By now most of us have watched the series of Planned Parenthood videos. Each revelation is increasingly more horrific. But truly we should not be surprised. We are repulsed and heartbroken but not surprised.
Think about what we have seen as we fight to save innocent lives. Partial Birth Abortion. Born alive babies left to die. Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s House of Horrors. Dangerous filthy uninspected clinics that injure and kill women.
Over and over again we have seen the truth of the abortion industry. The selling of organs from the bodies of violently butchered babies is the inevitable outcome of the relentless march of the evil that is abortion.
I think an especially frightening aspect of this onslaught against the sanctity of life is the callous indifference of the individuals at Planned Parenthood and Stem Cell Express. What we see is the deadening effect of a life time of disregard for the value of human life.
We cry for the little ones and they joke.
Years before I became active in the pro-life movement my young son came across the film “The Silent Scream” on television. I knew he was watching something disturbing because his face was white as a sheet as he sat in front of the T. V. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and asked, “Where do they do this?” On the screen was the image of an unborn child thrashing about as his life was violently ended. My son’s reaction to viewing the killing of a baby in the womb was a normal reaction. God have mercy on those who are indifferent to such brutality.
I remember when Partial Birth Abortion came to light and we were desperately trying to get the truth out to the public. I walked door-to-door in Springfield handing out pamphlets that illustrated the gruesome procedure. Many doors were slammed in my face. Many times I was called a liar and a trouble-maker. Denial, anger and accusations were common reactions.
Then the news that a baby born alive after an abortion was left to die on the floor of a soiled linen closet at Christ Hospital. A nurse named Jill Stanek found the baby. She devoted her life to stopping that barbaric act. Jill's reaction was heroic.
Jessica Schuessler felt God calling her to do something to get churches more involved in the pro-life movement. Now she is working to get the book “Deliver Us from Abortion” in the hands of all Protestant and Catholic pastors throughout the state of Illinois. She has developed an adopt-a-church program asking people to contribute $13.00 for the cost of the book so she can fulfill her goal of blanketing all the churches in Illinois. She was obedient and answered the call.
People have many different reactions when faced with the awful truth about abortion. You, my pro-life friend, are among the heroic and obedient.
On August 22, 2015 there were 320 protests at Planned Parenthood facilities across this nation. I was honored to speak at the Springfield Right to Life protest. I know that many of you took the time to gather together that day to demand that Planned Parenthood stop receiving tax dollars.
On September 3, 2015 a coalition of eleven pro-life/pro-family groups met in Chicago outside of Senator Mark Kirk’s office. Jill Stanek, now with Susan B. Anthony List, called a press conference to bring attention to Kirk’s support for the funding of Planned Parenthood. The Federation was there to demand that our tax dollars no longer be used to murder and desecrate innocent life. We challenged him to change his mind and vote to defund Planned Parenthood.
Since the beginning of the spring 2015 Legislative Session we have been fighting SB1564. This bill requires crisis pregnancy centers to violate their conscious by forcing them to refer abortion-minded clients to facilities that perform abortions. The deadline for the bill has been extended an outrageous four (4) times to keep it alive for a vote all through the summer. The Federation has continued to keep watch over SB1564. Your actions, calling legislators and writing letters and emails, have been instrumental in keeping this bill from being called for a vote.
We must never stop telling the truth. We must remain obedient. We must answer the call. We must never stop fighting the evil that is abortion. The Federation is dedicated to the proposition that together we will win this battle.
When my son asked me "Where do they do this?" I had to tell him, "They do it here." If we continue to work together and do not grow weary of doing what is right the day will come when we can tell our children, : "They don't do it here."
The IFRL is your eyes, ears and voice in Springfield as is our parent organization National Right to Life in Washington D.C. What we do, can do and will do in the future depends on your generosity. It is only through the generosity of you our donors that we can be that effective voice and face of the Pro-Life movement in Springfield and DC. We ask you to consider this as you evaluate how much you will be able to contribute to our efforts on behalf of the unborn and about to be born.
Please help us with your prayers and financial support. We promise to be faithful with your donations.
Thank you for all you have done. Thank you for all you are doing. Thank you for all you will do in the future.
For life,
Dawn Behnke
President IFRL
