for Life is sending people to abortion clinics to remember the day in a special way.

Dianne Edmondson, who heads the Republican Coalition for Life, notes that when tragedies take the lives of children, people often remember them by going to the site and leaving flowers, teddy bears, and handwritten notes. She points out that with approximately 600 abortion clinics throughout the nation, there are plenty of such sites.

"We'd like to encourage those who value the sanctity of life to just go to an abortion facility near them and put a teddy bear there, put a candle, balloon, something to show that the child who was aborted at that facility sometime during these last 40 years is valued and is remembered," Edmondson says.

People are also encouraged to offer a silent prayer for the victims and for the workers in the clinic. In addition, she believes the event will draw public attention to the displays.

"This is raising the awareness of the American people -- who are at least 50-percent pro-life, according to all the recent polling -- to let them know that this is where it takes place, this is where babies are killed," she tells OneNewsNow.

"And perhaps then they will take actions to make sure that they elect people who are going to do whatever they can to protect these unborn children."

Edmondson hopes thousands of people nationwide will participate and hand out the flyers available on the Republican National Coalition for Life website.

Source: OneNewsNow

Roe v. Wade: 40 Years Too Many

Right-to-life movement remains committed to helping mothers and children



As the nation observes the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court's infamous Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions legalizing abortion for any reason and throughout pregnancy, National Right to Life, the nation's oldest and largest national pro-life organization, is encouraging right-to-life activists from coast-to-coast to redouble their efforts on behalf of mothers and their unborn children.

The following statement may be attributed to Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life:

Abortion-on-demand, which has claimed the lives of more than 55 million unborn children, has remained the law of the land for 40 years. Roe is a sad commentary on our society's attitudes toward women and their unborn children. Instead of helping and empowering mothers, our society funnels them to the nearest abortion clinic.

In our society, no mother should ever feel like abortion is her only option and no unborn child should ever be considered 'expendable.' Yet every year, abortion takes the lives of more than 1.2 million unborn children, leaving their mothers susceptible to emotional and physical risks – and all of this is done under the banners of 'choice' and 'reproductive freedom.'

These terms, and their deadly consequences, not only degrade women, they dehumanize all humankind. Roe is an assault on the very foundation of our country--the principle that life is the most fundamental of all human rights.

The right-to-life movement remains more committed than ever to protecting unborn children and providing compassionate, life-affirming alternatives to their mothers.

Our humanity is not defined by the atrocities that have been committed throughout history, but by the shining light of those who recognize injustice and refuse to be complicit through silence. What profoundly scares abortion supporters gives us enormous confidence in the future: young people are more and more pro-life.

As the next generation stands up for mothers and their unborn children, we know that the days of Roe are numbered.

Source: National Right to Life Committee

Planned Parenthood’s Cancer War on Women Continues 40 Years After U.S. Supreme Court Made Induced Abortion Legally Accessible Throughout Pregnancy

 
Planned Parenthood reported in its 2008 tax returns that its purpose is "[a]chieving, through informed individual choice, a U.S. population of stable size in an optimum environment; in stimulating and sponsoring relevant biomedical, socio-economic, and demographic research." [1]
 
In other words, its purpose is to assist the U.S. government in achieving its population control objectives. Its last two annual reports show it received over a billion dollars in taxpayer money between June 2010 and June 2012. [2]
 
Increased childbearing, starting before age 25, has long been known to provide significant protection against breast cancer. But, Planned Parenthood is waging a cancer war on women through its sales of induced abortions, contraceptives, abortifacients, injections, vaginal rings, skin patches, implants, IUDs and sterilizations.
 
Although the abortion chain acknowledges the risk reducing effects associated with having an early first full term pregnancy and breastfeeding, it contradicts itself by denying that abortion puts women at an increased risk for the disease. Planned Parenthood omits from its "fact sheet" most of the 71 epidemiologic studies reporting an independent link, meaning that abortion also raises breast cancer risk by leaving the breasts with more places for cancers to start. [3,4]
 
"Like Big Tobacco, the abortion industry will not inform women that induced abortion raises breast cancer risk," asserted Karen Malec, president of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer. "That's why we applaud legislators in seven states that have passed informed consent legislation requiring abortionists to either provide pregnant women this information before an abortion themselves or in state health department literature. [5]
 
"Planned Parenthood ought to be compelled to inform women about the breast cancer risks of abortion and the birth control pill. The World Health Organization lists combined oral contraceptives (the pill containing estrogen + progestin) as a Group 1 carcinogen that puts women at risk for cancers of the breast, liver and cervix (although it reduces risk for rare cancers of the endometrium and ovaries). [6] Two studies report a strong connection between use of the pill and an aggressive form of breast cancer - triple-negative breast cancer." [7,8]
 
Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards justifies her organization's gluttony for taxpayer funds (nearly $1.48 million daily) by claiming the organization provides health care services, but its annual reports show that between October 2010 and October 2011 it:
 
1) Performed 4,519 more abortions;

2) Provided 289,171 fewer cancer screening and prevention services; and

3) Provided 108,223 fewer breast exams and breast care services.
 
Importantly, Planned Parenthood does not provide mammograms. It refers women to other providers.
 
In December of 2011, the breast cancer group, Susan G. Komen for the Cure attempted to stop giving Planned Parenthood what its leadership called "crappy grants," according to the book, Planned Bullyhood. [9] In response, Cecile Richards and her allies in the Oversexed Left responded with lightening speed by orchestrating a blitzkrieg publicity campaign against Komen. They falsely alleged that women's health would be harmed by the loss of the grants and forced the charity to agree to resume the grants after three days.
 
"Planned Parenthood's allies in Congress and the media, however, have shown zero concern about the abortion chain's inferior and declining performance in providing cancer screening and prevention services," said Malec.
 
"It is evident from Planned Parenthood's latest annual report that Komen's original decision to terminate the grants was correct. Richards and her associates don't care about women's health. They care most about profiteering in abortion, contraceptives, abortifacients, and sterilizations, no matter how many women's lives are lost."
 
The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women's organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer.
 
References:
 
1. Planned Parenthood Federation of American 2008 Income Tax Returns. Available at: <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/PPFA_FY09_Form_990_Copy_for_Public_Inspection.PDF>.
 
2. Planned Parenthood Annual Financial Report 2010-2011 and Planned Parenthood Annual Report 2011-2012 are available at: <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/annual-report-4661.htm>. Planned Parenthood Annual Report 2009-2010 is available at: <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/PP_Services.pdf>.
 
3. "Anti-choice claims about abortion and breast cancer," Planned Parenthood fact sheet, January 2012. Available at: <http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/Anti_Choice_Claims_About_Breast_Cancer.pdf>.
 
4. "Epidemiologic studies: Induced abortion and breast cancer risk," Breast Cancer Prevention Institute fact sheet, September 2012. Available at: <http://www.bcpinstitute.org/FactSheets/BCPI-FactSheet-Epidemiol-studies.pdf>.
 
5. "Informed consent laws," Defending Life. Americans United for Life, p. 151. Available at: <http://www.aul.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/maps-2.pdf>.
 
6. "IARC Monographs on the evaluation of carcinogenic risks to humans," International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, "Agents classified by the IARC monographs, volumes 1-106," Group 1 carcinogens. Available at: <http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Classification/index.php>.
 
7. Dolle J, Daling J, White E, Brinton L, Doody D, et al. Risk factors for triple-negative breast cancer in women under the age of 45 years. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(4)1157-1166. Available at: <http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com/download/Abortion_Breast_Cancer_Epid_Bio_Prev_2009.pdf>.
 
8. Ma H, Wang Y, Sullivan-Halley J, Weiss L, Marchbanks PA, Spirtas R, Ursin G, Burkman RT, Simon MS, Malone KE, Strom BL, McDonald JA, Press MF, Bernstein L. Use of four biomarkers to evaluate the risk of breast cancer subtypes in the Women's Contraceptive and Reproductive Experiences Study. Cancer Research 2010;70(2):575-587. Available at: <http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/70/2/575.long>.
 
9. Karen Handel, Planned Bullyhood, Howard Books, 2012. Available at: <http://www.plannedbullyhood.com/invitation/coalition-on-abortion-breast-cancer/>.

Memorial to unborn vandalized at Illinois Catholic university

A temporary memorial commemorating the lives snuffed out by abortion was vandalized at DePaul University, a Catholic university in Illinois.

Members of the DePaul University chapter Young Americans for Freedom put up the memorial on the morning of January 22 with permission of the school's administration. By afternoon, it had been vandalized, and videotape evidence suggested the vandalism was committed by three or four female students.

"It is a sad thing to see that liberal minded students aren't [tolerant] and don't respect the views of those who respect the lives of the unborn," said Kristopher Del Campo, chairman of the student organization that put up the display.

Source: CWN

President issues statement on 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade

President Barack Obama issued a brief statement to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that struck down laws protecting unborn human life.

"On the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we reaffirm its historic commitment to protect the health and reproductive freedom of women across this country and stand by its guiding principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters, and women should be able to make their own choices about their bodies and their health care," the president said.

"Today and every day, my Administration continues our efforts to reduce unintended pregnancies, support maternal and child health, and minimize the need for abortion," he added. "On this anniversary, we recommit ourselves to supporting women and families in the choices they make and redouble our efforts to promote safe and healthy communities."

Source: CWN

News Links for January 18th

Pew survey on abortion attitudes criticized as misleading

2nd court victory for Illinois company against contraceptive-coverage mandates

Georgia Right to Life Hails 'Personhood' Milestone

Star Parker: Roe v. Wade, 40 Years Later

40 Year Anniversary of Roe vs. Wade

40 Years of Roe v. Wade Marks Four Decades of Opposition by Pro-Life's 'Godfather'

What Has 40 Years of Abortion Done to America?

Help Memorialize 55 Million Slaughtered Since Roe

Ryan Bomberger, Live Action, and Irish Pro-Life Leaders to Headline All Life is Sacred Rally in DC

Abortion Exposed -- On 2 Jumbo TVs -- At 2 Marches -- On 2 Coasts -- At the Same Time

Statement of Sandra Cano (The Former 'Mary Doe' of Doe V. Bolton) on the 40th Anniversary of 'Roe' and 'Doe'

Pro-Life Nation's New Booklet Urges a Refocusing of the Pro-Life Message

Abandoned Reveals Untold Story of the Abortion Wars: Unprecedented, Controversial Book Reveals Dynamics of Pro-Life Activism and the 40-year Injustice of Legalized Abortion

Complaint: Remodeling on Former Tiller Abortion Clinic Illegally Proceeding Without Permits

Owners of Healthcare Management Business Win Temporary Restraining Order -- Not Required to Provide Insurance Coverage for Contraception in Employer Health Insurance Plans

Caging the Human Cloning Beast

Twins Euthanized in Belgium

Euthanasia Really the Right of Kevorkians

Pro-Life Nation urges a refocusing of the pro-life message

Ben Franklin, January 17, 1706: "Of What Use is a Newborn Baby?"

Cleaning up Michigan's abortion industry

Pro-life article merely a pro-abortion tactic?

Court rules child protection laws apply to unborn babies

Miss. law on side of pro-lifers

TX deals Planned Parenthood another blow

Planned Parenthood abortion numbers rise, other services fall

Facebook abortion ads prompt call for pro-life action

Alabama Supreme Court recognizes unborn as 'children'

Irish pro-lifers rally at defining moment in abortion law

Changes to March for Life focus on engaging culture

'Religious Freedom Day' prompts renewed opposition to mandate

Generation Life spreads pro-life, chastity message among Catholic youth

Euthanasia approved for Belgian twins because of approaching blindness

US opinions unchanged on Roe v. Wade

Hobby Lobby finds short-term way to avoid fines

20,000 Russians protest ban on U.S. adoptions

Law Restricting Pro-Lifers Dismissed for Third Time

Charges leveled against a Chicago pro-lifer jailed for violating the city's bubble zone law at abortion clinics have been dismissed for a third time. A legal expert believes that's evidence the law needs to be erased from the books.

The bubble zone specifies a distance pro-life counselors must stay away from people entering an abortion clinic. Attorney Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society tells OneNewsNow that 64-year-old grandmother Anna Marie Mesia was the most recent person arrested for violating the law, this time at a north side late-term abortion clinic.

"And in this particular case, Anna Marie was not in the area where the bubble zone even applies," he says. "But that did not stop the abortion facility employees from filing the complaint, calling 9-1-1 as if it were an actual emergency, and it didn't stop the Chicago police from arresting her and booking her."

Prosecutors could not prove their case so the court had little choice but to dismiss it, and that was without even having all the evidence brought into court.

"These charges in particular were also dismissed because the state said that the abortion clinic refused to allow its employees to testify to the court and refused to answer to the subpoena that we were given leave to serve on them to get the surveillance video and the pictures of the alleged incident," Breen adds.

Breen says the video and pictures would have proven Mesia was not violating the law.

Three times pro-lifers have been arrested under the bubble zone ordinance -- and three times the charges went nowhere. Breen says police need to stop enforcing the law, as it is one that needs to be repealed.

Source: OneNewsNow

Surrender the Secret - New Christian Reality Show Addresses Post-Abortion Healing

Since abortion was legalized by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, January 22, 1973, over 54 million babies have been aborted in the United States alone. This tragedy is compounded by the emotional scars carried by women who have experienced abortions.

Between 35-40% of women in the U.S. have had an abortion. The grief and guilt a woman carries with her after an abortion can be overwhelming. Abortion has been linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse and suicidal attempts or thoughts. Even the Supreme Court has acknowledged that some women come to regret the choice they've made to "abort the infant they once created and sustained… severe depression and loss of esteem can follow," (Gonzales v. Carhart 550 U.S. 124, 159 (2007)). Even so, a majority of women never receive counseling or support following an abortion. One study notes that two thirds of women reported not receiving any counseling related to their abortion.

In light of the prevalence of post-abortion suffering, it is imperative that we focus on helping women heal from past abortions by showing them the love and forgiveness offered by Christ. Many Pregnancy Resource Centers and other Christian groups now offer hope for healing from past abortions through counseling and Bible studies created specifically for women who have experienced abortion. One such Bible study, Surrendering the Secret, by Pat Layton, LifeWay Press, 2008, has been widely used by counselors and pregnancy resource centers as they minister to women hurting from past abortions.

The Surrendering the Secret Bible study will be featured this month in Christian reality series, aptly titled Surrender the Secret, by the groundbreaking new internet Christian television network, Knock TV. The ten episode series premieres on January 22, 2013, marking the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. It will follow five women who tell their stories of past abortions and embark on a journey toward healing together. Surrender the Secret touches on the serious topic of post-abortion healing with grace and compassion as well as high quality production one would expect from a more established television network.

KnockTV, headed by President and CEO Geoffrey Rogers, was created to "redefine what Christian television means to America," by offering programming that is "interesting, relevant, exciting, education and what Christians want to watch." Surrender the Secret will be the first of several planned shows offered by KnockTV. You can watch the show weekly, beginning January 22, on www.knocktv.com.

We must remember that post-abortion suffering is real and prevalent in our society. It is important that we reach out to lovingly support women on their road to healing and offer alternatives to abortion. KnockTV is playing a part in bringing awareness to post-abortion suffering through "Surrender the Secret." For more resources on post-abortion healing, visit Operation Outcry, an organization established to "end the pain of abortion in America and around the world by mobilizing women and men hurt by abortion who share their true stories of the devastating effects of abortion." You can find a link to the Surrendering the Secret Bible study on knocktv.com, and learn more about post-abortion suffering by downloading FRC's resource booklet, "Post-Abortion Suffering, A Psychiatrist Looks at the Effects of Abortion."

Source: FRCBlog

Pro-Life Citizens Unite to End Abortion

"Send a message to the White House" and boldly proclaim that abortion is not acceptable in the United States.



RememberingRoe.com, in partnership with Red Envelope Day, hopes to send 1.2 million pro-life messages to the President on January 22, commemorating the 1.2 million babies aborted in the U.S. every year since 1973, when abortion on-demand became legal as a result of Roe v. Wade.

Pro-life citizens are encouraged to join this effort by visiting RememberingRoe.com and clicking the red, "Send a Message" button on the website's homepage.

Led by Heartbeat International, more than 10 pro-life organizations have united to form RememberingRoe.com, an interactive website commemorating the 40th anniversary of Roe, the insidious Supreme Court decision that has led to the killing of more than 54 million unborn children in the United States alone.

Just as Americans will never forget 9/11, the day on which nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, so too, we will never forget Roe v. Wade, which has allowed nearly 3,300 unborn children to be aborted every day for the last 40 years.

RememberingRoe.com provides a centralized venue for the pro-life community to declare, "We will never forget." The website provides tools to share stories, post prayers, and register to join a national prayer webcast January 22 at 3 p.m. (EST).

Go to RememberingRoe.com and see how you can participate in the unique pro-life event.

Source: Heartbeat International

40 Years After Roe V. Wade, 40 Film Takes on the Civil Rights Issue of Abortion

History Will be Made with Groundbreaking Documentary



To coincide with the upcoming 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade on January 22, the 40 film is sure to be the most groundbreaking pro-life documentary in history. The film will present abortion as not merely a religious or political issue, but as the most important fundamental human and civil rights issue of our time.

Directed by John E. Morales with Executive Producer Jason Jones, the founder of Movie to Movement, the film will feature inspiring stories and deeply personal interviews with champions of the pro-life movement. It will address some of the strongest arguments for the pro-choice/pro-abortion position countered by pro-life answers from a wide and diverse array of pro-life activists, leaders and youth.

40 features some of the biggest names in the pro-life movement such as Investigative Journalist Lila Rose, the President of Live Action, Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood abortion clinic director and Senior Policy Advisor with American's United For Life, Rebecca Kiessling, Pro-Life Speaker and Attorney, David Bereit, the National Director of 40 Days for Life, Father Frank Pavone, the National Director of Priests for Life, and Pro-Life legend Joe Scheidler, the Founder of the Pro-Life Action League, and Pastor Caesar Le Flore, Midwest Director of LEARN. 40 also includes the powerful testimonies of former abortionists Dr. Anthony Levatino, Dr. John Bruchalski and many more!

Pro-life and humanitarian activist, film producer Jason Jones is the Executive Producer of 40. Jason is the President of Movie to Movement, the grassroots marketing team that was behind the box office phenomenon 2016: Obama's America. Jones was also Co-Executive Producer of the movie, BELLA, recipient of The People's Choice Award at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival. BELLA has inspired hundreds of abortion-bound mothers to choose life for their babies.

Former Fox Sports Net sportscaster John E. Morales is the Producer and Director of The 40 Film. John brings an extensive 20-year background in radio and television to the 40 project. Morales was the co-producer, writer, and narrator of the award winning "Champions of Faith: Baseball Edition," a groundbreaking sports film that showcases the intersection of sports and faith in Major League Baseball.

Source: The 40 Film

Judge Halts Illinois Mandate of Contraceptives and Abortifacients Coverage in HHS Lawsuit

Thomas More Society Says Triune Health Group's Religious Liberty Protected



Judge Terence M. Sheen of the DuPage County Circuit Court granted Triune Health Group's motion for a temporary restraining order against Illinois' contraception mandate, which forces coverage of abortifacients and contraceptives in group healthcare plans. This temporary restraining order comes on the heels of a preliminary injunction issued by U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve, granting Triune Health Group temporary relief from the federal HHS mandated healthcare coverage of abortifacients, sterilizations, and contraceptives.

"The ruling today is a victory for religious liberty and the right of conscience," said Peter Breen executive director and legal counsel for the Thomas More Society. "Religious liberty rights don't end at the four walls of the church. In this pluralistic society, we don't force people to abandon their religious beliefs merely because they are engaged in the marketplace."

This was the first ruling by an Illinois court that the state's contraception mandate for health insurance may be preempted by Illinois laws protecting conscience and religious freedom.

The court will hear argument on the Illinois Attorney General's motion to transfer the case to Cook County Circuit Court on February 6. Plaintiffs oppose the motion because Triune Health Group is located in DuPage County.

Source: Thomas More Society

Stop Borrowing Money from China to Pay for Abortions in America

Conservative leaders are calling on Congress to refuse to raise the debt ceiling until Planned Parenthood is defunded.
 


With last week's revelation that over a half billion dollars in tax dollars is being funneled from Federal tax coffers to Planned Parenthood last year, Pro-Life Nation, Operation Rescue, and other pro-life leaders call upon Congress to refuse to raise the nation debt ceiling until Planned Parenthood is defunded.
 
Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the world and received $542 million in taxpayer money last year alone. Their latest annual report indicates that abortions done by Planned Parenthood have reached an all-time high while "well-woman" services, such as cancer screenings and contraceptive services, dramatically dropped.
 
"While the amount of legitimate medical services at Planned Parenthood was being slashed, Federal tax dollars - along with the number of abortions - substantially increased. In order to keep paying Planned Parenthood, the U.S. must borrow more money from China, the world's largest human rights abuser where forced abortions and sterilizations continue unabated. This is intolerable," said Troy Newman, President of Pro-Life Nation and Operation Rescue.
 
"Congress' irresponsible 'tax and spend' policies have mutated into 'borrow and kill.' This insanity has to stop. The debt ceiling crisis will come to a head in the next few weeks. Now is the time to draw the line in the sand and demand that America stop borrowing money from human rights abusers so we can give it to the butchers at Planned Parenthood."
 
Operation Rescue and other conservative and pro-life leaders are in talks with House members to force a show-down over Planned Parenthood funding. Additionally, Operation Rescue plans to make hundreds of thousands of informative robo-calls to key Congressional house districts. A civil disobedience campaign is also in the works.
 
"Recent polling shows Congress' popularity is less than root canals and cockroaches. It appears that the low favorability rating is due to Congress' spending addiction. Taxpayers are tired of footing the bill for Congressional irresponsibility that includes dumping billions down the rat hole of a failing abortion industry. By continuing to borrow money to fund Planned Parenthood, Congress has created a recipe for civil unrest. This irresponsibility has to stop, for the good of the nation," said Newman.

Source: Operation Rescue/Pro-Life Nation

Justin Bieber's Mother Adds Her Voice to the Pro-Life 'Crescendo'

The mother of the pop-music star is executive producer of a new movie.


A scene from 'Crescendo'

The producers behind the new award-winning short film Crescendo hope that their film has the same kind of life-altering effect as movies such as October Baby and Bella.

Created by the same team that put together Bella, the debut of Crescendo Feb. 28 also features a video testimony by Pattie Mallette, the mother of pop-music teen favorite Justin Bieber, as a fundraising appeal for crisis-pregnancy centers nationwide.

Producers Eduardo Verástegui, Jason Jones and Leo Severino plan to debut the 15-minute film, and Mallette's appeal to raise funds for crisis-pregnancy centers around the country, at individual- and organization-hosted showings. Their goal is to release the film on more than 100 screens during a special one-night event.

"My lifelong mission has been to work for the full protection of the human person," said Jones, founder of Movie to Movement. "I wanted to create a universal film that promotes the dignity and worth of the human person across cultures and time."

Based on a true story, Crescendo is set in the 18th century. It tells the story of a series of events that turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary experience for a woman (portrayed by Colombian actress Montserrat Espalde) whose life will never be the same. The film enlisted the talent of accomplished Mexican writer and director Alonso Alvarez.

Mallette, the film's executive producer, recorded a special appeal at the conclusion of the film that shares her own testimony. Mallette became pregnant at the age of 17 and spent the duration of her pregnancy living at a Canadian crisis-pregnancy center.

"I felt alone and scared and unprepared and didn't have anywhere to go," Mallette told the Register about her experience. "If it wasn't for the crisis-pregnancy center, I'm not sure where we would be. They offered me a place to stay, education, proper nutrition and gave me the confidence to be the best mom to Justin that I could be."

Mallette said the film really resonated with her.

"I could relate to the position of the mother in the film — also the mother of a musical son," said Mallette. "I had a lot of pressure not to keep my baby. I could relate with her."

Mallette said that Justin Bieber hasn't yet seen the film, but is well aware of it.

"He knows about it; I've talked to him about it," said Mallette. "We're working out details for the debut while I'm on tour with Justin in Europe in February."

"I'm excited to lend my name to support this project," said Mallette. "I'm excited to give others the same opportunities I had. My hope is that this movie encourages young women just like me all over the world that there is a safe place they can go where people will take care of you."
 
February Debut

Heartbeat International, a national network of pregnancy-help centers, is encouraging like-minded organizations to participate with Movie to Movement in hosting a showing as a way to fundraise within their communities.

"I encourage every pregnancy-help organization to bring the blessings of Crescendo to their own community for the grand premiere on Feb. 28," said Peggy Hartshorn, president of Heartbeat International. "The film is riveting and powerful, and the life-affirming finale will stay in your heart. It's a unique, enjoyable and beautiful way to raise much-needed dollars to save and change lives in our ministries."

More than a dozen pregnancy centers have already signed up to host the film. Among them are four Expectant Mother Care/EMC Frontline Pregnancy Centers, which are based in New York, and the Gabriel Project on the West Virginia-Ohio border.

Attorney Khadine Ritter first saw the film at a gathering in November.

"I was very impressed with the movie," said Ritter. "It was very moving, cinematically beautiful and very powerful. Afterwards, during a break, I told Jason I wanted to help."

Ritter is working with the Mid-Ohio Valley Gabriel Project of West Virginia to show the film as a fundraiser for the pregnancy-help center.

The film will be shown at the Regal Cinema at Grand Central Mall in Vienna, W.Va., and the organization is working with local churches, right-to-life organizations and the pregnancy-help center's donor list to promote the showing.

The cost to host the film ranges between $700-$2,500 for the necessary site license, disc and movie promotional materials. Details are available through the film's website.
 
Reaction to the Film

The film has already garnered more than 15 international film-festival awards for its high production value and artistry, including the Heartland Film Festival's Crystal Heart Award and "Best Short Film" from the Hollywood Film Festival.

It has also attracted the support of many.

"Crescendo is powerful in content and truly makes you think," said Andrea Trudden, director of communications and marketing with Heartbeat International. "The cinematography is phenomenal."

"Crescendo touches the heart and soul of life's bittersweet song with a powerful promise," said Alveda King, pastoral associate with Priests for Life. "If the notes are left in God's hand, he will create a masterpiece."

"Crescendo is a beautiful, powerful, transformational short movie that reveals an important deeper truth," said Ted Baehr, MovieGuide publisher.

Some may question the value of a short vs. a feature-length film, but as Pixar has demonstrated through the animated short subjects that precede its feature-length films, there is an audience.

Register film critic Steven Greydanus compared the artistic value of a short to a parable.

"The main value of a short is that it offers you a way to tell the story you want to tell — and often more creatively than a feature film," said Greydanus, founder of Decent Films. "A short film is like a short story, potentially like a parable. A quick sketch, a simple scenario has a special kind of power to capture the essence of inspiration, of a single idea."

"In this age of YouTube, if a short succeeds, it can go viral and have a huge impact," Greydanus added.

The producers hope that the lasting impact of Crescendo is in saving lives. They've seen it happen before.

According to Jones, who provides Bella to crisis-pregnancy centers through the Bella Hero Project, that film has resulted in more than 581 women who have chosen life after seeing the movie.

"Movies have a way of working their way from the screen into your heart," said mother Crissy Stanley. "Because of Bella, I decided to choose life and am now the proud mother of beautiful twins, who are my 'miracle babies' that I can't imagine my life without."

Source: National Catholic Register

A Nation Mourns the Deaths of 55 Million Children

Pro-life Advocates Mark Grim Anniversary with Prayer, Memorial to Abortion Victims



This Tuesday, January 22, thousands of citizens across the nation will be marking a tragic anniversary with prayer and visits to hundreds of memorial sites. They will be remembering the lives of the over 55 million children killed by abortion in the United States since the Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Event Details
 
What: Memorial visits and prayers of mourning for the unborn victims of abortion

When: Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Where: Hundreds of memorial sites dedicates to the unborn victims of abortion sites indexed by state at prolifeaction.org/mourn.php

More information: prolifeaction.org/hotline/2013/mourn

On the 40th Anniversary of the court ruling that legalized abortion throughout the United States, the Pro-Life Action League is coordinating a nationwide prayer campaign, "Blessed Are They Who Mourn."

"We cannot not let the brief lives of abortion's innocent victims to be utterly forgotten," said Eric Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League. "As a nation we have been mourning for the twenty precious children massacred at Sandy Hook Elementary School last month. Now we're calling on our nation to reflect on the profound loss of all the millions of children aborted since 1973, and mourn for them, too -- children whose names and faces will never be on the evening news, but whose lives were just as precious."

Scheidler said that "Blessed Are They Who Mourn" is inspired, in part, by the words of Pope Benedict XVI, who has called mourning a "shattering encounter with truth, which leads men to undergo conversion and to resist evil."

For a list of 265 sites in 41 states, including 24 grave sites, visit prolifeaction.org/mourn.php.

Source: Pro-Life Action League

News Links for January 11th

Caging the Human Cloning Beast

Hobby Lobby CEO Pens Letter About Loss of Religious Freedom

Planned Parenthood: More Dead Children and Largest Budget Ever

First National TV Ad Campaign Highlighting Adoption as Alternative to Abortion a Success

U.S. Attorney General Settles with Pro-Life Advocate in Legal Fiasco

'NAACP Forsakes Tonya Reaves and Natural Marriage, Favors Reproductive Genocide,' Says Dr. Alveda King

Sex Selection Abortion Behind India Rape Crisis?

Ethical Stem Cells as Effective as Embryonic

Unborn eviction notice

Supreme Court Declines to Review Sherley v Sebelius Stem Cell Lawsuit

Abortuary closes, investigation continues

Planned Parenthood: Record year for abortions, taxpayer funding

Regulations on abortion clinics will save lives

Mother wants abortion industry's lies to stop

Elk remembered ... babies ignored

Tens of thousands pledge support for Hobby Lobby

Time magazine says pro-life advocates are winning

Federal judge rejects Notre Dame's challenge to HHS mandate

French authorities find heightened health risks in new oral contraceptives

Supreme Court lets stand ruling allowing federally-funded embryonic stem-cell research

Court temporarily halts enforcement of HHS mandate against Illinois company

CHA leaders still hopes for 'accommodation' on HHS mandate

Times offers an unbiased look at pregnancy-help centers

Irish deputy prime minister disagrees with Pope's stand against legal abortion

Doctors ask British court to direct abortion for mentally disabled woman

Judge dismisses Protestant college's suit against HHS mandate

UN focus on abortion ignores deadly and preventable diseases

Irish bishops urge lawmakers against allowing abortion

2nd Lawsuit Filed After Tonya Reaves' Death

Five months after Tonya Reaves death following a second trimester abortion, details aren't complete on the circumstances. It may take lawsuits to make that happen in the death of Tonya Reaves.

Reaves, 24, walked into a Chicago Planned Parenthood for an abortion July 20 and died late that night at a hospital. Troy Newman of Operation Rescue explains why he believes the death to be a tragic one.

"She could have easily survived this, but she was left to bleed to death for 5 ½ hours before Planned Parenthood finally brought her to a hospital, and even a Level-2 trauma center couldn't figure it out before it was too late," he tells OneNewsNow.

A staff member called an ambulance about the time their shifts were over. Surgeons found an incomplete abortion, which they completed, and loss of blood from a perforated uterus. They had to perform a hysterectomy, but Reaves died. Operation Rescue demanded an investigation.

"We went ahead and filed that complaint and we do know that there is at least some cursory investigation into it, although a lot of times they just don't have the passion to pursue it: (A) because it's an abortion case, and (B) because we're not the next of kin."

A wrongful death lawsuit has been lodged against Planned Parenthood by Reaves' mother. A second one has now been filed by her surviving son and the boy's father.

Source: OneNewsNow

Iowa Planned Parenthood Case Dismissed, not Defeated

ADF attorneys expect to be back in court in an attempt to pursue a whistleblower lawsuit against Iowa Planned Parenthood.

Sue Thayer, a former clinic director, filed the lawsuit alleging fraud on the part of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland. In dismissing the lawsuit, Judge James Jarvey acknowledged substantial allegations of fraud schemes, but under the Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals standard for false claims act cases, he ruled that very specific evidence -- including names, dates, amounts of service, etc. -- was lacking.

Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Michael Norton tells OneNewsNow his firm is "very disappointed in this result, but we are not giving up."

"We have an opportunity, we think, to present some of these specifics to this judge, and we're in the process of putting that together so that we can file a request that the judge reconsider this order and accept the specific evidence that we do have," the attorney continues.

But he explains that much of the information is protected as private and privileged under federal law, which is making things difficult for ADF. Norton will ask that any information provided to the court be sealed, and Judge Jarvey will be asked to decide how to deal with it. Still, the attorney says it is a significant obstacle.

Soource: OneNewsNow

Planned Parenthood: Raking in Government Money, Driving Up Abortion Numbers

Following the release of Planned Parenthood's annual report yesterday, the Susan B. Anthony List  issued a press release reporting the following facts:

During fiscal year 2011-2012, Planned Parenthood reported receiving a record $542 million in taxpayer funding in the form of government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursements. Taxpayer funding consists of 45% of Planned Parenthood's annual revenue.

In 2011, Planned Parenthood performed a record high 333,964 abortions.

Over the past three reported years (2009-2011), Planned Parenthood has performed nearly one million abortions (995,687).

Cancer screening & prevention services and contraceptive services provided by Planned Parenthood continue to drop. Contraceptive services have dropped by 12% since 2009, and cancer screening & prevention services have dropped by 29%.

Planned Parenthood reported a total of three million clients in 2011, meaning that 11% of all Planned Parenthood clients received an abortion.

Though the Hyde Amendment prohibits the federal government from funding elective abortions, the simple fact is that money is fungible. As the FRC pamphlet America's Abortion Provider: What Everyone Should Know about Planned Parenthood states, "By funding non-abortion services, the federal government essentially allows Planned Parenthood to cover overhead and other expenses, as it pursues a more lucrative and lethal business—abortions."

In the Chart 1 from America's Abortion Provider, we first show the correspondence between Planned Parenthood's government funding and the number of abortions it performs.

However, in Chart 3, we show the almost perfect co-variance between annual increases or decreases in federal funding for Planned Parenthood and the following year's increase or decrease in the number of abortions they perform.

The only exception to the very close correlation between present-year funding and next-year abortions is 2007-2008. At this point, we see a shift to correlation between present-year funding and present-year abortions.

As America's Abortion Provider notes, "[i]n the end, the operating model of Planned Parenthood is such that its abortion activities require the overhead and general funding support of the federal government."

Source: FRCBlog

Chicago's Bubble Zone Ordinance Burst Again as Charges are Filed, Then Dismissed

Clinic Refused to Give Evidence, Another Win for Thomas More Society

Today, the City of Chicago dropped all charges against Anna Marie Mesia, 64, who was charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly violating the City's abortion clinic "bubble zone" law at the Family Planning Associates late-term abortion facility on the North Side of Chicago. The abortion clinic had sought the charges against Mesia, but City prosecutors stated in court that the clinic now refuses to allow its employees to testify or even to produce surveillance videos and photos of the alleged crime. The court had previously allowed Mesia's attorney, Peter Breen, executive director and legal counsel for the Thomas More Society, to subpoena the clinic for videos, photos, and documents related to the incident.

"Today's dismissal marks our fourth client in three years who has been wrongfully arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, based on reports made by Chicago abortion clinics," said Breen. "Every single one of these arrests has resulted in a dismissal. These repeated false arrests and prosecutions, today of a 64-year-old grandmother, are an embarrassment to the City and make a mockery of the rule of law. It's time for the City of Chicago to take the First Amendment seriously and stop arresting peaceful law-abiding folks protesting and providing assistance at the city's abortion clinics."

In the past three years, the Thomas More Society has successfully defended four clients against disorderly conduct allegations based on their peaceful witness in front of Chicago abortion clinics. In addition to Mesia, the Thomas More Society successfully defended Joseph Holland and David Avignone, who were arrested for praying outside a clinic and whose cases garnered national media attention. Andrew Scholberg was also arrested last year, and the charges were dropped against him when abortion clinic personnel did not appear in court.

Mesia's arrest on October 4, 2012, for disorderly conduct was her second arrest at Family Planning Associates this year. On July 26, 2012, Family Planning Associates staff called the police and accused Mesia of touching the arm of an abortion patient the day before. Thomas More Society attorneys were prepared with numerous witnesses to attest that Mesia was not at or near that abortion clinic the day before. All charges were dropped when abortion clinic personnel did not appear in court. Based on the July 2012, incident, Society attorneys were considering countersuit against Family Planning Associates for false arrest and malicious prosecution.

The Chicago disorderly conduct ordinance applies a "bubble zone" within 50 feet of the entrance door to an abortion clinic, forbidding pro-life picketers and protestors from approaching within eight feet of a person to speak to, present a leaflet to, or display a sign to that person.

Source: Thomas More Society