New GOP leader Radogno plans loyal opposition State Senator Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) is not interested in using her new power position as Senate Minority Leader to pressure social conservatives in the caucus to moderate their votes, she told Illinois Review late last week. "On social issues, all members should vote their consciences and their districts," Radogno said, responding to grassroots conservatives criticizing the Republican caucus selecting her last Wednesday. Social conservatives pushed for State Senator Kirk Dillard (R-Westmont) to succeed Republican Senate Leader Frank Watson in January. They were especially leery of Radogno's past pro-choice votes and the campaign dollars she's received from pro-abortion Personal PAC over the years, amounting to $14,000. Would Radogno consider returning that money to Personal PAC to assure pro-lifers she's not beholden? "That money's already spent," Radogno said, "but let me remind you that Personal PAC hasn't helped us towards the goal of getting more Republicans elected. That's what I intend to do as leader of this caucus." Radogno said Personal PAC spent thousands of dollars to assist Democrats challenging her, and to elect Democrat Susan Garrett over pro-choice Republican Kathy Parker in 2002. This year Personal PAC worked to defeat Republican Dan Duffy, vying to fill retiring Senator Bill Peterson's seat. "I've already spoken with Dan Duffy about this, and we're looking for a way to push back on Personal PAC," Radogno said. But it's not just the left she's concerned about, Radogno said, it's the extreme right, too. Still stinging from a round of robo calls that went into southern districts last week, blasting Republican senators who had committed their votes, Radogno made it clear the calls did more harm than good. "Paul Caprio's robo calls caused our members to spend tons of time on the phone defending their decision to support me," Radogno said. "That was unnecessary and took our focus off what is really needed at this time." Conservative columnist Tom Roeser suggested this morning that Senator Radogno is especially close to gay rights activists, and other speculate her new position as Republican leader could add to their momentum to establish civil unions or gay marriage in Illinois. During a spirited primary challenge this spring, Illinois homosexual activist group Equality Now encouraged members to walk precincts on Radogno's behalf. So IR asked Radogno if the rumor was true that she met with gay lobbyists last Wednesday while the Protect Marriage rally was going on in front of the Capitol? "As Republican leader, I will need to be open to hearing from both sides of an issue," Radogno replied. "That will be a part of my job." Radogno says she's committed to leading a loyal opposition to Democrats' tax-and-spend agenda and will appoint a strong leadership team, including those in the caucus who are solid social conservatives. "Again, I will encourage them to vote their consciences and their districts," she said. Radogno said the 12 to 8 with two abstention vote indicated the caucus members were still unhappy with Senator Dillard allowing the Obama campaign to use portions of an interview in his campaign, especially in the Iowa Democratic Primary. They're also concerned about Dillard's unpopular support of the RTA sales tax increase last January. Three DuPage GOP senators -- Dillard, Dan Cronin and John Millner -- gave the Democrats the votes they needed to raise RTA taxes and keep endangered Democrats in swing districts from making an unpopular vote. "There's no question I'm fiscally conservative, more so than some others who've supported tax increases in the past," Radogno said. Radogno said her goal is to rebuild the Republican caucus over the next few years, saying it will take a joint, strenuous effort. "We will have a conciliatory focus as we move ahead," Radogno said. "We're getting started now." Source: Illinois Review Source URL: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview Publish Date: November 25, 2008 Link to this article: |
November 25, 2008
New GOP leader Radogno plans loyal opposition
The List So Far - Anti-Life Appointments in the Obama Administration
The List So Far - Anti-Life Appointments in the Obama Administration As the media continues to leak real and projected appointments to Mr. Obama's future administration, the emerging pattern is clear: most of the appointments with any voting or lobbying history represent the extreme end of the pro-abortion movement. Following is a list of Obama appointments so far who have a track record of opposing the pro-life movement and actively promoting the anti-life cause. Chief of Staff: Rahm Emanuel - The Clinton veteran, whose fiery temper has earned him a fearful reputation, earned a 100% NARAL pro-choice rating and a pro-homosexuality track record during his years as an Illinois congressman. Commerce Secretary: Bill Richardson - The governor of New Mexico calls himself a "Catholic" and says he is personally opposed to abortion; yet the Democrat has worked against true marriage and pushes so vehemently for unrestricted "reproductive rights" he was named a "Champion of Choice" by NARAL in January of 2007. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS): Tom Daschle - Daschle gained notoriety for his consistently pro-abortion voting record in his years as Democratic Senate majority leader. Daschle blocked votes on five major pro-life bills that passed the U.S. House, and in 2002 wrote a letter to his constituents asking for donations to NARAL. (One bioethicist who will likely join the ranks of the new HHS committee, along with Daschle, is Dr. R. Alta Charo, an avid supporter of embryonic stem-cell research who has called pro-life bioethicists leaders of "the endarkenment.") Secretary of Homeland Security: Janet Napolitano - The Arizona governor is a well-known abortion supporter who vetoed a partial birth abortion ban, and in 2005 earned praise from NARAL for forcing Arizona pharmacies to distribute the morning-after pill despite moral objections. Communications Director: Ellen Moran - Moran is the current executive director of EMILY's List, a major political action committee dedicated to helping elect solidly pro-abortion Democratic women to political office. She supports tax-payer funded abortions, and opposes any bans on partial birth abortion. Likely appointees include: Secretary of State: Hillary Clinton - Sen. Clinton has proven herself as one of the most notorious names in pro-abortion American politics, with a liberal record so extreme that, while campaigning for the Democratic presidential ticket last year, she accused Mr. Obama himself of failing to support abortion tenaciously enough. Obama has frequently been called the most pro-abortion presidential candidate in history. Secretary of the Interior: Raúl M. Grijalva - The Democratic Congressman from Arizona, first elected in 2002, is a steady supporter of abortion, same-sex "marriage," and embryonic stem cell research. A partisan figure who voted 97.5% along party lines during the current Congress, Grijalva sports a 100% pro-choice rating from NARAL. Contact: Kathleen Gilbert Source: LifeSiteNews.com Source URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com Publish Date: November 25, 2008 Link to this article: |
NEWS SHORTS FOR TUESDAY
NEWS SHORTS FOR TUESDAY Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information. Jury Selection Set for LA Woman Accused of Performing Illegal Abortions Jury selection is scheduled to begin in Los Angles on Dec. 1 in the trial of Bertha Bugarin, longtime operator of Clinica Medica para la Mujer de Hoy, a chain of Southern California abortion clinics with the same or a similar name that for years targeted poor Hispanic women in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Bugarin is charged with 18 felony counts of performing abortions without a medical license. If convicted, she faces more than 15 years in prison. Bugarin, 48, of Granada Hills, also faces 10 felony counts and one misdemeanor charge in San Diego County for similar offenses. She had a hearing in that case earlier this month, and is scheduled for trial in San Diego sometime in 2009. http://calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=9d8107f9-d68c-4378-b599-4ee49623c83a More Babies With Down's Syndrome Born As Attitudes Change More babies with Down's syndrome are being born today than before pre-natal testing became widespread, as perceptions of the condition change. In 1989, the year screening was widely introduced in the UK, 717 babies with Down's syndrome were born. In 2006, the last year for which figures are available, 749 were born. The numbers had fallen in the years following the introduction of testing, to 594 in 2000. Parents who had gone ahead with a pregnancy after receiving a positive test result said they felt people with Down's syndrome had a better future today than 20 years ago, and that they also had the support of their families and friends. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/nov/24/mentalhealth-disability A Belgian couple accused of selling their unwanted second child over the internet found themselves at the centre of a media storm on Monday as national media voiced its disgust at the allegations. Prosecutors in the northern city of Ghent opened an investigation over the weekend into the couple for agreeing an adoption without official authorisation, an offence that carries a five-year prison sentence in Belgium. "Will we soon be buying babies on eBay?" asked Flemish language newspaper De Standaard, describing the case as "human smuggling", while the tabloid Het Laatse Nieuws voiced "incomprehension" at the case. |
November 24, 2008
NEWS SHORTS FOR MONDAY
NEWS SHORTS FOR MONDAY
Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information.
Abortion activist heads Obama communications team
Barack Obama has named Ellen Moran to be his director of communications at the White House.
Basically, she will be in charge of getting Obama's message out. She is currently executive director of the Washington group EMILY's List - a group that backs female candidates who support abortion rights. She also has worked for the AFL-CIO.
Her deputy in the White House will be Dan Pfeiffer, who is communications director for Obama's presidential transition team. He helped manage the press operation on the Obama campaign. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Headlines/Default.aspx?id=330224
Surprise! Tiller Lawyers Contend Kline Is A Wild-Eyed, Right-Wing Anti-Abortion Zealot
During a pre-trial proceeding, lawyers for George Tiller, the infamous late-term abortionist who's facing 19 abortion-related misdemeanor counts in Sedgwick County, attempted to revive one of the most familiar characterizations in modern Kansas jurisprudence. Tiller's attorneys portrayed former Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline as a wild-eyed, right-wing radical who launched an investigation into Tiller's clinic based on his overzealous opposition to abortion.
One More Teen Abandoned Before Child Dumping Law Tightened
One last parent slid in under the deadline of Nebraska's old child dumping law Friday, the last day in which older children qualified for legalized abandonment. A 14-year-old boy from Davis, Calif., was dumped off by his mother at a hospital in Kimball, in the southwest corner of the Panhandle. It occurred nine hours before the newly amended law, limiting child dumping to infants up to 30 days old, took effect. http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2008/11/24/news/local/doc492833c74e38b131547474.txt
A medical student decides if she wants to join the ranks of "abortion providers"
There isn't anything nice about abortion, Lesley Wojick said, but she does not equate it with murder. A woman's control over her body is representative of her freedom. I feel the obligation to make sure that service is available and not stigmatized." In college, she considered herself more of a foot soldier than a leader. But when Lesley got to Maryland and saw how few students were members of Medical Students for Choice, she knew she had to get involved. "There was a need for me to be an activist," she said. She and two other students, chapter president Christina Bokat and Regina Bray, set out to reinvigorate the group. The first thing they did was to volunteer to host the regional Students for Choice conference on the Maryland campus. Their plans were derailed when the new dean of the medical school, E. Albert Reece, refused to allow the conference on campus. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/14/AR2008111401698.html
More Mothers Reject Abortion To Have Babies With Down's Syndrome
More babies are being born with Down's syndrome than before pre-natal screening for the disorder was introduced at the end of the 1980s, it was revealed yesterday. Parents appear more willing to bring a Down's child into the world than they used to be, research shows. Many are taking the decision because those affected by the syndrome are more accepted in society today and their quality of life has improved, according to a new survey. |
Bush Pushes Ahead with Regulations to Protect Doctors’ Conscience Rights
Bush Pushes Ahead with Regulations to Protect Doctors' Conscience Rights
In spite of pro-abortion anger and the looming pro-abortion Obama administration, President Bush is poised to sign regulations that will help protect the rights of doctors and nurses to refuse to perform abortions on moral or religious grounds.
The regulations will enforce existing federal law that requires taxpayer-funded medical institutions not to discriminate against medical personnel who conscientiously object to performing abortions or assisting "in the performance of any part of a health service program or research activity," including the distribution of abortifacient contraceptives.
Pro-life advocates have hailed the regulations as a much-needed reminder to medical establishments of their employee's religious rights under the Constitution. In recent years pro-life doctors frequently claim to have been discriminated against for refusing to perform procedures that went against their consciences.
Abortion supporters, however, continue to wage war against the regulations, denouncing them as a threat to women's access to abortion.
Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced legislation Thursday to halt the regulations, accusing President Bush of "again putting ideology first" in a "last-minute attempt to undermine women's health care." The legislation cites a directive from White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolton that discourages the submission of regulation proposals late in an administration.
Though the proposed regulations do not change federal law, both abortion groups and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the agency assigned to enforce such regulations, complain that they are redundant and will result in a reduction of abortions. "It's unconscionable that the Bush administration, while promising a smooth transition, would take a final opportunity to politicize women's health," said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards.
Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt sponsored and vigorously defended the regulations throughout the verification process.
"Federal law is explicit and unwavering in protecting federally funded medical practitioners from being coerced into providing treatments they find morally objectionable," Leavitt told the New York Times.
The religious and civil rights coalition Catholic League released a statement urging President Bush to "move with dispatch" on the regulations, before the Obama administration can snuff them out.
Catholic League President Bill Donohue noted that the religious rights of Catholic hospitals were soon to be gravely threatened by the Freedom of Choice Act, which would make it illegal for a doctor to refuse to kill an unborn child. Passing regulations as a last stand for religious rights, says Donohue, will help set up the case against Obama's extreme agenda against life and the civil right to conscientious objection.
"If Obama wants to undo them, it will set up a confrontation he will surely regret," Donohue stated.
Contact: Kathleen Gilbert Source: LifeSiteNews.com Source URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com Publish Date: November 21, 2008 Link to this article: |
Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund, Team Sarah Mobilize for Senator Chambliss
Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund, Team Sarah Mobilize for Senator Chambliss
Senator Saxby Chambliss will Defend Innocent Unborn Children and Fight for Strict Constructionist Supreme Court Justices Who Won't Legislate from the Bench
Today the president of the Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund commented on the impact of the Georgia senate runoff:
"The outcome of the runoff election for Georgia Senate will significantly impact the fight for Life," said Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund Marjorie Dannenfelser. "The U.S. Senate desperately needs the pro-life leadership of Senator Saxby Chambliss. He will defend innocent unborn children and fight for strict constructionist Supreme Court justices who won't legislate from the bench. A vote for Jim Martin is a vote for taxpayer-funded partial-birth abortion. As a state legislator, Jim Martin single-handedly refused to bring the Georgia ban on gruesome partial-birth abortion to a vote. American citizens don't need Jim Martin's abortion extremism in the U.S. Senate."
Senator Saxby Chambliss has a 100% pro-life voting record in the U.S. Senate. In the Georgia State Legislature, Jim Martin voted against parental notification before abortions are performed on minors. He also vowed to kill a bill that would have banned the brutal practice of partial-birth abortions. Even when 13 out of 16 colleagues from both sides of the aisle petitioned him to let the partial-birth abortion ban come up for a vote, Martin still refused.
"Team Sarah's thousands of members remain as engaged as ever on TeamSarah.org," said Team Sarah Co-Founder and Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. "They have been active in making Get Out the Vote Calls from their homes across the country on behalf of Senator Chambliss."
The Susan B. Anthony List Voter Education and Mobilization Program contacted over 400,000 pro-life voters in Georgia through radio, mail and phone-banking prior to the General Election. Currently, the Susan B. Anthony List is running educational ads on Christian radio that expose Jim Martin's extreme abortion record. Team Sarah, a special project of the Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund, is connecting its membership with remote phone-banking facilities to make calls to Georgia voters on Senator Chambliss' behalf.
Since its founding, the nonpartisan Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund has helped elect 79 pro-life candidates to the House, seven to the Senate, and nine to other statewide offices across the country.
Contact: Joy Yearout Source: Susan B. Anthony List Source URL: http://www.sba-list.org Publish Date: November 24, 2008 Link to this article: |
Planned Parenthood head lashes out at Cardinal O’Malley
Planned Parenthood head lashes out at Cardinal O'Malley
Dianne Luby, the head of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts has responded to comments by Cardinal Sean O'Malley after the prelate criticized President-elect Obama and Planned Parenthood. Charging that his comments diminish his credibility, she argued that Catholics "overwhelmingly support" the "views and services" offered by Planned Parenthood and advocated by Obama.
She also claimed Planned Parenthood shares common ground with the Catholic Church on working to reduce "risky behavior among young people" and the need for abortions.
Luby's reply was directed to the Boston Globe's Michael Paulson, who had interviewed the cardinal.
In his interview with Paulson after Election Day, the cardinal had remarked that Obama "is possibly in the pocket of Planned Parenthood, which in its origins was a very racist organization to eliminate the blacks, and it's sort of ironic that he's been co-opted by them." He also said Obama had a "deplorable" record on pro-life issues and argued that church-going Catholics reflect the Church's teaching, though "not as much as we'd like them to."
Luby, the President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, responded to Cardinal O'Malley in a message to Paulson.
"It diminishes Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley's credibility when he attacks President-elect Barack Obama and Planned Parenthood for views and services his own members overwhelmingly support," Luby claimed, saying the cardinal and several other "participants at the US Conference of Catholic Bishops" are "eager to jump into politics."
She said it would be good for the bishops "to understand why their messages didn't stick with their primary audience," claiming that Obama succeeded because of his ability to "propose solutions that reflect the reality of issues faced by the American people."
Luby then cited statistics claiming 92 percent of married Catholics use some form of birth control, while 72 percent of Massachusetts Catholic voters support "comprehensive sex education."
"These are issues that the Catholic Church and Cardinal O'Malley have repeatedly refused to acknowledge as a mainstream part of health and education in our society," she argued, saying "Perhaps Cardinal O'Malley should spend less time sharing political opinions and more time listening to the reality of life for his own constituency."
Luby claimed the Catholic Church has "an opportunity to reconnect with their members around these issues," arguing that Obama had succeeded with voters by "highlighting messages about preventing unintended pregnancy and reducing the need for abortion." Luby professed that Planned Parenthood shares that belief and said the group would work with Cardinal O'Malley to reach that goal.
Additionally, she claimed 70 percent of Planned Parenthood services "are related to preventative care, not abortion."
She also argued Cardinal O'Malley and other bishops "have a lot of work to do in order to reconnect with their members," citing failed pro-life initiatives in California, Colorado, and South Dakota.
CNA spoke with the Archdiocese of Boston to obtain a reaction to Luby's letter, but a response was unavailable by press time.
Source: Catholic News Agency Source URL: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com Publish Date: November 21, 2008 Link to this article: |
Book about a Comatose 15-year Old Teaches About the Value of Life
Book about a Comatose 15-year Old Teaches About the Value of Life
"Parting the Waters" is a heart-warming, true story--a mother's perspective on what can happen when a community rallies around a wounded family. When a tragic drowning accident leaves fifteen-year-old Jacob in a coma, the faith of his family and community is shaken to its foundation. Medical experts used phrases such as "persistent vegetative state" and said, "Jacob will never wake up," but Jacob's parents knew God would have the final say. As ripples spread throughout the community and beyond, the prayers and innovative efforts of many result in Jacob's gradual awakening. This journey to discover beauty in brokenness will encourage readers to look beyond their own trials to see God's purpose on a greater scale.
Jeanne and her family faced the controversial issue of euthanasia head on when doctors told them Jacob would never awaken and recommended they remove his feeding tube. "Parting the Waters" not only shows that God can trump medical expectations, but also reveals how people who are broken provoke compassion in others, deepening their characters, and furthering God's purpose in their lives. It clearly illustrates that phrases like 'quality of life' or 'potential to contribute gainfully to society' should never be benchmarks of a person's worth. God uses the weak to confound the strong.
Knowing what it's like to feel pain so deep that it hurts to breathe, Jeanne provides candid portrayals of her battles against fear, self-pity, anger, and unforgiveness, placing them alongside an ever-emerging assurance that God is working out His sovereign designs in her life and her brain-injured son's. Without sugarcoating the realities of pain and suffering, she shows how God continued to reveal the depth of His love and His intended purpose. Each dramatic milestone in Jacob's recovery creates a new ripple, touching and changing many lives forever. "Parting the Waters" is a poignant tale of unexpected beauty found in brokenness. Readers can contact Jeanne through her website at www.JeanneDamoff.com.
Contact: WinePress Publishing Source: WinePress Publishing Source URL: http://www.jeannedamoff.com Publish Date: November 24, 2008 Link to this article: |
Medical Breakthrough Further Validates Support for Adult Stem Cell Research
Medical Breakthrough Further Validates Support for Adult Stem Cell Research
Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said today that reports on the successful transplant of a windpipe grown from a patient's own stem cells demonstrate the need for public and, perhaps, media education on stem cell research.
"It's striking to me that almost every time I read about a new medical breakthrough using stem cells, I have to search well into the story before there's mention that the stem cells were derived from adult humans or umbilical cords, not embryos," said Dr. King. "Based on the news coverage of stem cell research I've read, it's no surprise that the public, including some news reporters, are confused about stem cell experimentation."
"Stem cell research using cells taken from adults or umbilical cords has resulted in over 70 successful medical treatments, the latest being an organ transplant," added Dr. King. "Years of stem cell research using techniques that kill embryonic humans have led to nothing but dead ends because of tissue rejection and tumor growth. Absolutely all of the medical breakthroughs in stem cell research have come from using cells derived from sources other than human embryos. How many people know this? Further, how many people know that the pro-life movement has always endorsed this type of non-deadly stem cell research?"
"I respectfully call on the news media to accurately and truthfully distinguish between adult/umbilical stem cell research and embryonic stem cell experiments," concluded Dr. King. "I also hope that the media will make clear that the pro-life movement enthusiastically supports stem cell research that does no harm to anyone, research that continues to blaze a path of new cures and treatments almost daily."
Contact: Jerry Horn Source: Priests for Life Source URL: http://www.priestsforlife.org Publish Date: November 24, 2008 Link to this article: |
November 21, 2008
NEWS SHORTS FOR FRIDAY
Disclaimer: The linked items below or the websites at which they are located do not necessarily represent the views of The Illinois Federation for Right to Life. They are presented only for your information.
Last-minute Bush abortion ruling causes furor
A last-minute Bush administration plan to grant sweeping new protections to health care providers who oppose abortion and other procedures on religious or moral grounds has provoked a torrent of objections, including a strenuous protest from the government agency that enforces job-discrimination laws.
The proposed rule would prohibit recipients of federal money from discriminating against doctors, nurses and other health care workers who refuse to perform or to assist in the performance of abortions or sterilization procedures because of their "religious beliefs or moral convictions."
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/11/18/america/abort.php
“Scheme to cover up a fraud”
Federal court records show how Planned Parenthood over-billed government for millions -- and may get away with it
At 5:38 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, 2004, Mark Salo, then chief executive of Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties, sent a panicked email to his colleagues at Planned Parenthood’s eight other California affiliates. The email contained a dire warning – and hinted at the need for a possible cover-up. The state Department of Health Services had begun an audit in San Diego, with similar audits planned at every other affiliate. The results, said Salo, “could kill many of us.”
The problem? For years, Planned Parenthood of San Diego and other affiliates elsewhere in the state had been over-billing the government by millions of dollars for contraceptives purchased at deep discounts – a policy specifically prohibited by state and federal regulations governing the program, called FPACT – “Family Planning, Access, Care and Treatment.” Rules for the program, jointly funded with state and federal funds, specifically required that providers of services under the program be reimbursed only for the cost of acquiring the contraceptives, but Planned Parenthood had been billing far in excess of cost, in some instances more than 20 times what they paid.
http://www.calcatholic.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?id=e9f8ba3c-2f62-48ff-bb21-073f9774e149
Swedish feminists: Abortion should be human right
A Swedish feminist party says it will push for abortion to be considered a human right as it campaigns for a seat in the European Union parliament.
Feminist Initiative spokeswoman Veronica Svard says the party is responding to religious groups' lobbying for the issue of free abortion to be removed from the European agenda.
She said Monday that "women must have the right to decide over their own bodies."
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/134069/Swedish-feminists-Abortion-should-be-human-right
More Pro-Life Censorship
Twice in two weeks, pro-life advertisements from Human Life Alliance have been denied access to college students--this time at Gonzaga University.
"We're saddened to learn Gonzaga University, a Catholic school, has refused to accept 'We Know Better Now,' our pro-life advertising supplement for 'The Gonzaga Bulletin,'" said Joe Langfeld, Deputy Director for Human Life Alliance. "As a non-profit organization dedicated to educating students on the humanity of the pre-born child and gruesome realities of abortion we use college newspapers to reach 19-24 year-olds who are the number one age group of abortion participants."
When asked to run the advertising supplement, officials from "The Gonzaga Bulletin" rejected the inserts stating, "There are articles in the insertion that cast a negative light on various organizations or individuals. While these statements may be true, we simply cannot insert them in our paper per our advertising policies."
"Of course some statements in our publication are objectionable to 'various organizations or individuals.' We present documented truth about the largest abortion chain in the nation, Planned Parenthood, and its founder Margaret Sanger," noted Langfeld. "The business of abortion is ugly and we think college and university students have a right to read the facts from someone other then abortion providers."
The Gonzaga denial comes on the heels of another rejection at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA last week.
"Fortunately, there's good news to report from Allegheny. After phone calls, emails and a visit form a local HLA supporter, student editors have agreed to insert 'We Know Better Now' in the January 19, 2009 issue of 'The Campus' student newspaper, Langfeld said. "We're thrilled these students have communicated with HLA and agreed to give us a voice on their campus."
Contact: Joe Langfeld
Source: Human Life Alliance
Source URL: http://www.humanlife.org
Publish Date: November 21, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081121_6.htm
A Privilege to Die Tomorrow to Bring about an End to Abortion
Last week, at the annual fall assembly of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, archdiocesan administrator Bishop Robert J. Hermann stated that for any bishop, it would be a "privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion." His comments were picked up by media outlets across the country and have been touted in the blogosphere as a courageous statement in the defense of unborn human life.
St. Louis Review staff writer Jennifer Brinker recently met with Bishop Hermann for an interivew, in which he reflected on his statement and also answered several other questions relating to the issue of abortion, the bishops' meeting and the recent presidential election.
Q: Let's delve right into the issue at hand. At the recent bishops' meeting in Baltimore, you said this:
"We have lost 50 times as many children in the last 35 years as we have lost soldiers in all the wars since the Revolution. I think any bishop here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow to bring about an end to abortion. If we are willing to die tomorrow, then we should be willing to, until the end of our lives, to take all kinds of criticism for opposing this horrible infanticide."
Could you explain a little bit more about the point you were trying to get across?
A: I think that the way abortion has been presented over the past 35 years so often is that this is something that's horrible, and we need to stop it. But it seems to me that people do not realize that it is 50 million children that we have killed. We have campaigned to save the baby whales, and yet we vote in pro-abortion politicians - which doesn't make any sense whatsoever.
I feel we need to be in an awareness-raising campaign to open our eyes to really see the destruction that we've brought about. There should be 50 more million Americans in our midst, and anyone under 35 can look around and say, 'Where are they?' And, 'I'm very lucky to be alive.'
We are grateful for all the soldiers who have died to defend our freedom. But at the same time, we aren't making similar efforts to protect the unborn. And so that's my concern - to raise the consciousness of all people to the atrocities that we're committing.
Q: What was the reaction of your fellow bishops after you said this?
A: The reaction was one or two bishops started clapping, but then we moved on immediately (to other business). I received numerous comments from other bishops, thanking me for making this courageous statement. I said any bishop there could have and probably would have made the same statement.
After I had finished, Bishop (Robert) Finn and Archbishop (Joseph) Naumann and Bishop (Michael) Sheridan commented. Archbishop (Charles) Chaput sought me out and commented. So numerous bishops had come up to me and thanked me for the comment. I said we're only doing what we're supposed to be doing, that's all.
Q: What was the thought process going through your mind in which you said, 'Yes, I would do this. I would lay my life on the line.'
A: Very simply: If American youth are willing to go to war and lay their life down to defend our freedoms, then every bishop should be willing to give up his life, if it meant putting an end to abortion. And if we're willing to do that, then we should be totally fearless of promoting this cause without being concerned about political correctness, without trying to build coalitions with pro-choice people.
Q: Can you tell me about some of the personal criticisms that you might have recently encountered in your role as bishop and your willingness to speak out for a culture of life?
A: First of all, perhaps 95 percent of the responses I have gotten have been very positive, very complimentary and very supportive.
The few negative responses I have gotten have not bothered me one bit, because I see that we're products of a secular society. And what I see very clearly is that the underpinning premise of our society - but unspoken - is that God does not exist. And our culture flows from that thinking.
But we on the other hand, we say, 'Yes God exists, and I believe in God,' but often we act as if he did not exist. We are acting the way we have been conditioned.
I cannot tell you the number of people who have e-mailed me or told me in person, 'This is the first time in my life that I voted contrary to strong feelings.' And there are others asking me how they need to deal with their past voting habits.
I have great empathy and great compassion for people who are influenced by society and are taken in by the big lie that God does not exist. My job is to raise their awareness to, yes He does (exist), and it does make a difference what you believe. It makes a big difference in what you do.
In addition to this premise that God does not exist, we also have to be aware that our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities and the powers and the spirits of this world of darkness, as Paul tells us in Ephesians.
Therefore, behind Planned Parenthood, behind the abortion issue, is the evil one. I often see human beings caught up in this as victims of the evil one who need my prayers and who need my compassion and who need my love. We don't only want to save our children from destruction; we also want to save our adult brothers and sisters from eternal destruction.
Q: Why was it important for the bishops to craft a statement directed toward the administration of President-elect Barack Obama? It heavily addressed perhaps the most pressing issue that currently faces the pro-life movement right now: the Freedom of Choice Act.
A: What makes this so dangerous is that candidate Obama said that one of the first things he would do would be to sign the Freedom of Choice Act when he becomes president. And that really frightens us, because it would be undermining all the efforts for the past 35 years of trying to limit the destructive effects of abortion.
The other concern that we have in the next four years is that he may very well have the opportunity to place two more people on the Supreme Court, which could secure the Roe vs. Wade case for many, many years.
Q: During his campaign in Pennsylvania, President-elect Barack Obama said he has taught his daughters with proper morals, on the other hand, "if they make a mistake, I won't want them punished with a baby."
What do you think about that statement?
A: I am very horrified that he would make such a statement, which in effect is saying that he would be willing to see his grandchild killed for the convenience of his daughter.
When he promotes abortion, he is, whether he knows it or not, targeting blacks, because they have been targeted by Planned Parenthood with abortion information and facilities in their neighborhoods. So he and Planned Parenthood together are helping to reduce the African- American population in this country.
Q: I think there are many people, some Catholics included, who still don't understand why Catholic bishops and priests place such importance on abortion over other issues, such as the economy, immigration and the war in Iraq. Could you explain why Church leadership takes this stance that some have called "single-minded?"
A: Pope John Paul has made it very clear that while some people say that the economy, or the war in Iraq or immigration should be of prime consideration. But he said those rights mean nothing if the fundamental right to life is not guaranteed. Before these other rights mean anything, we have to guarantee the fundamental right to life. When someone is denied life, then all the other rights don't mean anything. That's the reason the Church places such a high priority on that.
For an individual to have a proportionate reason to vote for a candidate who supports abortion would be very hard to come by. The only way I could see that happening is if we had one candidate who supports abortion and another one who may mandate abortion ... as they do in China.
Q: We have noticed in the weeks leading up to the election a surge in the number of priests, particularly our young priests, who have spoken out for a culture of life. Is there anything that you would like to say about the courage these men have shown?
A: I am very edified by the growing number of priests, and in a very special way young clergy, who had the courage to speak out from the pulpit so incisively and effectively against the evils of abortion. I think more and more priests are beginning to realize the seriousness of this cause and also see that taking a strong stance receives such tremendous support from our Catholics.
I encourage all priests to continue to pray about the issue, to study the teachings of Pope John Paul II, and Cardinal (Joseph) Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) on this issue, and then address it with love and patience and courage. We do not condemn proponents of abortion; we condemn their beliefs and their practices. We pray for them, and we want their salvation as we desire our own. When we preach pro-life from the pulpit, we're doing everyone in the congregation a great favor by presenting the truth of our faith in a very clear, concise and effective manner. The truth shall set you free.
Q: Is there anything that you could offer to our Catholic readers, which would give them hope for the future? What can they do to get involved in better promoting a culture of life, especially during these next four years?
A: I would encourage them to study the Church's documents - perhaps to start with Pope John Paul's, "The Gospel of Life," ("Evangelium Vitae") and then to follow that up with encyclical, "Humanae Vitae," ("Of Human Life") so they can clearly understand the nature of man and woman and the sacredness of God's calling for man and woman.
The more they study that and begin to live those teachings, the more they're going to come into freedom to promote the Gospel of Life, first of all, by the witness of their very lives. And secondly, they will be courageous in sharing their witness to others.
Source: LifeSiteNews.com
Source URL: http://www.lifesitenews.com
Publish Date: November 21, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081121_5.htm
'Change' Should Begin in Obama's Heart
Dr. Alveda King, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said today that the first change President-elect Obama should pursue is to alter his attitude toward the unborn.
"President-elect Obama has become synonymous with 'change,' yet the most positive new direction he could seek would be to find room in his heart for the unborn," said Dr. King. "He has promised to take actions that will only increase the number of babies killed by abortion. He has stolen the hope that millions of babies might have their very existences recognized, much less protected. If Mr. Obama wants to bring change that we can believe in, he needs to begin by changing his view that not all Americans have a right to exist."
"If the President-elect is successful in his advocacy of the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, he will bring a change that virtually no one but abortion profiteers wants," added Dr. King. "Not only will this legislation make abortion completely unrestricted everywhere in the country, it will require that we all pay for destroying babies with our tax dollars. FOCA would be a change that crushes the hope of life. If Mr. Obama wants to bring us together, he needs to change his agenda toward our most helpless and voiceless brothers and sisters."
Contact: Jerry Horn
Source: Priests for Life
Source URL: http://www.priestsforlife.org/
Publish Date: November 21, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081121_4.htm
What Do We Say to the Woman Who Has Aborted?
What is, or ought to be, the pro-life attitude toward women who have aborted?
Let me come at this sideways, so to speak. Let’s begin with how pro-abortionists say pro-lifers ought to respond if we really mean what we say. If abortion is the taking of an innocent life, at the very least we ought to affix a woman who has aborted with a contemporary Scarlet Letter, if not insist she be sentenced. So says the pro-abortionist, expecting we will be so tongue-tied we say nothing.
Others have written to ask if we aren’t, in effect, letting women “off the hook” by talking (as I often do) about the enormous pressure so many women find themselves under when they find themselves unexpectedly pregnant. Granted, there may be a menacing boyfriend or unsupportive parents, but isn’t the “final responsibility” for the abortion hers?
Before I begin, let me ask that after you read what I have to offer, you please write me with your thoughts at daveandrusko@gmail.com.
I guess anyone’s answer would start with the question, what is your primary objective? Mine would be that the hole in a woman’s soul is mended and that no additional babies are lost to abortion. In other words my objective is the same as our Movement’s: reconciliation, not recrimination. I’ve come to that conclusion by asking myself a series of questions.
First and foremost, would stigmatizing her bring the dead baby back to life? Would giving her the cold shoulder provide the kind of support and affirmation she most likely did not receive when she was in the throes of making that life-and-death decision?
Would looking down at her increase or decrease the likelihood that she would get pregnant again with a “replacement baby,” many of whom would be aborted for the same kinds of reasons the first child was lost? Would any of us really want her to live a life of bitter regret and soul-sapping remorse?
Finally, someday when we are called upon to give an account for our own behavior, would it be a credit to us, individually, or as a Movement, if we had chosen to ignore the better angels of our own nature?
Pro-abortionists, hearing this, would likely roll their eyes: See, you don’t really think “fetuses” are unborn children, because if you did you would demand a pound of flesh in revenge.
The moment I first laid my hand on my mother’s abdomen and felt my brother kick, I knew that James was one of the Andruskos. The only difference was instead of sharing a bedroom, he had private quarters. And if I knew that, can I really believe that pregnant women don’t know that with far more certainty?
I don’t need for a woman who has aborted to fall apart in my presence to know that most likely she is hurting in a deeper way than I could ever imagine. That some are able to act as if the decision were no big deal only illustrates the intricate defenses the human heart employs to shield itself against unbearable hurts.
None of this “excuses” the woman who has aborted. But were we to fix an unloving gaze on her, paradoxically we would be unintentionally accepting the same morally stunted calculus beloved by the anti-life set: that the abortion decision is the woman’s, and the woman’s alone, to make.
Equally bad, we would be buying into the other half of the pro-abortionist’s autonomy myth: that women are freely making the decision to abort.
I shall never forget how Frederica Mathewes-Green of Feminists for Life, once put it: "No woman wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal caught in a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg."
Contact: Dave Andrusko
Source: National Right to Life
Source URL: http://www.nrlc.org
Publish Date: November 20, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081121_3.htm
Maxwell Leaves Monnat Miffed as Tiller Hearing is Continued to January
On this fourth day of hearings on a motion to dismiss 19 criminal charges against late-term abortionist George Tiller, former Assistant Attorney General Steve Maxwell testified in court about his role in an investigation of abortion clinics during Phill Kline's tenure as Attorney General. That investigation resulted in the procurement of abortion records from Tiller's Women's Health Care Services (WHCS). Evidence in those records was used by Kline's successor, Paul Morrison as the basis for the current charges against Tiller.
Maxwell seemed to have left Monnat miffed after repeatedly correcting him about information in his questions that was inaccurate or not factual.
Maxwell was questioned by Tiller's attorney, Dan Monnat, about a subpoena served on the La Quinta Inn for records of travelers who may have been patients of WHCS. Tiller referred patients to the La Quinta Inn in Wichita because he had an arrangement with the hotel at that time for his patients to receive special discounts.
La Quinta Inns later terminated their business relationship with Tiller after Operation Rescue documented and reported to the hotel chain's corporate headquarters that Tiller was using the hotel as an annex of his abortion clinic. Tiller had stabled abortion workers there overnight to monitor women during the labor, and sometimes delivery, of his patients' dead babies, which had been killed by lethal injection to the heart at the beginning of the abortion procedure.
Maxwell testified that La Quinta Inn records were subpoenaed so that they could find the names of pregnant children under the age of 16 who may have been patients of WHCS so they could match the name of the child with the SRS records to see if child sexual abuse was being reported.
Maxwell indicated that he believes that no patient was ever identified through the records obtained from the La Quinta Inn.
Maxwell was questioned about the transfer of abortion records obtained from Tiller from the Attorney General's office to the Johnson County District Attorney's office, where Kline was moving as the new D.A. Maxwell testified that when he prepared the status report for Judge Anderson about the location of the abortion files, he did not know that the Tiller records were being transferred to the Johnson County D.A.'s office.
"In the end, whether or not Kline had a copy of the Tiller records is irrelevant to the current charges against Tiller," said Operation Rescue spokesperson Cheryl Sullenger, who has been present during the entire hearing. "None of what we have heard so far has changed the fact that the Attorney General's office found evidence that Tiller had committed 19 counts of illegal late-term abortions. The merits of those charges are not even a subject of these hearings, and deserve their day in court."
The hearing has been continued until January 6, 7, and 8, 2009. At that time testimony is expected from former Attorney General Paul Morrison. Former Attorney General Phill Kline is also expected to complete his testimony that was interrupted due to scheduling conflicts.
Contact: Troy Newman, Cheryl Sullenger
Source: Operation Rescue
Source URL: http://www.operationrescue.org/
Publish Date: November 20, 2008
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/081121_2.htm