Pro-life blog buzz 5-16-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

The Guiding Star Project points out how “reproductive healthcare” for women is actually biased against helping women who wish to reproduce:

Let me take a pause for a moment, I am not agreeing that abortion should be considered “healthcare”, but I want to talk about other facets of healthcare for women. Why do I (and others like me) have to pay high premiums to find out why I can’t achieve a healthy and normal pregnancy?

If it is an equal right for a woman to terminate a healthy, or even an unhealthy pregnancy (for her or the baby), paid for by taxpayers or her insurance, why do I have to pay all costs trying to find out what is wrong with my body?

Euthanasia Prevention Coalition reports that Belgian euthanasia practitioner Dr. Wim Distelmans is actually organizing tours to the death camps of Auschwitz:

In a travel brochure he describes Auschwitz as an ‘inspiring’ surrounding in which to ‘clarify confusion about euthanasia’….
Linking the right to die and the Nazis is a no-no in most circles. In fact, opponents are usually deemed to have lost the argument as soon as they mention the word “Nazi”. But Dr Distelmans’s breath-taking initiative could change that rule. To hold a seminar on euthanasia in an extermination camp where the idea of ‘lives not worth living’ took its most extreme form, is peculiar, to say the least….
It is gratifying for us to see Dr Distelmans connect the dots between euthanasia in Brussels and the atrocities of Auschwitz. It confirms for us the dark future of Belgium’s legal euthanasia. It should terrify all the chronically ill and disabled who live there.

Americans United for Life joins senators calling for a vote on the ban on abortions after 20 weeks gestation:

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell along with pro-life leaders, calling on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to allow a vote on legislation Senator Graham introduced, S. 1670, The Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a ban on abortion at 20 weeks which will protect women’s health and unborn children from fetal pain. The Capitol Hill news conference took place on the one-year anniversary of the murder conviction of notorious abortionist Dr. Kermit Gosnell….
The United States is one of 4 out of 195 nations, standing with North Korea, China and Canada, allowing abortion through all 9 months of pregnancy, for any reason at all, including sex selection, and sometimes with taxpayer subsidies. And under the Affordable Care Act, that could be expanding.

Live Action posts an article discussing how “Terry O’Neill (pictured above), president of the National Organization for Women, has written a column for Huffington Post, irrationally claiming that abortion is essential health care and that it actually saves the lives of babies.” Hey, great idea! Instead of improving actual medical care, let’s kill more babies before they’re born so they can’t die after they’re born. Really, Terry?

Fletcher Armstrong reports that their second visit to the University of Buffalo with the Genocide Awareness Project enjoyed the protection of free speech from the University officials who “got religion” after a federal lawsuit was filed. On the group’s first visit, officials allowed an unruly mob of “pro abortion protesters to disrupt their peaceful pro life demonstration”:

For those keeping score, this was only the second time in the history of GAP that CBR has been forced to file a lawsuit against a public university. Usually, the knowledge of our willingness to defend speech rights is enough to ensure their enforcement.

At Secular Pro-Life, Clinton Wilcox discusses personhood:

My preferred definition of “person” comes from medieval philosopher Boethius, that a person is an individual substance of a rational nature. There are many things we think of when we think of persons, and various philosophers like Mary Anne Warren and Peter Singer have identified: the capacity for rational thought, the ability to express oneself through language, the ability to form concepts, etc. And of course, I have argued in the past that it’s not our present capacities that ground our personhood, but our inherent capacities. This is why the unborn qualify as persons.
It’s simply counter intuitive to refer to anything other than humans as persons. Even pro-choice writers use the terms “human” and “person” interchangeably… until they want to justify abortion. Then they suddenly want to make a distinction between the two.

[O'Neill photo via robinholland.wordpress.com]

Pro Life Blog Buzz 5-13-14

from Jill Stanek.com

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by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com. 

Pro-Life Action League continues to comb over the details that Planned Parenthood would rather keep hidden about the death of 24-year-old Tonya Reaves at their Chicago facility in 2012. Many disturbing discrepancies have been found:

In her sworn deposition, Planned Parenthood abortionist Mandy Gittler explicitly stated that 911 was called on the day Tonya Reaves had an abortion and later died. Yet there is no record of any 911 call from Planned Parenthood on that day.

In light of these facts, the question must be asked: Did abortionist Mandy Gittler perjure herself? 

At Reproductive Research Audit, Dr. Mary L. Davenport discusses the continued silencing of medical research linking abortion to premature births, breast cancer, and other problems. Why is American media suppressing this information?

A powerful new study from China published last week by Yubei Huang and colleagues … [a] meta-analysis pooling 36 studies from 14 provinces in China, showed that abortion increased the risk of breast cancer by 44% with at least one abortion, and 76% with at least two abortions and 89% with at least three abortions…. 

It is a disgrace that a more honest discourse about difficult medical topics can be found in the People’s Republic of China than in the USA. The censorship of medical journals, prevention of conference presentations, denial of grant money and faculty promotions, and self-censorship of honest scholars in academic medicine who want to tell the truth but feel they cannot, impoverishes us, and should not be tolerated. 

Reflections of a Paralytic shares a great example of why surrogacy is a bad idea. A British woman signed a contract with an American couple, stating she would abort in the first trimester if she became pregnant with more than one child. The couple learned she was carrying twins at 8 weeks gestation but waited until 13 weeks gestation to demand the abortion. The surrogate refused, citing her own personal health risks, resulting in a court battle. 

Secular Pro-Life encourages pro-lifers to tune in to The Heritage Foundation’s panel discussion on the anniversary of Kermit Gosnell’s conviction. 

ProWomanProLife points out the twisted Mother’s Day wish of a Canadian university professor: 

… HuffPost Canada…. did a series called What Moms Really Want, for mother’s day. I was obviously disturbed by this mom’s request for free abortion and IVF: 

What I really want for Mother’s Day is for all Canadians to be supported in their choice to become parents when they’re ready — which means abortions are free, legal and easily accessible, and that artificial reproductive technologies be offered safely and widely to ALL Canadians through provincial health coverage.

Right to Life of Michigan responds to Detroit News columnist Laura Berman, who “doesn't like Michigan’s Abortion Insurance Opt-Out law which opts the state out of abortion insurance coverage except by optional rider”:

Berman is upset that insurance companies are, at this point, apparently not offering abortion insurance riders on individual plans…. [T]his is not because insurance companies can’t, it’s because they've decided not to at the moment, most likely because the demand for them is so low. Only 3% of Michigan’s abortions were paid for by insurance in 2012. If Berman is upset insurance companies in Michigan aren't offering a product she believes should be available, then she should take it up with them. 

At Life Training Institute, Clinton Wilcox has an issue with those who are pro-life in theory only: 

Being pro-life requires action. If you truly believe that the unborn are innocent human children, since they are being legally and brutally slaughtered in our country, we must do something to end the slaughter of these children. And as far as I’m concerned, all are welcome in the pro-life movement, whether or not we agree on religious or metaphysical views. 

Pro-life blog buzz 5-9-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com. 

At The Daily Caller, Dustin Siggins writes that Republicans should not run from the “war on women” meme but expose the truth – that “the profiteers in our nation’s abortion clinics, and their allies in political office” are the ones really waging the war. 

Live Action posts about the culture of silence which protects Planned Parenthood and its former abortionists who are caught sexually molesting patients: 

Why is it that this man was able to practice medicine for 20 years? And while the Boston Globe reports that he molested patients at his fertility clinic, bemoaning the “culture of silence” which allowed him to get away with his sick actions, they have no problem keeping silent about his past with Planned Parenthood.

What if his patients there were molested as well? Even if it’s unintentional, they’re still protecting Planned Parenthood. The “culture of silence” is around Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry, keeping quiet any hint of impropriety or scandal or, worst of all, law-breaking. The media consistently carries water for the abortion lobby, and they've done it here again by glossing over this man’s history as an abortionist for Planned Parenthood.

Bound4Life reports on New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s continued assaults on life in the womb and on women’s safety:

“The Governor’s proposal… would expand abortion rights beyond current federal and state law,” said Edward Mechmann of the Archdiocese of New York. “It would remove any obstacles to late-term abortions, and would allow non-doctors to do surgical abortions, even late-term abortions up until the moment of birth.” 

In addition to allowing abortions to be performed by any “qualified, licensed healthcare practitioner” such as a nurse practitioner or midwife, the RHA sought to expand abortions after 24 weeks for the mother’s “health,” a nebulous term that in practice allows abortion under any circumstances. 

It would have also forced all hospitals to refer patients for abortion or lose state funding, according to the New York State Right to Life Committee. 

The Reproductive Health Act was killed in the Senate Health Committee. 

Big Blue Wave concurs with 52 pro-life leaders worldwide who are calling on Catholic Bishops to deny communion to abortion-supportive politicians. 

At Priests for Life, Fr. Frank Pavone comments on their case before the U.S. Supreme Court, believing that ultimately, regardless of the decision, religious freedom will prevail. 

At Generations for Life, Christine encourages readers to go out and accomplish “the hardest thing” they’ve ever done, whether it’s training for a bike ride or dealing with unplanned pregnancy. She writes, “… you will find that you can do more than you ever imagined.” 

Josh Brahm recounts a conversation he had with a pro-choice biology professor during a recent campus outreach. It is a great example of how to have a civilized discussion, finding common ground with someone of the opposing view. 

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life shares an editorial their team wrote for the Star Tribune. In it, they discuss the fact that the state of Minnesota pays for one third of all abortions performed there: 

Public funding means more abortions. Limits on public funding mean fewer abortions. And fewer abortions is something almost everyone wants…. 

Minnesota’s current policy allows abortion providers to market “free” abortions to economically vulnerable women. Planned Parenthood, which performs more abortions than any other provider, increased its state-funded abortion claims by 64 percent over the last six years. In 2012, the organization collected $255,000 from the state for performing 1,139 abortions on low-income women, a 30 percent revenue increase over the previous year. 

In 2011, state representatives voted to stop this funding but the bill was vetoed by Governor Dayton. 

Albert Mohler comments on Emily Letts, the young woman who filmed her own abortion in what he calls “the ultimate selfie.” In her comments following the procedure, Emily says, “I don’t feel like a bad person. I don’t feel sad. I feel in awe of the fact that I can make a baby. I can make a life. I knew that what I was going to do was right, ’cause it was right for me and no one else.” Mohler writes:

[Emily's statement] is a statement of Promethean self-assertion. It is also a concise statement of an absolutely godless worldview. She feels “in awe of the fact that I can make a baby. I can make a life.” 

That actually explains her worldview. She grants to herself the power to give life; to “make a life.” What she gives, she can destroy. Emily giveth, and Emily taketh away. 

And she is also the creator of her own moral system of value and the judge of her own solitary moral universe — “I knew what I was going to do was right, ’cause it was right for me and no one else.” No one else matters.” 

Yes, Emily is the ultimate selfie. I wonder how she will feel about this adventure ten years from now. 

Scott Klusendorf also addresses Ms. Letts’ so-called abortion video in a Facebook post: 

So a young woman films her abortion and it goes viral–only she didn’t. She filmed her own face. 

He goes on to say, “Had she filmed the actual procedure, it would look more like this”: 

At Clash Daily, however, Kristen Iglesias seems to doubt the veracity of Emily Letts’ abortion and pregnancy claims altogether, for several good reasons. 

[Brahm photo by Joseph Seaward via joshbrahm.com; Cuomo photo via lohud.com; Clash Daily HT: Carla]

Pro-life blog buzz 5-6-14

from Jill Stanek.com
by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

At Real Choice, Christina Dunigan tells us why we need to counter the pro-choice lie claiming Kermit Gosnell was an “outlier” in the abortion industry:

We cannot let the abortion-rights movement weasel away from the fact that although the National Abortion Federation did reject Gosnell’s membership application, that didn’t stop one of their member clinics from hiring him to work part-time at their facility. A woman who believed NAF’s promises of safety would make an appointment at this reputable clinic, which would collect her fee and then turn her over to Gosnell’s care. Her abortion would be started at the NAF clinic, after which the woman would be given an appointment to have her abortion completed at Gosnell’s own facility, where she would be drugged within inches of her life by people who didn’t even finish high school, then left to moan and writhe on a blood-stained recliner amid the cat feces.

This relationship can’t be described as “outlier.” It was “employee.”

At Secular Pro-Life, Chris Rostenberg says something is seriously unhealthy about Planned Parenthood’s “Happy, Healthy, and Hot” brochure, which gives some very wrong advice to people who are HIV positive, along with other advice that just seems odd:

… [T]he giant of the abortion advocacy world proclaims: “You have the right to decide if, when, and how to disclose your HIV status… You know best if and when it is safe to disclose your [HIV] status…

It is not always possible to talk about to your partner(s) or to practice safer sex…”

There is no if, and there is no question of when. The only appropriate time to disclose one’s HIV status is before having sex with your partner. That is the “right way.” An organization that really cared about sexual health would not need me to explain this.

I’m hardly the first to write about this problem with Happy, Healthy, and Hot. It got a fair amount of coverage when the brochure first came to light in 2010. But if you read the whole thing, it turns out that there’s enough baffling propaganda for several articles.

Pro-Life Action League discusses the summary of abortionist Mandy Gittler’s deposition given regarding the death of Tonya Reaves at a Chicago Planned Parenthood:

Reading the deposition, it’s clear that Gittler drastically downplayed Reaves’ dire condition when communicating with doctors at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where Reaves was transferred at 4:30 p.m. after she continued to experience what a nurse called “heavy bleeding” — despite her repeatedly evasive answers as to whether she agreed that the bleeding was, in fact, “heavy.” As a result, ER personnel had no reason to believe that Reaves was in imminent danger of death.

At 11:20 that night, Reaves was dead….Imprecision, evasiveness, failing to accept responsibility — they’re all there in Planned Parenthood’s two-paragraph statement issued in the wake of Tonya Reaves’ death. And it’s a microcosm of abortionist Mandy Gittler’s 165-page deposition.

At Priests for Life, Kevin Burke shares the sad story of heavyweight boxer Floyd Mayweather (pictured above), who ended a relationship with his fianceé, Shantel Christine Jackson, after he discovered she had aborted his twin babies. Burke remarks, “How horribly ironic that one of the greatest professional boxers in the world is powerless after Roe v Wade to defend the life of his unborn children.”

ProLifeBlogs links to FRC’s post regarding the racist statements uttered by L.A. Clipper’s owner Donald Sterling:

Until this unseemly incident, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) planned to award Sterling with the “Lifetime Achievement Award.” This is an interesting situation for two reasons; according to a recent Time Magazine interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who used to work for Sterling) this rant was actually nothing new for him, and if Sterling has indeed had a history of vocalizing his racism, then why would the NAACP award this man with a “Lifetime Achievement Award?” Is it really possible that no one else on the award committee knew of his history of distasteful rhetoric?

And yet, this same NAACP sued (and won against) The Radiance Foundation’s Ryan Bomberger, who is biracial, for “parod[ying] the NAACP acronym by saying [it] should stand for the National Association for the Abortion of Colored People” due to its strong stance in favor of abortion and Planned Parenthood.

[Photos via janeshepherd.com, wikipedia.com]

Two pro life laws focusing on basic health and safety standards takes TX from 40 abortion centers down to 6.

An article in the National Post appears above the fold on Drudge.  Not written from a pro life viewpoint in that they use the style book language of anti abortion rather than pro life, however, it is a fairly balanced article dealing with facts and not opinions. One  of the quotes that caught my eye reminds me of a homily I heard from Fr. Pavone, when he said that if everyone would stop cooperating with abortion providers, we would not need laws to shut them down and stop the slaughter.

"I can't find anyone to deliver water or resurface the parking lot, because they're against abortion. I can't get someone to fix a leak in the roof," said Amy Hagstrom Miller, CEO of Whole Women's Health.

Way to go Texans!

Basically two strategic laws were enacted and signed by pro life Governor Rick Perry that even abortion supporters should agree with. I say should agree with but, of course, they rail against it. They both have to do with assuring that standards of other same day surgery centers are met and that the doctors performing abortions meet the necessary standards to allow them to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion center. Pretty  straightforward standard health regulations that should be standard operating procedures.

"If the state is passing regulations that are similar or equivalent to those that all other medical facilities provide, and some [clinics] close because they're not meeting standards that other medical facilities have to meet, I don't see a problem with that," said Dan McConchie, vice president for government affairs at Americans United for Life, an advocacy group that worked on parts of the Texas legislation.

Abortion operators bemoan the costs of having standards and admit it is a cost concern.

 "Ambulatory surgical centers are facilities that conduct outpatient or same-day surgical procedures, and must meet specific requirements regarding infrastructure, procedures, and equipment. The centers cost far more to run than abortion clinics, and would cost several million dollars to build from the ground up.

She further acknowledges that she uses subterfuge to open her abortion centers, using a different name and hiding the purpose of the buildings when applying for permits.

"Hagstrom Miller also said it has been impossible to find hospitals that will agree to give admitting privileges to abortion providers, or ambulatory surgical centers that will sell or lease their facilities. Leasing or buying the space itself is expensive and difficult, and Hagstrom Miller currently has mortgages on three buildings, which she will have to sell. She purchased those under a different name, and did construction without associating them with Whole Woman's Health out of concern that she wouldn't get permitting or might attract protests."

pix: Sodahead.com

High School Oratory Contest showcases the pro life generation

One of my favorite events is the Right to Life Oratory Contest. Students in grades 9-12 write, research and deliver a 5-7 minute speech on one of the life issues. I chaired the one in Robertson County and each year I say they can't get any better than this, but each year they do.

Seventeen contestants competed in my contest and the winner was 10th grade homeschooled Olivia Malham of Cross Plains, TN. She went on to compete at the state contest in Nashville and won second place.



Susan Allen (L) presents Olivia Malham with award for first place in Robertson County

Samantha Seger (L)  from Putnam County won state..pictured with Frances Arthur state coordinator.

Because the Gosnell movie must be made......please give

Pro-life blog buzz 5-2-14

from Jill Stanek.com

by Susie Allen, host of the blog, Pro-Life in TN, and Kelli

We welcome your suggestions for additions to our Top Blogs (see tab on right side of home page)! Email Susie@jillstanek.com.

Live Action documents another first person story of how Planned Parenthood was complicit in covering up the sexual abuse of a minor. Their callous disregard for abused children is appalling:

Over the years, I have found out that my story is very common in two aspects, neither of which will be good news for either side in the abortion debate. The first is the fact that my experience with Planned Parenthood was not an aberration. The sexual attitude often championed by Planned Parenthood is a serious factor in preventing the discovery of sexual abuse of young people. Had anyone shown even the least bit of disapproval or concern, I would have divulged the truth and begged for help.

Fletcher Armstrong doesn't mind controversy when it makes people think, and the college campus-targeted Genocide Awareness Project serves that purpose. The GAP recently visited Michigan State University where they received various responses to their visit. One counter-protest group had some responses strange reasoning, like, “Everyone is entitled to their point of view, but it’s about respecting the student body, those who may or may not have mental illnesses…. The visitors that we have may be looking at the school for prospective college.” But then another anonymous comment made it all worthwhile (pictured left).

Big Blue Wave posts her response to a column asking the question, “Why do more women oppose abortion than men?”

Right to Life of Michigan says the state’s Democratic Party has released a video promoting Democrat Gary Peters for U.S. Senate, which includes a statement of support from late-term abortion clinic owner Renee Chelian:

  At the start of the video the woman… says, “I’m Renee” and later says, “Choosing Gary Peters means protecting my daughters’ and your daughters’ future.”…
While Renee Chelian thinks electing Gary Peters means protecting “your daughters’ future,” Chelian doesn’t believe in protecting all daughters. Every year, thousands of unborn Michigan daughters are killed at her abortion clinics in Michigan and she and her family profit off of it.

Clinic Quotes notes the twisted thinking of anti-adoption abortion supporters, who consider adoption (not abortion) cruel.

Culture Campaign reports that Google has essentially decided to contribute to the murder of the preborn for disallowing anyone searching for abortion clinics from seeings ads or links to pro-life pregnancy resource centers. Apparently, they don’t follow this line of thinking with other topics. For instance, I searched for “suicide” the first links that popped up were for suicide prevention. In searching for “abortion”, the top links were all favorable to abortion.

At Life Issues Institute, Bradley Mattes addresses the volatile topic of pregnancy resulting from rape, pointing to studies that show how stress affects fertility: 

Although no study specifically addresses rape and fertility, there are several that confirm there is a relationship between stress and infertility. Ironically, two of these studies were published in the New York Times. One measured the levels of the enzyme alpha-amylase, a biological indicator of stress, and found that women with higher levels took longer to become pregnant. Dr. Sarah Berga, head of obstetrics and gynecology at Emory University, stated, “The surprising finding was that even low levels of stress can have an impact on conception.” Dr. Alice D. Domar is the director of mind-body services at a Boston fertility center. She affirms the link between stress and infertility, “If you’re really stressed out and depressed, the body seems to sense that’s not a good time to get pregnant.” A study fromEmory University School of Medicine researched the impact of stress on ovulation and concluded, “Stress is one of the most common and most commonly underappreciated causes of infertility and reproductive compromise in men and women.

A Culture of Life says that New Zealand plans to destroy a large number of frozen embryos on November 22 this year:

That’s the first deadline of the 2004 HART (Human Assisted Reproductive Technology) act. All embryos in New Zealand that have been frozen for 10 years or more will be destroyed on that date, unless their parents obtain specific permission by May this year. That permission to extend frozen storage must be granted from an ethics committee, not the facility storing the embryos. One chain of fertility clinics says 350 couples or women will be affected at this deadline. And with over 10,000 embryos in storage in New Zealand, it’s only the start of this issue.

Down on the Pharm discusses the selective use of privacy laws in California:

While pondering why California’s privacy laws protect law-breaking abortion clinics and domestic abusers, but not doddering old men arguing with mistresses, click this link, and read Ben Shapiro’s report on what activities will NOT produce a permanent ban in the NBA. Perhaps it will make you reconsider whether professional basketball is your kind of entertainment.

[Photos via farklibirbakis.com, hullivf.org.uk]