November 26, 2019

National Right to Life Urges President and Congress to Reject Funding Abortion Overseas

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias
The National Right to Life Coalition sent a letter to President Donald Trump asking him to urge Congress not to pass the Senate’s State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS) appropriations bill.

A "poison pill" amendment was added to the bill by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) which would increase taxpayer funding of abortions overseas by giving money to U.S.-based NGOs that promote abortions. Furthermore, it creates a "blacklist" for pro-life organizations; making it harder for them to receive the same funding.

“The Shaheen amendment would weaken the Trump Administration’s Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) policy as well as other administration initiatives protecting life,” stated Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “This amendment is anti-life and would jeopardize this administration’s efforts to protect life both here and abroad.”

Click here to read more.

Pa. Down Syndrome Protection Act Sponsor Speaks Against Governor's Veto

Pennsylvania State Rep. Kate Klunk
Pennsylvania's Democrat Governor Tom Wolf recently vetoed a bill that would have made aborting a child solely because of a diagnosis with Down syndrome illegal. The bill passed both the Senate and House with comfortable, bipartisan majorities. Now the sponsor, Rep. Kate Klunk, has released a statement in response to Gov. Wolf's veto.
“I am incredibly disheartened by Gov. Wolf’s veto of the Down Syndrome Protection bill. With the stroke of a pen, he not only vetoed an important piece of legislation, but also continued to allow for the termination of unborn babies strictly because they have a Down syndrome diagnosis. 
“In his veto message, Wolf said, ‘There is no evidence that this bill is needed in Pennsylvania.’ I beg to differ. When I looked at all the people with Down syndrome who advocated for this bill, I saw the evidence of why this bill should be law in our Commonwealth. I saw the love and value they add to their families and to the fabric of our communities. And, I saw the need to protect these individuals from needless death simply because they have an extra chromosome.”
This legislation would have saved the lives of babies in Pennsylvania who are killed simply because they have a genetic disorder. Instead, it was vetoed with great fanfare. Governor Wolf made a production of the whole affair. He announced his plans as soon as the legislation passed and posted a video of himself vetoing the bill the next day.

Click here to read more.

Texas Attorney General Renounces Rule Threatening take Ventilator from 9-Month-Old Baby

Texas AG Kenneth Paxton
Tinslee Lewis, a 9-month-old baby at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth was issued a 10-day warning by the hospital on October 31st. Under Texas law, the hospital can deny a patient further treatment as long as they give a 10-day warning. Unless her family could find another hospital willing to offer her treatment and keep her hooked up to a ventilator, then she would have died on November 10th. The family found legal help to delay this deadline, and now the Texas Attorney General has stepped in as well.

“One of the core principles provided by the United States Constitution is that no person should be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law,” Texas Attorney General Paxton said. “This unconstitutional statute infringes on patients’ right to life and does not allow patients and their families sufficient notice and the opportunity to be heard before physicians override the rights of their patients. Patients must be heard and justly represented when determining their own medical treatment, especially when the decision to end treatment could end their life.”

A hearing will take place early in December to decide whether Tinslee's care at Cook Children’s Medical Center will be allowed to continue past December 10th.

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November 25, 2019

Memorial for Abortion Victims Sparks Anger from Feminists

In Belleville, Ontario, a Catholic group called The Knights of Columbus recently created a memorial in St. James Roman Catholic Cemetery for aborted children. After they posted pictures of the tombstone on Facebook, the pro-life group received a flurry of criticism from feminist groups and pro-abortion advocates across the internet.

In addition to being called "misogynists" and "crusty white boomers" by people on the internet, the men from this organization were criticized by Elissa Robertson, the coordinator of Warrior Women of Quinte. The Warrior Women held a demonstration against the memorial.

“[The memorial] ties into patriarchal values and this idea that women’s bodies are meant to be controlled by men. It’s a broader issue that ties into violence against women, it ties into health care, it ties into safety,” Robertson said.

These arguments are attacks against the character of pro-life advocates rather than defense of women. Accusing the pro-life community of wanting to control or harm women is a broad insult that we should not accept. We need to keep the conversation focused on the lives being lost and how they can be saved rather than make character attacks against those who are already born.

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Canadian Government to Expand Already Loose Euthanasia Law

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Credit: Alex Guibord / Flickr
A recent Canadian Press report stated that, under the pressure of pro-euthanasia lobbyists, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will comply with a court ruling that the government cannot restrict euthanasia people who are near death.

Furthermore, the lobby is urging the Canadian government to allow euthanasia to occur in cases when the patient is incapable of providing consent for lethal injection.

It is argued that the move to open euthanasia to those who are not dying is legislation from the courts since a liberal government chose not to appeal the decision. There are reports that the law was already abused, with three reports of euthanasia deaths related to hip fractures.

Click here to read more.

November 22, 2019

All Democratic Presidential Candidates Continue to Claim Abortion is a Human Right

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
Credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr
On the Democratic presidential primary debate stage Wednesday night, candidates for the most powerful political office on the planet once again affirmed their stance that abortion should be a human right.

“I believe that abortion rights are human rights,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. “I believe that they are also economic rights. And protecting the right of a woman to be able to make decisions about her own body is fundamentally what we do and what we stand for as a Democratic Party.”

“We should codify Roe v. Wade into law,” said Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders's answer to an abortion question included this statement, “I get very tired, very tired of hearing the hypocrisy from conservatives who say, ‘Get the government off our backs, we want small government.’ Well, if you want to get the government out of the backs of the American people, then understand that it is women who control their own bodies, not politicians.”

It is sad that the Democrat party neither has the morality to recognize unborn children as real people nor the intellectual diversity to include even a single candidate on the stage who contests that belief. Even Joe Biden has moved away from his previous support of the Hyde Amendment, which prevents Medicaid funds from being used for abortions except in cases of incest or rape.

Click here to read more.

Wall Street Journal Report Exposes Google's Pro-Abortion Bias in Search Results

A report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) shows that when Google serves search results related to abortion, it isn't doing so in good faith.

Google's autocomplete results that appear in a drop-down menu when typing the words "abortion is" are wildly different than the results from other search engines, which contain words that negatively describe abortion. Instead, it includes only phrases that positively describe abortion, such as "abortion is healthcare" and "abortion is legal."

Additionally, searching the word abortion will cause Google to find nearby clinics on Google maps before showing any results at all. If a user scrolls down to the results, they will find that many of them come from Planned Parenthood, and none of the links are sponsored ads. According to the WSJ report, 39 percent of Google results for "abortion" comes from Planned Parenthood, while only about 15 percent of search results using other websites come from Planned Parenthood.

Click here to read more.

Pennsylvania Governor Vetoes Down Syndrome Protection Act

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf took to Twitter on the evening of November 21 to film himself vetoing the Down Syndrome Protection Act, as he had promised he would.

The legislation would have made it illegal to abort a child because they were diagnosed with Down syndrome. In his response, Gov. Wolf said that the bill would "interfere with the rights of women to make their own health care decisions."

This is of course untrue. This bill would not prevent women from receiving any form of healthcare. Pro-abortion advocates use the argument of healthcare because they have few arguments to stand on except to say that pregnant women are sick when they don't want to have a baby and healthy when they do. This makes no sense from a logical perspective, but the conveniences and monetary value provided by abortion are so great that abortion advocates are willing to forego logic.
Click here to read more.

November 21, 2019

Pennsylvania State Representative Gives Emotional Defense for Protection of Miscarried/Aborted Bodies

Pennsylvania State Representative Frank Ryan defended HB 1890 on the floor or the House of Representatives this week; telling fellow legislators that he only feared one thing when he died.

“All I worry about is my son Eddie,” he said as his voice cracked.

Eddie died as a result of a miscarriage, and the subject is particularly emotional for Ryan because he was unable to retrieve his son's body. The hospital disposed of Eddie's remains on its own.

Ryan further explained that he was afraid his son would ask him in the afterlife, “Why weren’t you there to protect me, Dad?”

House Bill 1890 would require medical facilities and abortion centers to give families the opportunity to give respect to the lives of their children through burial or cremation.

PA House members passed the bill by a vote of 123-76

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Pro-Life Organizations Suing New York for Forcing them to Hire Pro-Abortion Employees

Three pro-life organizations have announced that they will be working with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) to fight new legislation forcing New York employers to accept pro-abortion employees.

The newly-signed law forbids employers from hiring or firing employees based on their "reproductive health decision-making" and includes no religious exemptions.

The organizations teaming up with ADF include the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA), First Bible Baptist Church in Hilton, and the pro-life pregnancy care service CompassCare according to the Catholic News Agency.

CompassCare released a statement on its decision to pursue legal action against the state of New York.
“This law is a trifecta of constitutional violations, hindering freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and freedom of association. To be clear, obeying this law would force CompassCare to violate its mission and beliefs. CompassCare cannot in good conscience obey this law. We sue not because we want to but because it is needed to ensure pro-life Christians can continue expressing their convictions publicly and peaceably.”
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Pro-Life Activist Arrested Outside Planned Parenthood Clinic in Aurora Illinois

On November 16th, pro-life activist Mario Navarro was arrested outside a Planned Parenthood clinic in Aurora, IL. Fellow activists criticized police officers and asked what the charges were, but police refused to answer. They further asked if they would be arrested for standing in the road where the arrested activist stood, and they would not answer that question either. The full exchange can be seen in the video above.

In an email to LifeSiteNews, Navarro stated, “There is a public easement which was decided in federal court to be accessible to sidewalk councilors. Part of that agreement was that those standing there would not be arrested for doing so. The citation after the arrest was for disobeying a lawful order of a police officer, however that order was in violation of a federal court decision.”



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November 20, 2019

#GivingTuesday

Make a Charitable Gift on #GivingTuesday and Help Us End Abortion and Save Lives. Help us to continue our life-saving work by giving the gift of life on December 3, 2019. It’s now easier than ever, just Click Here.

The Illinois Federation for Right to Life... 

 - Sponsors educational seminars and conventions to train volunteers and educate the public on pro-life issues. 

 - Encourages the creation and strengthening of pro-life affiliates throughout Illinois.

 - Serves as a communications center for the exchange of ideas and news of interest to pro-life people in Illinois.

 - Provides knowledgeable individuals to participate in radio and television programs as well as public forums to discuss pro-life issues.

 - Promotes programs and activities which increase respect for the dignity and value of every human life. 

Effective Action is only possible through citizen-involvement! We Need Your Help! Please donate today! Please note, donations made are designated 501(c)(3) and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

Click here to donate.


The IFRL is the largest grassroots pro-life organization in Illinois. A non-profit organization, that serves as the state coordinating body for local pro-life chapters representing thousands of Illinois citizens working to restore respect for all human life in our society. 

Spread news and action alerts that the IFRL publishes, and please support the IFRL with a very critical donation to keep the news and alerts coming, and keep us in Springfield fighting to protect lives.
 
Without your support lives will be lost. We need resources to educate our legislators. Many times members of the General Assembly do not have the time to read proposed laws before they vote. They do not know how destructive some of these laws can be to the families of Illinois. This is where the IFRL comes in. We alert you, so you can alert your legislators and work with us to hold back the forces that threaten innocent lives. We are in this together and we need your help! We need your prayers, your letters, your calls and your donations - now more than ever! Lives are at stake!  Donations made through the below link are designated 501(c)(3) and are tax-deductible as charitable contributions.

Stranger Makes Signs Telling Family to "Let the baby die."


A family was asking for donations to help pay for their four-month-old son's medical treatments by using signs posted around their hometown of Toledo, Ohio. They recently discovered signs reading "Stop asking for money. Let the baby die. It's called Darwinism. Happy Holidays," sitting near their calls for help.

The community has banded together in the past to help pay for genetic testing baby RJ needed to diagnose his conditions, and his family hopes they continue to do so in spite of these hateful outbursts.

Watch the video above or click here to learn more.

Democratic Attorneys General Association Criticized for Rejecting Pro-Life Democratic Candidates

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards
The Democratic Attorneys General Association now requires candidates to take a pro-abortion stance in order to receive endorsements, campaign assistance, data analysis, or any other services the organization provides to candidates and elected officials.

In a video posted on Nov 17th, New York Attorney General Letitia James spoke about the policy, saying, “Attorneys general are on the front lines of the fight for reproductive freedom. They have the power to protect your rights.”

Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life of America, responded by referencing the recent re-election of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, who is a pro-life Democrat:
“Governor Edwards did not run from his pro-life position, he embraced it and was proud to promote a whole life agenda to protect and support life from womb to tomb. This was a source of strength for his campaign. An abortion-rights candidate would have lost. Imposing a litmus test on candidates would force one-third of Democrats, who oppose abortion, out of the party and lessen the opportunity for Democratic gains.”
Day further emphasized that supporting pro-life democrats was a matter of inclusion.

Click here to read more.

November 19, 2019

Report Says Dutch Pediatricians Support Euthanasia for Children

A small report from three Dutch teaching hospitals claims that 84% of pediatricians support euthanasia practices for children between the ages of 1 and 12. A bill that legalizes this was recently introduced in the lower house of the Dutch Parliament.

The small survey size of 38 doctors said that they treated 359 seriously ill children within that age range within the last five years. In 46 of these 359 cases, the doctor believed that assisted suicide would have been a better option for the child than what was provided.

“Especially with seriously ill children, whose dying phase can be accompanied by a lot of pain and suffering and whose death process can take weeks, a large number of parents and doctors have the desire to speed up or shorten that process,” said Professor Eduard Verhagen.

Click here to read more.

Woman Sues Chicago Planned Parenthood Clinic for Negligence. Fainted and Broke Neck after IUD Procedure.

Credit: bloomsberries / Flickr
Morgan Castro is suing a Chicago Planned Parenthood clinic for negligence after breaking her neck.

The 26-year-old woman told staff at a Planned Parenthood clinic on Laselle Drive in Chicago that she felt dizzy following an intrauterine device (IUD) insertion procedure. Rather than monitor her closely and keep her safe, they left the room. She fainted and fell to the floor with nobody else around.

According to the lawsuit: “Following the insertion of the IUD, Morgan felt dizzy. Morgan informed the healthcare provider of those symptoms. After being informed of Morgan’s dizziness, the healthcare provider left the room, leaving Morgan alone and unmonitored. Morgan lost consciousness and fell from the table to the ground.”

Click here to read more.

November 18, 2019

UK Man Arrested for Praying Outside Abortion Facility

Christian Hacking, a 29-year-old man was recently released after being arrested for praying outside an abortion facility in London.

While the man was praying outside the abortion facility, he was approached by a police officer who told him that he was in violation of a court order that served as a buffer zone. When he refused to leave, police told him to stand up, which he obviously could not because he was wheelchair-bound. Eventually, police picked him up and carried him to their police van without telling him what he was charged with.

Hacking vowed to continue praying despite the incident, while officials argue that he should have been prosecuted.

Click here to read more.

Planned Parenthood Launches Mobile App to Help Users Find Abortion Facilities

Planned Parenthood both announced and launched a new mobile application called the "Abortion Care Finder" last week. The app finds the nearest Planned Parenthood facility able to legally commit an abortion. If the nearest Planned Parenthood facility that can commit abortion is farther than 60 miles away, then the app will direct them to a different abortion provider.

Planned Parenthood CEO Alexis McGill says that the app was created to counteract increased state regulation and clinic Planned Parenthood clinic closings. “Restrictions have just been coming so fast and furious,” she said to the New York Times.

Much of the legislation that would be restricting abortion is currently hung up in court battles, but an app like this will direct more and more women to cross state lines when possible and seek abortions in states like Illinois when they are restricted in other states.

Click here to read more.

Bernie Sanders Announces Plan to offer Abortion to Veterans at VA Facilities

Bernie Sanders at an Iowa Rally
Credit: Matt Johnson / Flickr
On Veteran's Day, Bernie Sanders announced his new plan to make changes to the medical services available at veteran hospitals. Most notably, Sanders wants to add abortion to that list.

The plan does include modernization of services to veterans and would open 50,000 positions for doctors, nurses and other medical professionals, it also reaches farther than “ensur[ing] that all veterans are treated with dignity and respect,” would imply.

A description posted on his campaign website says that Sanders's plan will “ensure that women veterans will no longer be forced outside the VA system for basic women’s health services, including fertility treatment, abortion care, or specialized cancer treatment and prevention services.”

Click here to read more.

November 15, 2019

Daleiden and Center for Medical Progress found Guilty in Planned Parenthood Trial

David Daleiden
Credit: American Life League / Flickr
After exposing the abortion industry's practice of selling human body parts from aborted children, the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) along with David Daleiden and all of the individuals involved with filming and releasing undercover videos have been found guilty of multiple crimes by a U.S. District Court jury.

The Mary Thomas Moore Society, a group that provided legal counsel for the defense told the press that the "process was unfair."

The CMP made the following statement in a press release:
"While top Planned Parenthood witnesses spent six weeks testifying under oath that the undercover videos are true and Planned Parenthood sold fetal organs on a quid pro quo basis, a biased judge with close Planned Parenthood ties spent six weeks influencing the jury with pre-determined rulings and by suppressing video evidence, all in order to rubber-stamp Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit attack on the First Amendment. This is a dangerous precedent for citizen journalism and First Amendment civil rights across the country, sending a message that speaking truth and facts criticizing the powerful is no longer protected by our institutions."
Between all of the charges and defendants, Planned Parenthood was awarded $2.2 million, including punitive and compensatory damages as well as attorneys' fees.

The pro-life defense lawyers have already stated that they plan to appeal.

Click here to read more.