Illinois Right to Life Committee
PRO-LIFE BLOG Normally updated daily. For a voice recording of this information, call 312-422-9303.
Thursday, Jan 26, 2012 -- Terminal sedation committed on a Florida mother I received a call and email from a woman who was very concerned about the direction of care hospice was providing for her mother in Florida. Unfortunately, she was not the designated agent on her mother's durable power of attorney for health care (DPAHC), and her sister who was the agent agreed with the steps to hasten death that the hospice was committing. Here is her concerned email: My mother is in home hospice care in Florida where she is in the final stages of her life. However, I am not in agreement with my sister and the hospice organization. They appear to be sedating my mother un-necessarily and claiming its to make her comfortable. Since I am here and can ask the question “mom are you in pain” and get the response from my mother "No", I am constantly asking the nurse who is here why they are keeping her so sedated, but getting what appears to me to be a stock answer. Due to her constant state of sedation, she is no longer taking water and food herself. When I asked if they would hang a IV for fluids, I was told "No" and referred to their “bible” chapter 7 on end of life food and water. Is there any guidance you can provide to me in my effort to help my mother while making sure these people don’t kill her morphine and kindness. I think she might take some food and water if she were not so sedated and off in lala land. I guess the bottom line here is I don’t trust these folks nor my sister at this point. I am not looking for heroic measures, but watching her die from malnutrition and dehydration is not something I want to do, nor do I think that it’s a good thing for my mother. As oftens seems to happen when a sibling without DPAHC authority attempts to resolve hospice care deemed problematic, she is being pushed out of the picture by denial of access to her mother. It is unclear who (DPAHC agent or hospice) is leading this hastening of death in violation of the true mission of hospice, but both are working together to deprive this mother of a natural death.
Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 -- Media jumps on shaky embryonic stem cell results News about a "breakthrough" using embryonic stem cells to treat macular degeneration got lots of media coverage recently. Two patients with serious vision problems were injected with embryonic stem cell derivatives, and they reported improvement in their vision. With these very preliminary results, Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) has published a very preliminary online report regarding these first two patients. David Prentice observes, "The two patients, one who has age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness, and the other with a rare form of blindness called Stargardt’s disease, were injected with retinal cells made from human embryonic stem cells only 4 months before the report was submitted. This makes it far too early to know whether these embryonic stem cells will actually be safe or effective. In fact, it’s surprising that any reputable scientific journal would publish such very preliminary data, given the early stage of the clinical trial (which is supposed to last at least two years), the short period of time after the patients were injected, and the low numbers of patients and lack of controls." There you have it! Supporters of embryonic stem cell research get to shortcut standard scientific procedures to encourage the public that embryonic stem cells will provide the cures they are looking for. In contrast, when adult stem cell research successes follow scientific procedures and then publish their reports in scientific journals, the media ignores many of these reports, or covers them without mentioning the use of adult stem cells. Apparently, the journal editors must be part of the conspiracy to give preference to embryonic stem cells with little merit to justify that preference.
Tuesday, Jan 24, 2012 -- Media censorship of March for Life worse than ever Did you know that about 500,000 people from around the nation attended the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. on January 23rd? Well, you certainly did not learn that information from the lamestream media. Years ago, when they actually did cover the March for Life, we expressed our frustration with the very low estimates they used for the size of the crowd.News coverage has changed, but not for the better. Participation has increased from 100,000 to 200,000 years ago to 400,000 to 500,000 now. Has this huge increase generated more coverage of the March for Life? No! Most lamestream media outlets now provide complete censorship of the March for Life. Those few exceptions (e.g. Washington Post) use every trick in the book to distort their coverage in favor of the less than 20 pro-abortion activists who stand on the steps of the Supreme Court to heckle the March for Life there. The Washington Post managed to suggest that the numbers on both sides were similar. The pictures used on-line attempted to convey Pro-Lifers as angry and unreasonable. For accurate coverage of the 2012 March for Life, check out these alternate media
sources:
Monday, Jan 23, 2012 -- Women's rights fantasy versus deadly reality Sara Paretsky was given space to express well over 1000 words in the January 22nd Chicago Tribune expounding that "women are full citizens and moral agents," while she criticized Republicans and conservatives for considering women to be children, or even animals (e.g. alligators), who are "not capable of making competent decisions about our sexuality or our fertility." Given her reference to the anniversary of Roe v. Wade and to "shocking assaults on both abortion rights and abortion providers," Paretsky is clearly advocating for more access to abortion as a means for women to make "competent decisions about our sexuality or our fertility." Paretsky's fantasy about the nature of women's "rights" leads her to ignore some very deadly realities. Since 1973, decisions in favor of abortion have caused the death of over 54 million babies, with more than half of them being female. Many pregnant women who did not want an abortion have been murdered, or seriously injured, by someone else who wanted to make the decision for them, making murder "the leading cause of death for pregnant women" ( from NOW web site).Beyond the consequences of so many female babies killed by abortion and women murdered for refusing abortion, studies consistently show the negative impact of abortion on women, from increased drug and alcohol abuse to suicide attempts. The lives of many women after abortion have been negatively impacted in serious ways. Just "continuing on with your life" after abortion is more fantasy than reality. Ignoring such deadly facts of life, Paretsky attempts to justify her position by attributing responsibility for terrorism against abortion facilities to "pro-life zealots" and misrepresenting the scope of clinic violence by stating, "more than 6,000 acts of terror have been committed against clinics, patients and staff since 1973." Actual statistics show 7 murders (4 abortion providers and 3 employees) and 41 bombings. In fact, virtually none of these violent acts were carried out by anyone truly connected with the Pro-Life cause. Paretsky commends the Obama administration decision that "would require most insurers to cover contraception, even in Catholic hospitals." While advocating that "women are full citizens and moral agents," she writes off the conscience rights and religious liberty of all churches, insurance providers, and citizens, including women, who do not want to pay for contraceptives, morning-after pills, and sterilizations, either because they consider them immoral or simply prefer going to providers who agree with their own respect for all human life. It appears that Paretsky must consider anyone with such views to be a child who cannot be given a choice, while she claims that "women are just as human, and just as capable of making their own choices, as men." What about all the women who support the Pro-Life position (over 50% in most polls) and disagree with Paretsky's world view of abortion rights? If they do not agree with Paretsky, they must not be "full citizens and moral agents."
Friday, Jan 20, 2012 -- Superhero moms who overcame the pressure and chose life We have learned from the testimony of people who have survived abortion, and from mothers who have resisted abortion, or shared their regrets about abortion. Now we have the observations of a survivor whose mother could have easily chosen abortion, given her circumstances, but bravely chose to give her child life. Leah Smith recognizes how heroic her mother was to resist the pressure for abortion. She writes about her birth: Only months before, my 16 year old birth mom had been counselled and hugged and told that abortion is really up to the mother, and the mother had to do what was best for herself. Here’s what makes my birth mother a real, true mother…and my hero: She didn’t do what was best for herself…she did what was best for her child. She stood up and walked out of an abortion clinic. Because of her refusal to rid herself and her family of this “nuisance and annoyance and embarrassment” later to be named Leah; her father made her a ward of the courts. She had to find a place to live, had to find her own support system, had to deal with very big issues on her own. But, she did this for me. She told the people who said that giving birth to the baby wasn’t worth the problems, that I was worth the problems, and she gave me to a family that needed a bouncing and singing little girl. Commenting on people who are "pro-choice" Leah states, "People who say that abortion is OK, are actually telling me that they would have been OK with my birth mom ending me before I even had a chance to see the ocean, eat an ice cream cone, climb a tree or hug my Mommy and Daddy." May Leah's words move hardened hearts to recognize that human lives are worth the sacrifices required to deal with unexpected pregnancies!
Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 -- Chicago City Council attacks free speech rights again The Chicago City Council already gave us the bubble zone near abortion facilities. This ordinance seems to have little effect, except when police attempt to enforce it without attempting to learn exactly what it requires. Possibly because bubble zones have had little effect to discourage praying and sidewalk counseling at abortion facilities, or maybe because Chicago government leaders just recognized a new opportunity when attempting to "protect" the public from G8 and NATO summit protesters, the Chicago City Council has now passed a new ordinance that defines a “Public Assembly”, which requires a permit, as:
Since there is no qualification on what constitutes “obstructing the normal flow of pedestrian traffic”, police could define any action they don’t like taking place on a sidewalk as a “Public Assembly” and shut it down for lack of a permit. This ordinance has the potential for serious violations of free speech rights, but challenges to the ordinance must wait for those abuses to occur so they can be taken to court.
Wednesday, Jan 18, 2012 -- More adult stem cell successes, but ignored by the media Have you heard about adult stem cells treating diabetes? Researchers from the University of Illinois have reported they have improved insulin production in people with type 1 diabetes. Have you been informed that adult stem cells have been used successfully to grow a trachea and saved a patient by replacing his cancerous one? A 30-year-old Baltimore man diagnosed with inoperable tracheal cancer is now back home recuperating from surgery in Sweden that implanted an artificial trachea made with his own adult stem cells. Media bias is apparently so great that even an adult stem cell success right here in Illinois is deemed not to be newsworthy. As of today, here are two more successes with adult stem cells that the lamestream media will most likely ignore because the results do not comply with their agenda of promoting embryonic stem cells: Adult
Stem Cells as Potential Fountain of Youth These results are much more preliminary than the successes mentioned first, but can you imagine such preliminary results being ignored by the media if they involved embryonic stem cells? Their actions reveal that their agenda slants their new coverage consistently, resulting in virtual censorship of news about successes coming with adult stem cells.
Tuesday, Jan 17, 2012 -- More information on abortion providers and location countdown From May 2011 through January 2012, 15 abortion facilities nationwide have closed, reducing the total of surgical abortion facilities from 678 to 663. Even better, two of those closed locations were in Illinois, reducing surgical abortion locations in Illinois to 20. Planned Parenthood operates 2 of those 20 surgical abortion facilities, and also uses the dangerous RU-486 abortion pill at 4 of their 18 Illinois locations. In total, Planned Parenthood offers abortion at 6 of their 18 Illinois locations at the present time. However, given their national policy to increase abortion locations, the treat exists that they could expand abortion to more locations in Illinois. A new web site has been created to track abortion facilities and abortionists nationally and for each state. Checking AbortionDocs.org will reveal the countdown to the end of abortion in the USA. Just in the last week, the number of abortionists fell from 768 to 755. Did some quit because their names were revealed to the public?
Monday, Jan 16, 2012 -- Is Dept of Justice working with abortionists to harass pro-lifers? Count on the most pro-abortion administration ever to twist the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (FACE) as a tool to harass Pro-Life sidewalk counselors, who are simply exercising their First Amendment rights. Fortunately, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida could see through the manufactured charges and lack of evidence in the case against Mary Susan Pine. The case against Mary was dismissed. The court ruling stated: The Court can only wonder whether this action was the product of a concerted effort between the Government and the PWC, which began well before the date of the incident at issue, to quell Ms. Pine’s activities rather than to vindicate the rights of those allegedly aggrieved by Ms. Pine’s conduct. If this is the case, the Court would be inclined to sanction the Government with, at a minimum, an adverse inference. Unfortunately, the equally questionable case against Richard Retta in Washington, D.C. was not dismissed, when U.S. District Judge James Emanuel (“Jeb”) Boasberg denied Richard Retta’s petition to have Federal charges under FACE dismissed. The government is seeking a permanent injunction to prohibit Retta and “his representatives, employees, agents, and any others” from “coming near the clinic gate,” as well as a $10,000 civil penalty and statutory damages of $5,000 for each of three “victims.” Pray that this case against Retta will fail as it moves forward, so that he can continue to save babies and their mothers from abortion at Planned Parenthood in Washington, D.C.
Friday, Jan 13, 2012 -- Notorious Rockford abortion facility closes permanently Disappointment with the January 4th agreement accepted by the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to allow the Northern Illinois Women’s Center (NIWC) abortion facility in Rockford to reopen was replaced with satisfaction today as NIWC announced they will never reopen. Reasons given by NIWC management attempted to suggest that factors such as lack of community support and a negative political climate surrounding abortion were the cause for closing, but failure to locate staffing to satisfy the IDPH requirements outlined in the agreement for reopening were the real cause for the permanent closure. Of course, NIWC's own bad reputation and violation of basic medical protocols certainly contributed to its lack of community support and a negative political climate. Thanks to all of the prayer warriors and sidewalk counselors whose presence at this facility achieved visibility for the indiscretions of NIWC, in addition to saving babies and their mothers from abortion. Pray that something worse is never able to enter now abortion-free Rockford! Keeping Planned Parenthood out of Rockford should be at the top of this pray request.
Thursday, Jan 12, 2012 -- "Bella" movie is still saving babies from abortion Bella HERO, a non-profit organization, views as their mission to provide free what they call the “powerful life-changing” film Bella to any pregnancy care center that wants it. This ministry, launched in 2008 by Jason Jones, the producer of the awarding winning film Bella, has as its goal to give the movie to any woman with an unplanned pregnancy so as to help her in making what the organization calls “the most important decision in her life.” So far, 445 babies (that they know of) have been saved from abortion after their mothers experienced the Bella movie. When one college woman and her boyfriend came to a pregnancy center and discovered she was pregnant, they appeared abortion-bound, but accepted a copy of Bella. They unexpectedly returned to the center for an ultrasound. The staff were delighted to learn that they had decided to keep their baby and parent the child themselves. The father wanted to name his child ‘Bella’ if she was a girl. The couple’s choice did not swerve when the ultrasound revealed twin daughters. They are now the proud parents of Bella and Millie. There were earlier reports from the cast of Bella about mothers and fathers who saw the movie and named their children Bella, so who knows how many other lives have been saved through this movie's powerful Pro-Life message. Through the efforts of Bella HERO, hopefully many more babies will be saved from abortion.
Wednesday, Jan 11, 2012 -- Adult stem results ignored, but media covers negative case Count on 60 Minutes to bring out a negative story about questionable use of adult stem cells (specifically cord blood stem cells) by people with questionable medical credentials. On January 8th 60 Minutes showed an interview with one of the providers of this questionable stem cell therapy, who cut the interview short when he did not like the nature of the questions. They talked about action being taken by the FDA to block these individuals from offering these treatments. Nothing was offered by 60 Minutes about the many successful treatments of human patients with adult stem cells. Over the last six months, reports of treatment of sports injuries, new windpipes, heart pain relief, Scleroderma relief, and new bone growth have made the medical news. By omitting these facts, it seems 60 Minutes has the agenda of portraying adult stem cells as the domain of quacks, leaving the impression that embryonic stem cells must be the place where legitimate research and medical advances take place, even though no advances have taken place there.
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2012 -- Offering an ultrasound before abortion to be required in Texas As usual, abortion advocates sought to block the law passed last year in Texas to require offering an ultrasound to mothers seeking abortions. A Federal appeals court has now ruled that this Texas law is constitutional and may be enforced, requiring abortion-bound mothers be told of their baby’s stage of development and offered the option viewing an ultrasound and hearing the baby's heartbeat. Abortion advocates claim the law forces women to have an ultrasound, but most abortion providers perform an ultrasound prior to abortion, just making sure the mother does not see it. Ironically, in court abortion advocates focused on the concept that providing the required information violated their right to free speech. In fact, not providing the information violates medical protocols requiring informed consent before medical procedures. “The required disclosures of a sonogram, the fetal heartbeat, and their medical descriptions are the epitome of truthful, non-misleading information,” wrote Chief Judge Edith H. Jones in her opinion. “The point of informed consent laws is to allow the patient to evaluate her condition and render her best decision under difficult circumstances. Denying her up-to-date medical information is more of an abuse to her ability to decide than providing the information.” This Texas law can now be enforced and represents one of the best efforts so far to offer mothers true informed consent prior to abortion. Assuming abortion providers comply with the law, which is not a safe assumption, what will happen to the abortion rate in Texas in the coming year? Thanks to the woman judge who defended the rights of women and applied common sense in her opinion favoring informed consent. Unfortunately, Illinois women have no such rights or even the more basic informed consent requirements that already exist in many states.
Monday, Jan 9, 2012 -- Two mothers sacrifice their lives for their unborn children in 2011 An Italian mother (Gianna Beretta Molla) was declared a saint by the Catholic Church in 2004, in part for her willingness to sacrifice her own life for the wellbeing of her unborn child rather than abort her to undergo needed medical treatment. Two mothers in USA made the same decision about their children during 2011. Jessica Council, supported by her husband Clint, rejected abortion after she was diagnosed with cancer in November 2010. When Jessica was near death on February 6, 2011, Clint gave the doctors the go-ahead to deliver by C-section and little “Jessi” was born, weighing only 1 lb 3 oz. Jessi is doing well, even though born at about 23 and a half weeks along – the absolute threshold of viability. Jenni Lake gave birth to a baby boy just one month before she turned 18. When Jenni found out she was pregnant, she decided to forgo treatment for tumors on her brain and spine so she could carry the baby to term and give birth. Jenni had received a biopsy in October 2010, and was diagnosed with stage three astrocytoma, a type of brain tumor. Jenni died 12 days after her baby was born. Thomas J. McKenna, President of St. Gianna Physician's Guild, observes, "These two painful and real life stories have a common theme. They provide tangible evidence that a deep, internal, maternal instinct to protect one's child is stamped on a woman's heart." As we approach another anniversary of the deadly Roe v. Wade decision, may the courage of Jessica and Jenni show us the way to restore a culture of life in our nation.
Friday, Jan 6, 2012 -- Parents reject Planned Parenthood's sex education Parents in Clifton Park, NY have taken action with their local school district to get Planned Parenthood kicked out after 20 years of teaching sex education there. What got these parents upset regarding the sex education middle school students were receiving from Planned Parenthood? Parents complained about promotion of oral sex as a form of “abstinence” and class demonstrations of how to put on a condom. They also objected to Planned Parenthood's dismissive attitude towards behavior that poses the risk of sexually transmitted diseases, and said parents hadn’t been adequately informed of their option to opt-out. These examples represent the kind of messages that Planned Parenthood wanted to mandate for Illinois schools with HB 3027's provision for "comprehensive" sex education. Fortunately, HB 3027 did not have enough support to pass the Illinois House so it has been stopped for now.
Thursday, Jan 5, 2012 -- IDPH agreement allows Rockford abortion facility to reopen A hearing scheduled for January 4th to address the case of the closed Rockford abortion facility was over before it began. Attorneys representing the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and Northern Illinois Women's Center (NIWC) both indicated that an agreement between the parties had been reached, so the hearing was declared over before it could begin. The concerned audience of a mostly Pro-Life perspective then learned that the nature of the agreement was confidential. This denial of information was a surprise, even to some reporters in the hearing room, but did not last long. Later in the day, the Chicago Tribune reported that NIWC would be allowed to reopen based on the evidence they submitted showing compliance with the requirements called for by IDPH. What was not known was when NIWC might actually reopen. Calls to their phone number still indicated that NIWC was not taking appointments from potential customers. Pray that this phone message does not change and that NIWC does not manage to reopen!
Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012 -- What is the new Planned Parenthood annual report telling us? The latest Planned Parenthood annual report was released on December 27th, but it is old news already because it covers the 2009-2010 fiscal year. Planned Parenthood officials have been quoted as calling 2011 their "worst year ever." We will need to wait another year to find out what that report looks like, but maybe the 2009-2010 report gives us a sneek preview. Even though the changes were very small, virtually all services provided by Planned Parenthood fell for 2009-2010. Even abortions fell (by less than 1%) after going up 3-9% almost every year in the last 25. About the only thing that did not go down was government funding, which now provides over 46% of Planned Parenthood's overall revenue. This huge jump from 33% the previous year reflects two things. Certainly, they did get increased government funding, but they also changed reporting categories. Surprisingly, they stopped reporting Medicaid funding as clinic income and shifted it over to government funding. Since this change should provide that much more motivation for those who argue that Planned Parenthood should not be receiving government funding, it is unclear what caused them to come clean at this time. Effectively, more govenment funding helped protect Planned Parenthood's revenue levels because private donations fell by 28%. With the change made in reporting categories, it is not possible to determine by how much clinic income fell, but the decline in service volumes [to follow this link, then select 2012-01-04] must have resulted in less clinic income as well. Pray and take action (letters to Congress, 40 Days for Life vigils, etc) to ensure that this start of a downward trend in Planned Parenthood's services and revenues will continue to grow in scope.
Tuesday, Jan 3, 2012 -- More cases of premature declaration of brain death Without sufficient proof, brain death is being declared for patients both young and old. How do we know there was not sufficient proof of brain death? Well, two more cases surfaced over the last few weeks where the "brain dead" patients kept on living. Why should anyone trust a diagnosis of brain death? Sam Schmid, an Arizona college student believed to be brain dead and poised to be an organ donor, has awakened from a coma just hours before doctors were ready to shut off life support and take his organs. After hospital officials began palliative care and sought consent from his parents for organ donation, Schmid responded. He was able to hold up two fingers on command. Later, he started walking with the aid of a walker. Now, his speech is improving and doctors say he will have a complete recovery. Two-year-old Kaylen Torres was declared brain dead within a few days after a gun accident at her home in Ocoee, Florida. Later, doctors backed away from that diagnosis after her parents said Kaylen showed signs of life, moving when tickled and responding to family members. Christine Aguirre, a family friend, said the infant also squeezes their hands and responds when they ask if she wants her teddy bear. These cases are just the most recent evidence that the rush to judgment of declaring brain death is not reliable. How many people have been killed for their organs because no one noticed in time any evidence that they really were not dead? Can a diagnosis of brain death ever be considered reliable? Some doctors have questioned brain death as invalid. Even though they are only a very small minority, these cases keep giving their position more and more credibility. If someone in your family is declared brain dead, do not accept this result without serious evaluation and more time for potential recovery.
Thursday, Dec 22, 2011 -- Merry Christmas from IRLC Illinois Right to Life Committee wishes you a Merry Christmas. Celebration of Christmas provides a strong foundation for defending the value of human life from conception to natural death. Consider some of the implications of the infancy narrative from St. Luke's Gospel.
Wednesday, Dec 21, 2011 -- Claimed results from over-the-counter Plan B not achieved We recently have witnessed an unexpected decision by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to block further expansion of over-the-counter access to the morning-after pill product Plan B (good news), followed by court action that is very likely to overturn her decision and allow Plan B on drug store shelves with no restrictions (bad news). A report from Spain on December 19th reveals the actual results of allowing unrestricted access to the morning-after pill. Use of the morning-after pill rose 83% in Spain with approval of unrestricted access for any age, but the promised decrease in "unwanted pregnancies" is nowhere to be found. In fact, mounting evidence has shown that the drug is both ineffective for its stated purpose of reducing unintended pregnancies, and is being abused the world over as a common method of contraception (while it was intended for use in "emergencies"). In a study released in May 2011 by the Guttmacher Institute, head researcher Megan L. Kavanaugh said that although use of the morning-after pill in the U.S. has doubled since the Food and Drug Administration authorized over-the-counter sales, the easy availability has not resulted in a reduction in "unintended pregnancies." Earlier in 2011 a study reported on the impact of the UK government’s scheme to hand out totally free emergency contraception to teenagers as young as sixteen, and found that the plan not only did not reduce teen pregnancy rates, but has led to a rise in sexually transmitted diseases. Pray that Judge Edward Korman does not further inflict this failed prescription on the young people of the United States. If he does, it will only lead to more problems for teenagers and more profit for Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers.
Tuesday, Dec 20, 2011 -- Planned Parenthood is not licensed or inspected in Illinois When you obtain medical services, you expect your provider to be licensed by the State of Illinois. You might be surprised to learn that Planned Parenthood, claiming to be a "trusted health care provider," is not licensed by the State of Illinois. Planned Parenthood is relying on a loophole in Illinois licensing regulations that requires licensing as an abortion facility only if more than 50% of services performed are abortions. Since Planned Parenthood claims that only 3% of services are abortions (even though 37% of their service revenue is generated by abortions), they can easily avoid licensing and thus avoid any inspections by the Illinois Department of Public Health. If you have a teenage daughter or granddaughter, Planned Parenthood wants to encourage her to obtain "reproductive health care services" from them without your knowledge or consent. Knowing that Planned Parenthood is not licensed by the State of Illinois should make you feel even more concerned about anyone in your family obtaining services from Planned Parenthood. Beware!
Monday, Dec 19, 2011 -- Planned Parenthood has a job for teens to push "sexual health" Is your teenage child or grandchild having trouble finding a part-time job? Planned Parenthood has a job you probably do not want your teenager to apply for. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin (PPWI) has posted a job called "Youth Health Educator - Milwaukee, WI." This job appears to be a variation of the "peer educator" positions that have been encountered at various Planned Parenthood locations over the years. Some of the essential duties of the Youth Health Educator position include: (1) Provide one-on-one sexual and reproductive health education to teens and/or young adults; (2) Answer questions from teens and young adults on the Youth Text Line, providing accurate, age-appropriate sexuality information and resources, including information/linkage to PPWI clinics, as appropriate; (3) Use new and existing social networks to provide accurate, age-appropriate sexuality information and spread the word about PPWI services among teens. Planned Parenthood is looking for teenagers with the following qualifications and experience: Must have strong written and verbal communication skills; influencing and interpersonal skills; organizational skills; availability to work flexible hours, including nights and weekends; willingness to travel; and comfort discussing sexuality issues in a confidential manner. Must be at least 14 years of age and must have successfully completed 8th Grade. Ability to relate to and influence peers required. Public speaking and presentation experience is a plus. Previous leadership role(s) with other youth programs desired. Bilingual (Spanish/English) skills preferred. Clearly, Planned Parenthood is looking for young marketing agents who can effectively generate new customers for them. The only way to do that is to encourage sexual activity. Teenagers who abstain from sexual activity will never become customers of Planned Parenthood. I checked all job listings on Planned Parenthood's national web site and did not find any other "Youth Health Educator" positions currently listed elsewhere in the nation. However, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood in Albany recruits teens, including minors, as “peer educators” for its STARS (Seriously Talking About Responsible Sex) program. Other attempts by Planned Parenthood to recruit teenagers as marketing agents might occur at any time. Beware!
Friday, Dec 16, 2011 -- Red Cross pushing "access to safe abortions" Falling for the lie that making abortion legal somehow makes it safe, the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent recently issued a report that quotes from a controversial UN document that said “States must take measures to ensure that legal and safe abortion services are available, accessible, and of good quality.” Gabriel Pictet, the manager of IFRC’s community health unit said IFRC quoted the highly controversial UN special rapporteur’s document “because the issue of safe abortion is relevant to public health, to health inequities and to human rights. By ensuring access to safe abortions, rather than making abortions illegal and thereby unsafe, the likelihood of reaching the Millennium Development Goal 5 [improve maternal health] increases.” Pictet's statement ignores the reality that nations where abortion is illegal (e.g. Ireland, Poland, Chile) have the lowest maternal mortality rates and thus the best maternal health records. A recent study from Ireland reveals that the Irish ban on abortion shows benefits for both women and children. That study explains: “It is because abortion rates are low among Irish women that Ireland shows a low incidence of maternal and infant conditions known to be abortion sequelae: still births, low weight births whether in singleton or multiple births, preterm or premature births, cerebral palsy and maternal deaths.” The study also links the low Irish abortion rate to low incidences of breast cancer and comparative good mental health among women. This analysis, compiled by actuary Mr Patrick Carroll M.A., F.I.A. of the Pensions and Population Research Institute (PAPRI), compared statistical data on abortions carried out on women resident in Ireland and Northern Ireland from 1968-2010 with the corresponding data for Britain and discussed the implications for the health of women. The comparison to Britain, where abortion is legal, revealed statistically significant differences regarding the health of both women and children, showing positive benefits of keeping abortion illegal. The Red Cross is also ignoring reports from other sources showing a dramatic decline in maternal deaths worldwide without any correlation to legalizing abortion. First came the April 2010 report in the British medical journal The Lancet. Then in September 2010 came the report titled "Trends in maternal mortality" showing the same dramatic decline in maternal deaths worldwide without any corresponding legalization of abortion. That report was released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the World Bank Those are all agencies that have actually promoted abortion as the solution for cutting maternal mortality rates, so their own report contradicts their agenda by showing a one-third reduction in maternal mortality (546,000 women died in 1990 during childbirth and 358,000 died in 2008). The Red Cross is making a serious mistake by following an agenda in favor of legal abortion that cannot be supported by the facts. If they push this agenda, they will ultimately be damaging efforts to improve maternal mortality. Such a move has very dangerous implications for women's health.
Thursday, Dec 15, 2011 -- Illinois abortions for 2010 drop to lowest since 1973 With the release of the Illinois abortion statistics for 2010, we learn that abortions have fallen in Illinois to the lowest level since 1973 at 41,859, better than the previous low of 42,228 in 2003. Even in the counties near the Planned Parenthood abortion fortress in Aurora, IL, abortions fell for 2010 compared to 2009. However, for residents of the six counties most affected by the Aurora abortion facility (Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, and Will), abortions in 2010 were still higher by 10% overall compared to 2007. The 2010 Illinois abortion total of 41,859 compares to 46,077 for 2009, which is a 9% decrease. Abortions fell for residents of most counties and for all age groups. Fortunately, abortions committed on women from other states also fell by 16%, but with abortions on women of unknown residence falling from 1,146 to 187, abortions on out-of-state women may have fallen much more. These statistics are good news. The only concern comes from a June 16, 2011 Chicago Tribune article on "reporting gaps" in Illinois abortion records. That report revealed that for 2008, Illinois statistics show 47,717 abortions, but Guttmacher shows 54,920 Illinois abortions. This difference suggests that at least 7,203 abortions were not reported to the state that year. How many abortions were not reported to the state for 2010? We hope under-reporting has not been increasing!
Wednesday, Dec 14, 2011 -- Did Komen drop Planned Parenthood? NO! Information suggesting that Komen for the Cure Foundation would no longer make donations to Planned Parenthood has been established as inaccurate through the efforts of Susan Tyrrell of Bound4Life. Susan contacted Komen officials about Planned Parenthood grants and received a response that included this sentence: Annually, Komen Affiliates fund programs that provide breast health education and breast screenings for hundreds of thousands of low-income, uninsured, or medically under-served women via nearly 2,000 local organizations, including 19 Planned Parenthood programs. Koman also stated, "The decision to fund any breast health and screening program is based on a thorough assessment of a community’s breast health needs and resources. In some areas of the U.S., our affiliates have determined a Planned Parenthood clinic to be the best or only local place where women can receive breast health care." A recent donation from Koman to Planned Parenthood occurred in the large metropolitan area of Orange County, California. Susan observes, “Is Komen really saying it could not donate money to another women’s health agency in that hugely populated area that could serve women’s breast health without killing babies in the next room? That’s pretty unbelievable.” The evidence suggests that Komen's unhealthy relationship with Planned Parenthood continues to be strong. The Orange County case reveals that even when other alternative organizations should be readily available, Planned Parenthood still receives Komen's preference as the "best" option. That is certainly questionable given the clear evidence that under no circumstances does any Planned Parenthood location perform mammograms, so the scope of their breast health care is very limited.
Tuesday, Dec 13, 2011 -- Judge to determine if teens can buy Plan B What did she know and when did she know it? HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is being given credit for common sense in blocking the FDA from allowing Plan B to be sold without a prescription to children of any age. Six days later Judge Edward Korman, a federal judge based in New York City, says he will hear arguments in a case filed by the pro-abortion Center for Reproductive Rights over whether the FDA should have ultimately allowed teens to buy Plan B without a prescription. What happens when Korman rules that the FDA must allow teens to buy Plan B unrestricted? Will Sebelius file an appeal to a higher court? Why should we expect Korman to rule for unrestricted access to Plan B? Well, two years ago he ordered the FDA to let 17-year-olds obtain Plan B and accused the government of letting “political considerations, delays and implausible justifications for decision-making” cloud the approval process. With the FDA now supporting unrestricted access to Plan B, but Sebelius blocking that FDA decision, where would you expect Korman's decision to land? The only remaining aspect to confirm a deceptive ploy intended to deceive the public about the agenda of the Obama administration would be establishing what Sebelius knew about this court case and when did she know it. It seems obvious to me there was a clear intent to gain political points by blocking over-the-counter access for Plan B, and then getting it anyway through the courts. Would you agree that failure to appeal Korman's decision amounts to proof of deceptive intent?
Monday, Dec 12, 2011 -- Refuting myths about Pro-Lifers Who is better to refute myths about Pro-Lifers than a convert from the "pro-choice" side? Kristen Walker has recently written two articles to refute 8 myths (three here and five here) portrayed by abortion advocates about Pro-Life advocates. Kristen addresses the following accusations about Pro-Lifers: (1) We don’t care about children once they’re born (2) We don’t care about women (3) We’re fighting for a lost cause (4) We’re all brainwashed (5) We’re violent (6) We’re all religious, conservative, and old (7) We’re hypocrites if we oppose abortion but don’t oppose (fill in the blank) (8) We have an ulterior motive. Often the "don't care about children" myth suggests that Pro-Lifers are encouraging child abuse by "forcing" the birth of "unwanted" babies who are then abused. Of course, the "solution"of aborting these babies is the ultimate child abuse. The "don’t care about women" accusation ignores the work of pregnancy help centers. While abortion advocates accuse them of "misleading women," their efforts provide real help to women, done for free. Kristen states, "Go into a pregnancy center and you will get a free pregnancy test, a free ultrasound, free adoption counseling, free help filling out insurance paperwork, and pretty much anything you need to see that the needs of you and your baby are met, up to and including a place to live." Read Kristen's articles to get her complete insights on refuting these myths about Pro-Life advocates. Then learn about Kristen's conversion to Pro-Life here.
Thursday, Dec 8, 2011 -- Sex-selective abortion causing gender imbalance in Taiwan Illinois is a long way from Taiwan, but this headline caught my attention. We have heard quite a bit about the gender imbalance in China caused by their one-child policy and the forced abortions that result from enforcing it. It was a surprise to me that Taiwan would have a similar problem when no government policies are instigating this grim situation. Even beyond the statistics on Taiwan's shortage of baby girls compared to baby boys, their abortion statistics are shocking. We have been horrified to learn that over 40% of babies in New York City are aborted. In Taiwan, 65-75% of babies are aborted with annual abortion totals of 300-500,000 for a population of just 23 million people. That means the abortion rate in Taiwan is 3.5 to 5.5 times higher than in the USA. The result of this high abortion rate is a total fertility rate of 0.91 children per woman, when population replacement requires 2.1 children per woman. The population of Taiwan is on its way to self-extinction.
Wednesday, Dec 7, 2011 -- HHS rejects Plan B OTC for younger teens, but why? We certainly do not want the morning-after pill Plan B to be available to young teens without a prescription. In fact, we would rather that Plan B not be available to anyone without a prescription. Thus, we are happy that Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled a decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to make Plan B available to all ages over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription. This Sebelius decision preserves the unfortunate current situation where Plan B can be obtained without a prescription by anyone who has reached 17 years of age. They must go to the pharmacy counter to obtain Plan B, since anyone younger must have a prescription to obtain Plan B. So why did Sebelius overrule the FDA decision to allow Plan B open access on the store shelves for anyone to purchase? She stated, "I do not believe enough data were presented to support the application to make Plan B One-Step available over the counter for all girls of reproductive age." Is that explanation viable from someone who has consistently done the bidding of the abortion industry for years? What might be the real reason? Could it be that Planned Parenthood might lose too many Plan B sales and other marketing opportunities with young teens, so they really did not support this change? Penny Pullen of Life Advocacy and Steven Ertelt of LifeNews consider this to be likely, especially given the huge profit margin Planned Parenthood has on Plan B. There is potentially another explanation. An Associated Press news report indicated "A hearing already was scheduled for next week to consider whether the FDA should be held in contempt of court for not doing so earlier" (referring to relaxing or eliminating the age requirement for over-the-counter access to Plan B). My theory is the possibility that the Obama administration is trying to gain political points with uninformed conservative voters by showing how reasonable they are, knowing that next week they will get what they really want when the court "forces" them to allow Plan B over-the-counter for everyone of any age. In political terms, that's something like eating your cake and having it, too.
Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 -- Cannot find an abortion to reject; well, they all produce cash Abortion providers have already demonstrated, thanks to the efforts of Lila Rose and Life Dynamics, that they have no problem with committing abortions in cases of suspected child sexual abuse, without regard to parental notice or consent laws, as assistance to child sex traffickers, and while misleading women on the risks of abortion procedures and on the development of their babies. Should it be any surprise then that Planned Parenthood and NARAL oppose a ban on sex selection abortions? A bill in Congress would ban abortions sought solely because of the sex or race of the baby. The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act is criticized by abortion providers as just more unnecessary restriction on abortion. They allege, “[T]he bill will effectively exacerbate already existing disparities by limiting some women’s access to comprehensive reproductive health care and penalizing health care providers.” They further claim, “Instead of addressing health disparities and ensuring accessible and culturally competent medical care for all women, the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act will further isolate and stigmatize some women....” In other words, this bill is unacceptable because women from cultures where male babies are preferred would be prevented from aborting girl babies when they want to, and abortion providers would suffer the loss of abortion revenue as a consequence. Planned Parenthood and NARAL are making things quite clear that finding any circumstance where abortion is unacceptable is virtually impossible in their view.
Monday, Dec 5, 2011 -- Conceived by loving parents important: ask sperm donor children In today's world of in vitro fertilization, including anonymous egg and sperm donation, it seems all that matters is creating a child for adults who want one. But when sperm donor children consider their lack of a real father, they express concerns about what they find lacking. Alana provides one example. Her concerns have included a sense of abandonment by her biological father and a rocky relationship with the man who raised her. “He felt purpose in raising [my adopted sister], he felt like her father,” she relates. “With me, my biological relatedness to my mother just emphasized what I didn’t have in common with him.” Alana's concerns were confirmed when her "parents" divorced and her "father" sought custody of her adopted sister, but not her. Another impact of turning to sperm or egg donation to conceive a child can be evidence of a “materialistic” attitude on the part of the couple. Alana observed, “They are people that find it difficult to accept not having something and often put their own needs before others (i.e. their need to have a child before their child’s need to have its father/mother), and these personalities often fail in marriage.” These observations support the position of the Catholic Church that each child deserves to be conceived in the natural marriage embrace as a gift from God, so the child is treated with full human dignity and not as a possession of the parents. Sperm donor children are demonstrating the importance of this teaching in the real world, rather than as some arbitrary, outdated rule.
Friday, Dec 2, 2011 -- Another example of Planned Parenthood mindset toward babies Only about a week after a college student in Houston learned that the largest Planned Parenthood facility in the nation had no means to help her, once they learned she wanted to give birth to her baby, we learn of another example of Planned Parenthood's mindset toward babies. Alisha encountered this negative attitude about new life a few years ago in Tampa, FL when she was just a 23-year old newlywed. She had the impression that Planned Parenthood helps the poor and uninsured from remembering how her friends in high school got birth control there. Because she didn’t have insurance, after a positive result from a home pregnancy test, Alisha took her mom and husband with her to the Planned Parenthood at 56th and Busch in Tampa to find out the potentially exciting news that she was pregnant. She wanted one of their ever-publicized free pregnancy tests (which is misleading, as her mom ended up paying for her pregnancy test). Alisha's first surprise occurred when she was called back to see a nurse. She stated, “When my name was called, naturally my mom and husband stood up to come with me and the nurse told them they were not allowed. I asked the nurse, 'not even my husband?' and she said 'no, just you!' I felt very disappointed and confused.” The next surprise was how the nurse questioned her, as the nurse asked her if she wanted to keep “it” if she was pregnant. When Alisha insisted she did, the nurse pushed, “You can be honest with me; are you being forced to keep it against your will?” Questioning Alisha's “Absolutely not!” response, the nurse then asked “So your husband or mom are not forcing you to keep it if you are?” Certainly, these examples reveal that Planned Parenthood has an agenda for abortion. When they learn a customer has no interest in their high profit product, they have no means or interest in helping with any services that relate to pregnancy. They were not even able to offer any referrals.
Thursday, Dec 1, 2011 -- Death panels coming, per briefing attended by neurosurgeon Sarah Palin was criticized for accusing ObamaCare of incorporating death panels, but her blowing the whistle has already stymied a few attempts to include provisions that would generate pressure to deny certain treatments based on government criteria. Apparently, the agenda has not changed, just the effort to find new ways to hide the results. Now a neurosurgeon reports what he learned from government representatives at the advance briefing he attended. Attendees were told that anyone over 70 years of age would be denied lifesaving (and expensive) brain operations because they were too old to bother with. [Hear audio recording] The neurosurgeon explained that instead of healthcare, older patients with aneurysms or strokes would get “comfort care” — care that would just “comfort” them while they die — instead of care that would cure them of their ills. Does such an arbitrary plan sound like health care to you? Doesn't it sound like the decision of a death panel?
Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011 -- Abortion facilities closing -- even in Illinois! Today I received an email from NorthWest Families for Life containing some very welcome news. They have confirmed that Dimensions Medical Center (1455 E. Golf Road, Des Plaines, IL) has closed permanently. Dimensions was one of two abortion facilities in Des Plaines run by Dr. Vinod Goyal. It was never clear why Goyal wanted two locations in the same community, but whatever the reason, it is a benefit for life that one of them has now been closed. Since NorthWest Families for Life is maintaining a vigil schedule at the other Goyal facility in Des Plaines (Forestview at 2750 S. River Road), efforts to counsel women and pray for its closure are already in process. That leaves five more Goyal locations around the Chicago area, but some of them already have ongoing vigils as well (Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, and Wood Dale). But there is more good news. The notorious Northern Illinois Women’s Center in Rockford, IL was closed on September 30th by the Illinois Department of Public Health, based on a suspension notice that stated “the department had found conditions at the facility that are a direct threat to the public interest, health, safety and welfare requiring immediate, emergency action.” After attempting to resolve issues to allow its re-opening, an impasse has moved proceedings to a court hearing scheduled for January 4, 2012. Given that the Illinois Department of Public Health has not relented on at least three requirements for which exemptions were sought, pray that the judicial review agrees those requirements have merit, so Northern Illinois Women’s Center remains closed longer, or even permanently. Though it was only one day, Family Planning Associates at 659 W. Washington in Chicago was closed on Saturday, November 26th, and a sign referred customers to their Cicero and Elston location. Apparently, they had a shortage of abortionists for the Thanksgiving weekend, which no one could recall has ever happened in previous years.
Tuesday, Nov 29, 2011 -- Real life evidence the risks of Gardasil are too great If raw statistics of 49 sudden deaths, 213 permanent disabilities, 137 reports of cervical dysplasia, 41 reports of cervical cancer, and thousands of adverse events reports (ranging from headaches and nausea, to outbreaks of genital warts, anaphylactic shock, grand mal convulsion, foaming at the mouth, coma and paralysis) are not enough to get your attention that the risks of the Gardasil vaccine far outweigh any possible benefit, then watch two videos here with testimony from real victims of this dangerous vaccine. Their lives will likely never be normal again after being injected with Gardasil. In the first video, Brittney discusses how she lost the use of her legs. She goes on to provide a shocking list of medical problems that resulted from receiving the injections. In the second video, Ashley recounts the journey from being a healthy active teenager to a life of hospital visits, 911 calls, severe pain, nausea, difficulty breathing and not being able to walk from numbness in her legs. These HPV vaccines (either Gardasil or Cervarix) are very dangerous and should never be inflicted on our children. The consequences could be disasterous. Since the government has now approved these vaccines for both boys and girls, be prepared to encounter them when taking your children for doctor visits. Just say NO!
Monday, Nov 28, 2011 -- Latest research confirms risk of breast cancer from abortion You know how the television news likes to cover studies that show how some food, supplement, or other source can increase risks of cancer or other diseases. That interest never seems to generate any coverage when the subject is the link between abortion and breast cancer. However, ignoring it does nto change the results of the research. Studies continue to appear that confirm a strong link of increased risk for breast cancer after abortion. A recent study found a statistically significant association showing a 2.86-fold increased breast cancer risk from one induced abortion. Karen Malec of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer said she is not surprised by the findings because, “Fifty-four of 67 epidemiological studies since 1957 report an abortion-breast cancer link (not counting biological and experimental evidence).” Ignorance achieved by lack of media coverage will not change the facts, but may lead to that many more cases of breast cancer in women who did not learn the risk was there.
Wednesday, Nov 23, 2011 -- PP demonstrates its abortion agenda to a pregnant woman Planned Parenthood likes to justify its existence by claiming how they provide vital "reproductive health care" to the uninsured and others who have difficulty finding affordable health care services. Recently, a young woman away at college in Houston, Texas was directed to Planned Parenthood by her parents, who had heard these claims. After a home pregnancy test told her she was pregnant, Addison and her fiancé headed to the Houston Planned Parenthood for a blood test. There were no freebies for uninsured Addison here; her fiancé had to pay $70 for the blood test. When the blood test confirmed the pregnancy, the push for abortion began. Addison noted that abortion was “offered to me several times.” When Addison said no to abortion and asked about seeing a doctor for prenatal care, they told her that unless she had a sexually transmitted disease or wanted an abortion that they could no longer help her because they don’t have doctors for pregnant women. Addison discovered that the 6-story building that advertised itself as a women’s health center and claimed to care for uninsured women was really there for abortion, STD treatment and birth control.
Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011 -- Teen birth rates down -- because of abstinence or birth control? A few years ago the teen birth rate went up slightly one year. Immediately, abortion advocates blamed abstinence education that was receiving some funding during the Bush administration. Of course, when teen births fell again the following year, no credit was given to abstinence programs by abortion advocates. With the release of the 2010 figures, teen birth rates have fallen again. The birth rate for teenagers aged 15-19 has declined for the last three years and 17 out of the past 19 years, falling to 34.3 births per 1,000 teenagers in 2010 – a 9% decline from 2009 and the lowest rate ever recorded in nearly seven decades of collecting data. Since the Obama administration cut the funding for abstinence programs, should we now conclude that more birth control has reduced teen births? Not so fast! Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence Education Association points out that this news follows another recent report from the CDC showing that nearly 75% of 15-17 year olds are not having sex. Huber noted, “When data shows the majority of teens are choosing to be abstinent, a decrease in pregnancy rates is to be expected.” That fact does not support any claim that increased use of birth control has been responsible for the reduction in the teen birth rate. The impact of abstinence programs is still taking place, but how long will it be before the negative impact of expanded comprehensive sex education with its push for birth control begins to show?
Monday, Nov 21, 2011 -- Presentation to Lewis Univ. students on Pro-Life issues Today, I gave a presentation to an Interest Group Politics class at Lewis University in Romeoville, covering Pro-Life activities in the political and legal spheres. To gain some insight about my audience of 20 students and their professor, I asked who was Pro-Life and who was pro-choice. About 4 indicated Pro-Life, another 5-6 pro-choice, including the professor, and 2 more who did not want to take either label. That left at least 9 who were not willing to respond to the question. Hopefully, some of them were actually Pro-Life. The class gave me their attention as I described the challenges faced in the political and legal spheres in Illinois and contrasted the situation here with the more positive results in other states, including bans of abortion based on fetal pain, defunding Planned Parenthood, and requiring the offer of ultrasound before the abortion. During the question and answer period, a debate was raised by the professor about my statement that Roe v. Wade legalized abortion for all nine monthes of pregnancy. He claimed that was not correct and called it a "scare tactic." Even one or two students made comments in support of my position. Another debate arose after a student asked about abortion in cases of rape. The professor could not believe that abortion would make things worse for rape victims and asked for my sources. I later emailed him information on both of those points of debate. I hope he reviewed that material. He indicated he would pass it on to his students.
Wednesday, Nov 16, 2011 -- "Abortion doula" admits Pro-Life pictures are real Maybe they decided they needed to expand their scope of services because too many New York City pregnancies end in abortion. In any case, a recent article in the New York Observer profiled The Doula Project, noting that volunteers with the organization have provided “doula” services - “counseling, back rubs and reassurance” - to some 4,000 women who have undergone abortions. Such facilitation of abortion in New York City is a sad reflection of the pervasiveness of the culture of death there. However, since the doulas also help with births, they witness the destructive nature of abortion compared to birth. This knowledge led to a shocking admission by the co-founder of The Doula Project. Mary Mahoney noted, “Those pictures pro-life activists flash are real. That is what a fetus looks like when its head is crushed.” Mahoney made this chilling remark while explaining that she is sometimes hesitant to admit pro-choice activists into the abortion doula program, since the reality of abortion can challenge pro-choice rhetoric in a powerful way. Mahoney recognizes the truth of what many pro-abortion activists have furiously disputed for years – that graphic photos of aborted babies used by many Pro-Life activists are legitimate. When pro-choicers face this reality compared to their rhetoric, are they able to withstand the truth or will they be converted to a Pro-Life position? Mahoney can only accept the truly hard-core, who will not be swayed even by the truth of what they are supporting.
Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011 -- Leaving Planned Parenthood for Pro-Life by another route During the 40 Days for Life teleconference yesterday, David Bereit interviewed Sue Thayer, who led a 40 Days for Life vigil at a Planned Parenthood location in Storm Lake, IA this fall. What makes Sue's situation unique is that she was the manager of that Planned Parenthood facility for 17 years (1991-2008), until she was fired because she would not support expanding services there to include telemed abortions that were being rolled out to all locations in Iowa. [Sue's departure is in contrast with Abby Johnson and Ramona Trevino who were managers at Planed Parenthood locations in Texas before they resigned and got involved in Pro-Life efforts.] Sue's experience reveals once again that Planned Parenthood puts a tremendous focus on their abortion business and demands that all management employees accept that mission. Each manager was assigned goals for abortion volume. Sue also attended Planned Parenthood management meetings where plans to roll out telemed abortions to all Planned Parenthood locations nationally were revealed. What about that Planned Parenthood claim that they do more to reduce abortions than the Pro-Life movement? Hardly! From the beginning of her employment at Planned Parenthood, Sue has considered abortion to be murder. She even told them that before she was hired as manager. During her years as manager, she focused on prevention. Sometime after she was fired, a discussion with another Pro-Life person led to the idea of organizing a 40 Days for Life vigil at the Planned Parenthood that she had managed. She was familiar with 40 Days for Life because she had gotten on their email list while still the Planned Parenthod manager to keep tabs on them. That vigil for 12 hours per day from September 28th to November 6th was successful. Now a group is still praying at the Storm Lake Planned Parenthood during the hours they are open, and Sue is involved in an effort to open a pregnancy help center in Storm Lake.
Monday, Nov 14, 2011 -- Imminent organ transplant policies threaten patients The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in Richmond, VA has proposed changes in the ethical standards the government endorses to guide organ transplants. The 16,000 member Christian Medical Association (CMA) sent a letter to urge a "no" vote on these standards. OPTN recently proposed changes to the Donation after Cardiac Death (DCD) Model Elements. In their response, CMA's letter noted, "The removal of the requirement of 'irreversibility' of cardiopulmonary cessation exposes patients to potential exploitation. CMA is concerned that relaxing the definition of death would considerably increase the risk that procedures to remove vital organs would be performed on some patients lacking unambiguous signs that death has occurred." CMA also noted, "The proposed Requirements remove the important stipulation separating patient care from donation solicitations. Whereas previously the hospital's primary healthcare team and the legal next of kin must have decided to withdraw ventilated support or other life-sustaining treatment before the patient is evaluated as a DCD candidate, under the proposed policy a patient may be evaluated as a DCD candidate prior to a decision by family members and caregivers, which ought to be free from external pressure. Gone is the crucial wall separating patient care from donation solicitations. Such undue influence on difficult decisions at a heart-wrenching time is ethically unacceptable." CMA further observed, "The proposed Requirements broaden donor criteria to include patients without cognitive neurological injury. As physicians, we are greatly concerned that patients with chronic illnesses such as spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) would be vulnerable to real or perceived pressure to decline further treatment in order to donate their organs…" Given the mandatory nature of policy designed to guide procedures in securing organs from patients immediately after death, these proposed revisions are very dnagerous indeed. By easing the criteria for determining death, hastening the evaluation of patients as DCD candidates, and including patients with no cognitive disabilities, this proposal is clearly crossing the line into "a culture of utilitarianism or casualness regarding life and death decisions" as noted by CMA.
Friday, Nov 11, 2011 -- More confirmation of PVS misdiagnosis Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) is used to classify people as unable to function mentally who still wake and sleep and make other responses that are deemed to be accidental occurrences. This diagnosis is made through behavioral assessment. Questions have already been raised about the serious potential for misdiagnosis in such cases. Now, a study published yesterday in the British medical journal The Lancet confirms that patients are often misdiagnosed as in a “vegetative state” when they are not. This study noted that “a population of patients exists who meet all the behavioural criteria for the vegetative state, but nevertheless retain a level of covert awareness that cannot be detected by thorough behavioural assessment.” Using a bedside electroencephalography (EEG) technique to assess patients, researchers studied 16 patients diagnosed as “vegetative” and 12 healthy “controls.” These patients were directed to imagine that they were making a fist and wiggling toes. A fifth of the patients “could repeatedly and reliably generate appropriate EEG responses” similar to those of the conscious controls. Will these findings lead to more caution before making the fatal decision to deny food and water to these patients? This study certainly offers the means to explain how someone might recover from PVS after a number of years, when given the chance!
Thursday, Nov 10, 2011 -- Donor organs wanted: "brain dead" or alive! LifeSiteNews reports that the Welsh government has put forward a proposal that would allow hospitals to remove patients’ organs without their direct consent or the consent of their families. Opt-in organ donation would be changed to presumed consent, meaning organs would be considered available for donation unless the person has specifically said they did not want to donate their organs. The Anglican archbishop of Wales, Dr. Barry Morgan, opposed the measure, saying the law would make peoples’ organs “assets of the state.” That point is exactly the one made by Secretary of State Jesse White when a similar bill was briefly considered in Illinois in 2010. He concluded that such a concept would violate the Illinois Constitution. His response was certainly welcome, but is it enough to be comfortable with vital organ donation? Would you be reassured about organ donation if someone stated, “Because organ donors are often alive when their organs are harvested, the medical community should not require donors to be declared dead, but instead adopt more 'honest' moral criteria that allow the harvesting of organs from 'dying' or 'severely injured' patients, with proper consent.” This statement was made at a U.S. bioethics conference in October and published recently in the American Journal of Bioethics. The "experts" who gave this perspective are Dr. Neil Lazar, director of the medical-surgical intensive care unit at Toronto General Hospital, Dr. Maxwell J. Smith of the University of Toronto, and David Rodriguez-Arias of Universidad del Pais Vasco in Spain. These "experts" seem to have confirmed that brain death is not truly death, so organ donors are alive when their organs are harvested. This premise would contradict the requirement stated by both Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI that patients must truly be dead before their organs can be donated.
Wednesday, Nov 9, 2011 -- Two abortion facilities closed down in Michigan After Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed a lawsuit in Eaton County Circuit Court to permanently close two abortion centers, Eaton County Circuit Court Judge Calvin Oosterhaven signed a temporary restraining order closing the Health Care Clinic in Delta Township and the Women’s Choice Clinic in Saginaw. Both of the abortion clinics had been operating without a valid license and the state’s top attorney has said the licensing is required of any private physician offices in which at least half of the patients get an abortion. Schuette observed, “To ensure accountability and patient safety, Michigan law requires medical facilities to be incorporated with a licensed medical professional at the helm. Strict enforcement of the law ensures medical clinics cannot put profit ahead of responsible patient care.” Right to Life of Michigan indicates the order requires the abortion centers to remain closed at least until a scheduled hearing on November 21. Pray that Attorney General Schuette presents strong evidence to obtain permanent closure of these dangerous late-term abortion facilities.
Tuesday, Nov 8, 2011 -- Personhood amendment fails in Mississippi I must say that I am disappointed that the Personhood Amendment failed to pass in Mississippi, but given the disagreements within Pro-Life circles about the merits, or at least the timing, of this strategy, it is not surprising that voters remained uncertain, especially given all the lies made by agents of Planned Parenthood in opposition to the amendment. There are different viewpoints on where to go from here. Personhood USA intends to continue pressing personhood amendments across the nation, but others say its time to change focus, at least for now. As long as Pro-Life leaders cannot take a common position on personhood amendments, it seems unlikely that they will be successful in the near future.
Monday, Nov 7, 2011 -- Major Planned Parenthood closures occurring in Texas In recent months Planned Parenthood has closed 12 of their 71 locations in Texas, after they lost over $30 million in state funding for each of the next two years. Based on statistics available from the seven states that have taken action to at least partially defund Planned Parenthood, the size of the cut in Texas is far larger than anywhere else, so the funding cut is having a greater impact there. According to John Pisciotta of Pro-Life Waco, no abortions have taken place at the Waco Planned Parenthood location for five weeks now. For each of these weeks, "an Austin-based abortionist refused to take the 100-mile trip to Waco to inflict surgical abortions arranged by Waco Planned Parenthood. The obvious reason was the numbers were not high enough to make the killing worth his time." In addition to defunding Planned Parenthood, the Texas legislature also passed an informed consent law. Under this law, beginning October 1, Texas now requires a sonogram at least 24 hours before an abortion. This requirement makes long-distance abortions that much less appealing to traveling abortion providers, so that might also be a factor in preventing abortions in Waco. Similar situations exist for other Planned Parenthood locations in Texas that depend on traveling abortions providers. The more abortion revenue they lose, the more likely it is that more Texas locations of Planned Parenthood will be closing soon.
Wednesday, Oct 26, 2011 -- HPV vaccine to be pushed for boys now -- just say NO The health risks of the HPV vaccine (either Gardasil or Cervarix) have become clear with numerous reports of serious adverse reactions, including paralysis and even death. Now this risky vaccine will also be pushed for boys, after the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices made its recommendation yesterday. Federal health officials usually adopt what this panel recommends and then ask doctors
and patients to follow the advice. Officials acknowledged a "disappointing" vaccination rate for girls and
expect a tough sell for boys as well.
Tuesday, Oct 25, 2011 -- Fighting the pressure for "selective reduction" Another impact of in vitro fertilization (IVF) has come to light. Since IVF often leads to multiple babies developing in the womb, the casual use of "selective reduction" to kill one or more of the "excess" babies "to increase the odds for the remaining baby(s) to survive" has become common. What happens when a mother is discovered with triplets under natural circumstances? Of course! It is time to push for "selective reduction." Erin and Jennifer Conley, who live in North Carolina, encountered this pressure when their triplets, Jillian, Rebecca and Sarah, were developing in Jennifer's womb. When triplets were discovered, her obstetrician referred Jennifer to a specialist who immediately suggested "selective reduction" even though all three babies were considered healthy. He detailed all the risks of triplets as justification for sacrificing one of them. The Conleys demanded to see another specialist who would be interested in the lives of all his patients. Fortunately, the referral to a second specialist worked out because he remained totally positive throughout the pregnancy. Once death is suggested as a solution to a problem, it keeps spreading as standard procedure to "solve" related problems. Where will it end? That is why it is called a slippery slope.
Monday, Oct 24, 2011 -- Man saved when court ruling favors life A Maryland man was almost killed when Frederick Memorial Hospital removed the public-assistance patient from life-giving food and water with the permission of his wife when he became temporarily unconscious after suffering a heart attack and a seizure. Although Daniel Sanger told his doctor and his mother “I want to live” before he went unconscious, his request was ignored until an Alliance Defense Fund attorney obtained an order in state court on behalf of his mother and brother. Daniel is now responding to hospital staff after going six days without food and water. Daniel is very fortunate that the justice system worked in his case. Too often these court rulings go the other way, or take too much time to have any effect, with deadly results. This case is another reminder of the importance of completing a life-affirming durable power of attorney for health care and selecting an agent who will make decisions in favor of life. IRLC offers the Patient Self-Protection Document as one alternative to address this critical issue.
Thursday, Oct 20, 2011 -- Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity saves lives Thanks to the efforts of Bryan Kemper, president of Stand True Ministries, the Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity has become an annual event at schools and colleges around the nation on the third Tuesday in October. Students refuse to speak for the day and instead hand out literature explaining that they are are silent in solidarity with the babies lost to abortion. When young people take a stand for life, babies lives are saved when other students who are pregnant change their minds about abortion. But everything does not go smoothly. Many students who participated faced some heavy persecution from both their peers and school faculty as they went through the day.
Wednesday, Oct 19, 2011 -- State defunding leads to shrinking of Planned Parenthood Based on STOPP's annual survey of Planned Parenthood facilities, at the close of 2010, for the fifth straight year, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) continued closing clinics at a rate faster than it opened new ones. In 2010, PPFA opened 18 new clinics and closed 49, bringing its total clinic number down to 785, the lowest since 1986. Closures were spread all across the country and took place in 20 different states. Because various states have reduced or eliminated government funding of Planned Parenthood, 2011 will continue this trend of shrinking locations for PPFA. With the biggest cuts in Texas, it appears that at least 14 PPFA locations will be closed by the end of the year, with 7 closed so far. Planned Parenthood has closed facilities this year in other states as well, with one each in Delaware, New Jersey, California, and Ohio, and 6 locations in Minnesota. If a court injunction blocking state legislation to deny Medicaid funding to abortion providers gets overturned in Indiana, the imminent closure of seven PPFA facilities there is likely to follow.
Monday, Oct 17, 2011 -- At the midpoint 40 Days for Life knows of 229 babies saved 40 Days for Life has reached its midpoint. Based on reports received from the 301 locations maintaining this vigil to end abortion, 229 babies are known to have been saved from abortion. The actual number is likely to be much higher. Based on the experiences reported by vigil participants, many special circumstances often occur to move mothers to change their minds about abortion. How many more were moved by what they saw and heard but did not provide any feedback about their decision in favor of life. Beyond that, reports come in slowly so the number of known babies saved from abortion will continue to grow well after the 40 days ends. That means the number of known saves from 40 Days for Life is likely to grow to well above double the midpoint count.
Friday, Oct 14, 2011 -- Biased ethics panel takes action against Phill Kline Using trumped up ethics charges to punish Phill Kline for attempting to enforce Kansas law over violations committed by abortion providers, the professional ethics panel that heard the case has recommended that Kline's law license be indefinitely suspended. This decision is so outrageous because it is based on completely false charges that cannot be taken seriously except by political friends of abortion providers who are trying to discourage anyone else from taking the bold actions that Phill Kline attempted. The only good news is that the decision is not yet final because it must go before the Kansas Supreme Court, though prospects for true justice there are suspect, and the ethics panel did not recommend that Kline lose his law license, but rather face an indefinite suspension. That nuance will allow Phill Kline to file an appeal to have his license reinstated.
Thursday, Oct 13, 2011 -- House passes bill to stop abortion funding in ObamaCare Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Protect Life Act, H.R. 358, on a vote of 251-172. This bill would stop abortion funding in ObamaCare. Unfortunately, abortion advocates have the votes to block this bill in the U.S. Senate. Strangely, abortion advocates, both in govenment and outside it, claim that ObamaCare does not fund abortion, but their opposition to H.R. 358 shows that actions speech louder than words by proving they know ObamaCare does fund abortion so they want to protect that funding.
Wednesday, Oct 12, 2011 -- New law reduces Arizona abortions by 30% The state of Arizona recently released new abortion figures comparing the number of abortions in September 2011 with those done in September 2010. “In September of 2010, 1,053 abortions were performed in Arizona compared to 729 abortions this September, representing 324 fewer abortions for a 30% decrease. The 729 September abortions also compares favorably to the 1,069 abortions done in August of this year. Why did this significant decrease in abortions take place? A recent court ruling allowed a law regulating abortion to take effect in Arizona. This Arizona law requires the following: a notarized parental signature before an abortion can be performed on a minor child, that women be provided with full and accurate information by a doctor in person at least 24 hours before an abortion, that medical professionals cannot be forced to perform abortions if it contradicts their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs, and that non-doctors are not permitted to perform surgical abortions. One of the immediate effects of this law was a decision by Planned Parenthood to end abortions at seven Arizona locations. That change, along with the additional information offered to parents and to mothers seeking abortion, has reduced abortions by 30%. No wonder abortion advocates always take these laws to court.
Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 -- New concerns about dangers of the Gardasil vaccine Gardasil is Merck's vaccine against certain HPV types that are believed to cause cervical cancer. The side effects reported from taking Gardasil have already raised serious concerns about the safety of this vaccine and the lack of sufficient protection from the vaccine to justify these risks. Now a New Zealand publication has cited the work of a number of analysts and doctors on the topic of the side effects of Gardasil. One of the issues raised was finding evidence in vaccinated patients of HPV DNA, when that was not supposed to be possible since officials said the vaccine did not contain HPV DNA. Further testing of vaccine samples found all of them to be contaminated with HPV DNA of either the 11 or 18 HPV types, or both. Given serious questions raised about the effectiveness of Gardasil, parents should not take the risk of their children developing potentially serious side effects from Gardasil. There is too much risk and not nearly enough benefits, given the risks reflected in the adverse reaction reports compiled on this vaccine, and now tests revealing possible widespread HPV DNA contamination in the vaccine.
Monday, Oct 10, 2011 -- Young Pro-Life activist dies in tragic car accident A tragic car accident took the life of Kortney Blythe Gordon and her 21 week old preborn child Sophy on October 8th. Recognition of this great loss to the Pro-Life movement continues to appear and will be observed at a number of upcoming Pro-Life events. Kortney was Student’s for Life of America’s Field Director. She was returning from a Students for Life of America conference in Georgia when her vehicle was struck by another head on. Other passengers in the car survived, but another SFLA staff member, Jon Scharfenberger, is in critical condition following the accident and needs many prayers for his recovery. [10/18 upd: Jon died] The Pro-Life Day of Silent Solidarity on Tuesday, October 18th will be dedicated to remembrance of the dynamic efforts Kortney had already displayed in her brief career in Pro-Life work. That day will see tens of thousands of students from thousands of schools sacrificing their voice to stand in solidarity with the innocent children whose voices are silenced daily by abortion. The Students for Life of Illinois Pro-Life Summit on October 22nd will also be dedicated to Kortney and Sophy Gordon. National Pro-Life speakers Bryan Kemper and Jason Jones will be there. The Summit is open to people who are high school seniors and older.
Friday, Oct 7, 2011 -- Wisconsin abortions decline; stand well below national average The latest abortion statistics from a number of states have shown declines, often reversing a jump in the previous year. That same situation applies in Wisconsin. The number of abortions in Wisconsin dropped 8.4% from 2009 to 2010, after rising 3.8% from 2008 to 2009. With a total drop of 717 abortions from 8,542 in 2009 to 7,825 abortions in 2010, abortions fell below the 2008 level of 8,229, continuing the downward trend of the previous five years. Even more significant for Wisconsin, these latest statistics show the abortion rate for women aged 15-44 dropped to 6.8 per 1,000 women from 7.0 per 1,000 women the year before — keeping the state below the national average of 16 per 1,000 (per 2007 figures from the Centers for Disease Control). Similarly, the abortion ratio, the number of abortions per 100 live births, fell from 12 to 11, which compares to a national abortion ratio of 24 abortions per 100 live births. Based on these two measures of abortion frequency, Wisconsin women get abortions at less than half of the national average. In comparison, Illinois women have an abortion rate per 1,000 women of 15 and an abortion ratio to 100 live births of 24, both much closer to the national averages. These differences between Wisconsin and Illinois abortion rates suggest that parental consent and informed consent laws (that exist in Wisconsin but not in Illinois) are having a major impact in reducing abortions. It is imperative that such laws be established in Illinois to reduce the high rate of abortions occurring here. We are still waiting for a judicial ruling on the Illinois Parental Notice of Abortion Act. If it was allowed to be enforced, that would be a first step in the right direction.
Thursday, Oct 6, 2011 -- Austin Texas anti-pregnancy-center law taken to court Local laws attacking pregnancy centers that were passed in Maryland and New York City have already been declared unconstitutional, though an appeal has been made in New York. A similar law passed in Austin, Texas had not been challenged -- until now. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund and two pro-life organizations have now filed a lawsuit on behalf of Austin LifeCare, a pregnancy resource center, against the city of Austin. This step is important because it is another opportunity to get such an outrageous law declared to be a violation of the First Amendment. How many such results will be needed before the radical abortion advocates stop trying to enact such laws. Right now attempts are being made to pass another such law in San Francisco. Pray that attempt will be abandoned.
Wednesday, Oct 5, 2011 -- Pro-Life Action League shows NARAL what they support NARAL held an elaborate banquet today at the Standard Club in downtown Chicago to celebrate "the power of choice" (which means abortion on demand). I was among those holding pictures of aborted babies to show those coming to this banquet exactly what they are supporting. It was impossible to miss that most of the attendees arrived in very expensive cars. With all their money they have no interest in helping other people except to kill their children before birth. That must be evidence that desire for wealth can destroy a person's value system. Pro-Life Action League organized the protest of the NARAL "Power of Choice" banquet and provided the signs, including some that stated, "Stop the War on Unborn Women." Pray that those who attended the banquet will come to their senses and recognize that destroying unborn children is not healthy for anyone.
Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011 -- Life Chains 1500 strong, but no media coverage Did you join a Life Chain on Sunday October 1st? Nationally, there were 1500 Life Chains formed, with at least 75 of those throughout Illinois. As usual, there was no media coverage of Life Chain in most locations. I guess the media had too much invested in coverage of the Occupy Wall Street protestors to divert anything to Life Chain. They display the usual hypocrisy in considering Occupy Wall Street worthy of coverage but not Life Chain.
Monday, Oct 3, 2011 -- Rockford abortion facility closed when license suspended Might it be newsworthy that an abortion facility in Illinois has its license suspended and is forced to close? Apparently, the Chicago media do not think so as they ignored, or should we say censored, the story. But it is true! The notorious Northern Illinois Women’s Center was closed on September 30th by the Illinois Department of Public Health, based on a suspension notice that stated “the department had found conditions at the facility that are a direct threat to the public interest, health, safety and welfare requiring immediate, emergency action.” According to the Rockford Register Star, inspectors discovered during the inspection on September 15 that neither of the two abortionists had required hospital privileges. The clinic had no registered nurse present during invasive procedures as required, nor was a registered nurse to supervise the nursing care of patients. The clinic also lacked an agreement with a licensed laboratory to conduct tests not done at the clinic. The inspectors also found that all three of the abortion rooms “failed to ensure a sanitary environment.” Surgical instruments were not sanitized, and “brown substances” were found on surgical equipment and gloves. We can only thank the Illinois Department of Public Health for taking decisive action to protect women from this dangerous abortion facility. What might they find if they perform thorough inspections of other abortion facilities in Illinois?
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