Wednesday, Dec 3, 2008  --  PP gift certificates come to Illinois

Today I checked the web site of Planned Parenthood of Illinois to see if they were offering gift certificates like PP of Indiana.  When I first entered the PP site, no evidence appeared of such an offer.  Later, I found the following promotion just added (note all the misspellings -- apparently their employees are so well trained they do not know how to spell -- they did clear up most of these by the next day):

What PP has to do with health is unknown.  Their services lead to more unwanted pregnancies, more STDs, and more abortions.  Pregnancy is not a disease and contraception is not medicine.  Contraception tricks the woman's body into acting pregnant to try preventing a pregnancy.  Sounds real healthy to me.  And that is before you consider the negative pyschological consequences of broken relationships and casual sex.  Does that contribute to the increased rate of teen suicides?

Sexual health is achieved by practicing abstinence until marriage and fidelity and natural family planning within marriage.  Keep teenagers as far away from Planned Parenthood as possible if you want to help them stay healthy.  Casual sex as promoted by Planned Parenthood is never healthy, so a PP gift certificate is absolutely not a "gift of health." 

Planned Parenthood even encourages continuing sex when they know it is statutory rape of a teen by an older man, as revealed most recently by undercover research in Indiana and North Carolina.  How is that for showing real care and concern for the health of young women who seek their version of "staying healthy"?

Tuesday, Dec 2, 2008  --  Planned Parenthood shrinks in Illinois

The Planned Parenthood web site offers the means to locate a "health center" near you.  I checked to find their current locations in Illinois.   They list 24 locations, but it turns out to actually be 20 locations.  PP shows 24 locations by showing separate listings for the four locations that commit abortions. Maybe they were taking preventative action in case the Title X amendment had passed to disallow funding of locations that also do abortions.  Of course, the addresses are identical so this change is not real.

The current 20 locations represent a drop of four locations over the last year. I learned in January that PP Illinois closed their Lincoln location on January 26th.  Now I found they have apparently closed two of their three locations in Peoria and one of two in Decatur.  These changes have apparently occurred as a result of the consolidation of PP's Illinois affiliates into one statewide entity.

Any reduction in locations where Planned Parenthood spreads their falsehoods of casual sex, packaged as health care, is a good thing.  If you live near one of their remaining 20 locations, please consider establishing a monthly or even weekly witness there to let the employees, customers, and the local residents know that PP is not welcome there and is an abortion provider, not a health center.  A schedule of regular witness times is already maintained at the PP locations in Aurora, Chicago (at 1200 N. LaSalle), and Orland Park.

Wednesday, Nov 26, 2008  --  IRLC wishes you a Happy Thanksgiving

Even with some apparent adversity now faced by the Pro-Life movement and our nation, we at Illinois Right to Life Committee (IRLC) have many things to be thankful for as we come to our national Thanksgiving Day observance.  We are so thankful for our long-term supporters as well as for those who just recently discovered IRLC. 

We appreciate the positive feedback that we have provided you with meaningful and timely information in our quarterly newsletters, our radio messages, and our web site and emails.  We are thankful that we can continue the efforts of those who came before us, beginning with the founders of IRLC 40 years ago.  Who would have conceived the staying power of these efforts to defend respect for human life from conception to natural death here in Illinois?

As one of the co-sponsors of the 40 Days for Life held at Family Planning Associates, 5086 North Elston Ave, Chicago, we are thankful for all those who joined this 24-hour per day, 40 day vigil for life.  We just received news that nationally at 179 vigils the confirmed number of mothers and babies saved from abortion totals 614!  At least 20 of those positive outcomes occurred right here in Chicago.  How many more lives were saved that we do not know about?

We are thankful to be part of a movement that has developed a network of pregnancy care centers to provide real choices and help to mothers in need when they are convinced they have no other choice than abortion.  We are thankful for the activists, the educators, the counselors, and those who pray for all of these efforts.

We are also thankful that we will be motivated to continue the effort to defend the right to life in whatever ways we are guided to use in the future.  Pray for success in gaining the wisdom to remain and even increase the effectiveness of these efforts so we can reach many who have been on the sidelines until now.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

Tuesday, Nov 25, 2008  --  Even the reality of abortion fails to convert (for now)

A glimpse of the impact of politically correct brainwashing is revealed in a November 21st article in the Washington Post.  The article "A Hard Choice" analyzes the decision process of a "pro-choice" female medical student whose abortion training experiences led her to decide against performing abortions.

Lesley Wojcik is still committed to a woman's right to choose, but "vacuuming out a uterus and counting the parts of the fetus did not seem like a desirable way to spend her work days."  Maybe another student from Medical Students for Choice would become an abortion provider, but it wouldn't be her.

"It was definitely gruesome," she said. "You could make out what a fetus could look like, tiny feet, lungs, but it didn't look like a person."   She found the abortion process "disturbingly brutal" and noted, "It took a unique person to do that on a daily basis."

Tragically, even after those experiences and conclusions, Lesley claimed she "still believed passionately in abortion rights."  Of course, this revelation about the reality of abortion would never have been printed in the Washington Post if Lesley had been converted. 

The graphic details quoted above came near the end of a very long article.  The tone of much of the early section was how difficult it was for medical students to experience training in abortions.  If the objective was to encourage making abortion training more mainstream, the coverage did reveal the reality that abortion is not viewed well within the medical profession. 

Though buried in other agendas, the true reality of abortion is communicated in unexpected clarity for the liberal Washington Post.  Pray that seeds of conversion have been planted for Lesley Wojcik by her experiences, and for many others who read this Washington Post article.

Monday, Nov 24, 2008  --  Some good news?  Bad news for sure!

Family Research Council (FRC) reported last Friday, "FRC was relieved to learn from our sources on the Hill that the leadership will not pursue the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) next year."  If this information is correct, it means that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will not seek passage of FOCA.

FRC observed that "Democrats have decided the issue carries too much political risk.  They plan to postpone the legislation until they can chip away at smaller pockets of the values movement."  Might initial efforts to oppose FOCA, including over 261,000 signatures at Fight FOCA, have something to do with it?  Keep the heat on -- go sign this Americans United for Life petition now. 

Has the House Democratic leadership already counted the votes and found a lack of support for such a radical bill as FOCA?  That step seems necessary if the FRC information has any accuracy, especially considering the other recent news about selection of radicals for leadership positions.

FRC reported that Rep. Harry Waxman (D-Calif.) was made chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.  With health care and sex education firmly in Waxman's control, this expansion if his power is a great concern for the Pro-Life community.  A few years ago, Waxman was the one who used taxpayer dollars to launch unsubstantiated attacks on the validity of abstinence education and pregnancy care centers.

This conflicting news requires vigilance.  As FRC suggests, "It seems the leadership plans to attack life and family by quietly dismantling things that won't make front-page news like increasing taxpayer funding of abortions, ending conscience protections, and inhibiting free speech.  Until they've paved the way with these incremental changes, liberals are putting off big ticket items like FOCA."

Friday, Nov 21, 2008  --  Obama builds anti-life team, but indirectly helps Pro-Life in AZ

President-elect Obama continues to build a very anti-life administration.  He picked pro-abortion former U.S. Senator Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services. Daschle will likely play a role in shaping Obama's health care plan, which will likely include abortion coverage and could mandate that hospitals and insurance companies cover abortions.

In the area of stem cell research he picked Jonathan Moreno, a professor of medical ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, to head up bioethics efforts.  Moreno has shown strong support for embryonic stem cell research funding.  A second bioethics advisor, Alta Charo, could pave the way for human cloning. Charo is a professor of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin and is a well-known advocate of embryonic stem cell research.

With implications for judicial nominations, Obama named a pro-abortion attorney and former NARAL staffer to his Department of Justice review team.  Dawn Johnsen was the Legal Director for NARAL from 1988-1993 and had various assignments in the Clinton administration. 

Most recently Obama announced his pick of Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to become his head of the Department of Homeland Security.  Her appointment would make Pro-Life Republican Secretary of State Jan Brewer the next governor of Arizona.  Since Napolitano constantly vetoed Pro-Life legislation, Obama may be helping put Pro-Life laws on the books there. 

He may be unconcerned, thinking that the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would rescind that and any other Pro-Life legislation in Arizona and around the nation.   That possibility makes vocal opposition to FOCA critical for preserving both national and state Pro-Life laws.  Help stop FOCA by going to Fight FOCA now.  There is no evidence that Obama is backing off from his promises to the abortion industry, contrary to claims his actions would reduce abortions.

Thursday, Nov 20, 2008  --  PVS twice again found to be an inaccurate diagnosis

Two women, both declared to be in a persistent vegetative state (PVS), have been in the news lately because of disputes over whether to remove their feeding tubes so they can starve and dehydrate to death.  The fight for Lauren Richardson's life has occurred in Delaware between her mother and father.  The struggle to save Eluana Englaro has taken place in Milan, Italy.

An attorney has now reported on a reconciliation between Lauren's parents, both agreeing to care for her.  The attorney stated, "Lauren Richardson wept emotionally when her mother informed her of the settlement and the reconciliation of her parents, confirming to the mother that her daughter was aware and responsive."   This response, and many other examples of Lauren's responsiveness to pain, music, family members’ voices, touch, and assisted exercise, demonstrate that Lauren was not correctly evaluated when diagnosed as PVS.

Eluana Englaro was also diagnosed as PVS so her father finally obtained a court ruling recently to have her feeding tube removed.  The nuns who run the hospice where Eluana has been living for 14 years have refused to carry out the court order.  They stated, "If there are those who consider her dead, let Eluana remain with us who feel she is alive."

Advocates of the PVS diagnosis explain away responses like those of Lauren and Eluana as random and meaningless actions that are misinterpreted as indications of consciousness.  What a coincidence it was that Lauren just happened to cry right when her mother was telling her profound news!  How do PVS advocates explain the testimony of those who have fully recovered consciousness and tell the horror of experiencing the attempted starvation and dehydration?

Wednesday, Nov 19, 2008  --  The facts get in the way again

According to its annual report for 2007, the total number of pregnant women who visited the 31 locations (16 of them commit abortions) of Planned Parenthood of Western Washington (PPWW) declined by 51% from 2006.  Would you expect the number of abortions to decline as well?  Isn't that what Plannned Parenthood claims?

In fact, the PPWW annual report reveals that abortions rose 16% from 7,790 in 2006 to 9,059 in 2007.  Even worse, the percentage of pregnancies ending in abortion at PPWW rose from 25% in 2006 to 58% in 2007.  These facts contradict Planned Parenthood's public relations campaign, saying it wants to reduce the number of abortions.

Not only that, PPWW had everything in place that Planned Parenthood says is needed to reduce unwanted pregnancies and abortions: a state-funded program called Take Charge offering free birth control (funding 70% of their 150,000 client visits) and sales of over 106,000 emergency contraception kits.  These programs generated significant revenue for PPWW, but certainly did not reduce abortions as they claim.

Tuesday, Nov 18, 2008  --  Is conversion possible?

Do you think it is possible that President-elect Obama could be converted to reject abortion on demand?  To actually become Pro-Life?  What might it take to turn "possible" into reality?

An article from Fargo North Dakota Bishop Samuel Aquila says he will pray "for the conversion of his (Obama's) heart and mind to recognize the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until natural death and the truth that no government has the right to legalize abortion."  Certainly, prayer is very much needed to achieve conversion, but what else might be done along with prayer?

I received a call yesterday from a woman who was willing to do more.   She watched Bishop Arthur Brazier praise Obama during a Sunday television program.   She wondered if he knew about Obama's support for the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) so she called the Apostolic Church of God and left a message for him to call her.  The person who took the message seemed interested and had no knowledge about Obama's support for FOCA.

What if African-American church leaders could be educated on the threat Obama's support for abortion places on their community?  If they would lead their congregations to rise up and tell Obama they oppose his abortion policies, would he be converted?  Would he at least abandon his radical abortion policies as politically unsound?

I recently heard the testimony of a former pro-abortion member of the National Organization for Women (NOW).  Carla revealed two key aspects of her conversion story.  Another woman who worked with Carla at NOW, on a project to protect abused women, kept pointing out the inconsistency of supporting abortion.   That woman kept bringing up the subject, regardless of how many times Carla rejected her plea.  Then Carla learned that her own teenage daughter was pregnant.   Carla realized that her grandchild was in danger because her daughter could decide to get an abortion.  This concern changed Carla's view on abortion advocacy.

The long shot would be finding someone on Obama's staff who is actually Pro-Life and could encourage him to listen to the concerns, if and when they were expressed by black congregations.  Unfortunately, it seems Obama already threw his grandchild under the bus when he stated, referring to his daughters, "If they make a mistake, I don't want them punished with a baby."

Monday, Nov 17, 2008  --  Obama's election encourages distortions of reality

Do you think Catholics have turned pro-abortion?  Cecille Richards, president of Planned Parenthood, is citing the statistic that 54% of Catholics voted for Obama as evidence, and noting it happened "despite entreaties from Catholic leadership to vote against Senator Obama because of his support for abortion rights."  Is her conclusion realistic?

What about the October Marist survey? It found 63% of Catholics say abortions should be permitted in none or almost no cases by opposing all abortions, all abortions except to save the mother's life, or all abortions except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest.  That means 63% of Catholics oppose about 98 percent of all abortions, using abortion data from Planned Parenthood's own Guttmacher Institute.

Do you think that pregnancy care centers or abortionists mislead women?   Do you think it is misleading to tell women that the "product of conception" is a "blob of tissue" and they will feel no pain?  Rather, do you think it is misleading to tell women that abortion carries many risks, both physical and psychological?  Abortionists' sales ("counseling") staff cite the former and pregnancy care centers cite the latter. 

Do you agree that pregnancy care centers should be regulated out of business because they are deceiving women about abortion?  The Feminist Majority Foundation (FMF) says "these centers attempt to coerce and intimidate women out of considering abortion as an option."  FMF distorts reality to push for legislation against pregnancy care centers and expects Obama's election to help make it happen.

Certainly, both Planned Parenthood and Feminist Majority Foundation want to get as much mileage as possible by claiming the election means support for their agendas.  Reality makes no difference to them.  Just brush reality under the rug, like the mainstream media did for the entire election cycle regarding Obama's extremely liberal record.

Friday, Nov 14, 2008  --  Is rejecting a heart transplant choosing "death with dignity"?

Hannah Jones is a 13-year-old British teenager who was diagnosed as needing a heart transplant.  Medical challenges are not new to Hannah.  She was diagnosed with leukemia at age 4 and later found to have a heart defect.  In eight years, she has had chemotherapy and nearly a dozen operations.

Hannah has decided to refuse the heart transplant operation.  Initial reaction by British medical authorities was to force Hannah to have the operation.   However, after a social worker was sent to interview Hannah, that decision was reversed.   This result has ignited a debate over whether children should have the right to refuse potentially lifesaving medical treatments, or if health authorities have an obligation to intervene.

Children's rights groups can claim this case supports their cause.  Right to die advocates are claiming this case as a choice of "death with dignity."   But neither of these agendas can make a legitimate claim.  Hannah's parents support her decision so they would be making the same decision.  Hannah and her parents value life, but they do not feel a risky heart transplant can be justified.

"I just decided there were too many risks, and even if I took it there might be a bad outcome.  There is a chance that I may be OK, and there's a chance that I may not be as well as I could be, but I'm willing to take that chance," Hannah said, referring to the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy, a serious disease where the heart muscle becomes swollen and sometimes fails.

Adopting heart transplant surgery as standard medical care, whether for a child or an adult, does raise a potential ethical issue.  What if the patient has concerns about the ethics of vital organ transplants?  Should this medical treatment be forced on them anyway?

In August, Robert D. Truog, M.D., and Franklin G. Miller, Ph.D. admitted that the scientific literature does not support the criteria for 'brain death' and 'cardiac death' as being real death.  Recent cases of patients surviving after a diagnosis of brain death, and planned removal of their organs for transplant, raise serious questions about the ethics of vital organ transplant.  I would contend that organ transplants should never be considered as standard medical treatment.

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008  --  Italy now has their own Terri Schiavo

The tragic death by starvation of Terri Schiavo will now be duplicated in Italy.  The highest court in Italy has granted the right to a disabled woman's father to kill her via euthanasia by removing her feeding tube.  Eluana Englaro will now be starved and dehydrated to death in the same painful manner that took Schiavo's life over the course of 13 days four years ago.

Eluana Englaro was severely injured in a 1992 car accident that left her in a state of minimal consciousness.  She can, however, breathe on her own and is not on a ventilator.  Her “life support” has consisted of assisted feeding and hydration.  Her father, Beppino Englaro, has been petitioning courts to remove his daughter's assisted nutrition and hydration since 1999.

Earlier this year, some of Italy's leading neurologists said Englaro should not be killed and they question whether she is in a persistent vegetative state. "She is not a person in coma, or a terminal patient, but a severely handicapped person in need of special basic care."

Wednesday, Nov 12, 2008  --  U.S. bishops issue a warning to Obama on abortion

Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued a statement on behalf of all the US bishops.  The statement warned President-elect Obama regarding the rights of the unborn, including:

If the election is misinterpreted ideologically as a referendum on abortion, the unity desired by President-elect Obama and all Americans at this moment of crisis will be impossible to achieve.  Abortion kills not only unborn children; it destroys constitutional order and the common good, which is assured only when the life of every human being is legally protected.  Aggressively pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion.

The statement expressed much concern about the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, describing it as "bad legislation that is more radical than the 1973 Supreme Court decision itself" (referring to Roe v. Wade).  This concern is based on Obama's 2007 statement to Planned Parenthood that the first thing he would do as President is sign the Freedom of Choice Act.

Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008  --  Acknowledging life as a blessing and a right

Even as President-elect Obama plans steps to encourage and fund abortion and deadly embryonic stem cell research, others are responding to the value of human life as a blessing and the most basic human right.  The United States Catholic bishops approved a "Blessing of a Child in the Womb" to "support parents awaiting the birth of their child, to encourage prayers for and recognition of the gift of the child in the womb, and to foster respect for human life within society."

The blessing reads: "May almighty God, who has created new life now bless the child in your womb. The Lord has brought you the joy of motherhood: may he now bless you with a safe and healthy pregnancy. You thank the Lord today for the gift of your child: may he bring you and your child one day to share in the unending joys of heaven."

The bishops vowed to accept no compromise for the sake of national unity until there is legal protection for the unborn, indicating they will oppose any law or executive order that might loosen restrictions on abortion.

Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., says Barack Obama doesn't fulfill her uncle's dream despite his election last week.  "The battle for equal rights has reached a major milestone, but Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s dream of full equality remains just a dream as long as unborn children continue to be treated no better than property," she stated.  

"President-elect Obama has promised actions that will only increase the number of abortions," she added, noting the civil rights struggle for unborn children continues and that abortion adversely affects the black community.

Monday, Nov 10, 2008  --  The "culture of death" president-elect

Reports are coming in rapidly about the many steps that Barack Obama will be taking immediately to implement his culture of death agenda.  Both nationally and internationally the transition from Pro-Life President George W. Bush to pro-abortion Barack Obama will have immediate impact. 

Obama plans to overturn President Bush's policy against funding any stem cell research that requires the killing of human embryos.   Obama will also immediately reverse Bush's executive orders that have protected taxpayers from funding international organizations that perform or promote abortions in other nations.

Dr. Stephen Karanja, head of the Catholic Doctors’ Association of Kenya, said last week that the election of Barack Obama as the new president of the USA is a direct attack on the families and children of Africa.   The anti-family efforts of many international aid organizations were frustrated by the Bush administration, which severely restricted overseas funding for contraceptives and abortion. The election of Obama has been hailed as a victory for many such organizations, which expect a massive influx of funding and support from an Obama administration. 

Austin Ruse has expressed similar concerns about the potentially rapid impact of Obama's international pro-abortion agenda.   He expects a rush of international conferences intended to push
"reproductive rights" with abortion fully included without being named.

Friday, Nov 7, 2008  --  Seventh Circuit rules against Illinois Choose Life license plate

Claiming there is a difference between "content and viewpoint discrimination," the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals today issued a ruling against Choose Life license plates in Illinois.  The court effectively ruled that content discrimination is not a First Amendment violation because the state can choose to exclude the "entire subject of abortion."  In their view, prohibited viewpoint discrimination would only occur if one side of the subject was allowed, but not the other.

This ruling appears to be inconsistent with the rulings from other Federal appellate courts that required the issuance of Choose Life specialty plates when states rejected them based on message content, finding such actions to be viewpoint discrimination.  Most recently in October 2008, appeal of a Ninth Circuit ruling was rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court.   This Ninth Circuit ruling recognized exclusion of one subject, when other subjects were allowed, as viewpoint discrimination. 

Judge Richard Tallman wrote for the appellate court in its January 2008 ruling that the Arizona commission "clearly denied the application based on the nature of the message,” indicating discrimination based on the Pro-Life perspective of the plate sponsors.  The concept of rejecting the "entire subject of abortion" was proposed by the state of Arizona, but rejected by the court.

Apparently, none of this precedent made any difference to the Seventh Circuit judicial panel.  This is the same Circuit Court that effectively ignored an 8-1 Supreme Court decision in favor of Joseph Scheidler in the NOW v. Scheidler case.   Scheidler needed to return to the Supreme Court to get an 8-0 ruling in his favor before the Seventh Circuit was willing to reverse the ruling against Scheidler, as clearly directed by the Supreme Court.  Here we go again!

Thursday, Nov 6, 2008  --  Assessing the implications of the election

Many Pro-Life leaders are offering perspectives on the implications of the November 4th election. 

Fr. Frank Pavone, National Director, Priests for Life, observed, "Americans have made a grave mistake in electing Barack Obama to the presidency.  Yet America herself remains great and is not a mistake, which is why so many of her citizens will continue, with even greater energy and determination, to defend her founding principles."

He continued, "The American people do not share Barack Obama’s extreme and offensive views on abortion.  They never have and they never will.   The coming four years will see a widening gap between the people and their President on this fundamental issue.  As Americans come to know how extreme his position is, the intensity of the struggle to protect these children will only increase."

Deal Hudson noted, "...it is clear that the Obama-Biden ticket received substantial help from Catholics working for parishes and chanceries, as well as a number of high-profile Catholic politicians and jurists.   They successfully promoted the flaws of 'Faithful Citizenship' to Catholics nationwide, neutralizing any advantage the Church's pro-life and pro-marriage teachings might offer to McCain-Palin...."

Jill Stanek reflected, "Altogether, this means we are fooling ourselves if we think the United States is still a Christian nation.   Its people just elected a barbarian as president, authorized the killing of both its youngest and sickest, rejected scientific fact that human life begins at conception, blocked parental intervention of abortions of young girls, and voted down the wording of an abortion ban they said only two years ago they would support."

David Bereit looked beyond the election when suggesting, "However, we have every reason to be optimistic about the profound pro-life shift that is beginning to take place below the radar.  For 40 days, people of faith and conscience prayed, fasted, held peaceful vigils outside abortion facilities, and conducted grassroots pro-life outreach. Tens of thousands of people participated in this history-making initiative.

Bereit continued, "The facts speak for themselves.  More than 540 times during this fall's campaign, women who were arriving for abortions changed their minds and decided to keep their babies as a direct result of the 40 Days for Life volunteers praying outside the abortion center.  We are also aware of a number of clinic employees who experienced a change of heart and quit the abortion business due to this effective pro-life outreach, and many abortion centers cut back hours or closed for entire days during 40 Days for Life."

"The winning presidential candidate ran on a nebulous platform of 'change,' but 40 Days for Life provides something far more powerful - hope.  Hope demonstrates that, with God's help, hundreds of lives can be spared from death by abortion.  This fall, a political battle was lost, but hundreds of lives were won.   I am convinced that those victories will have far greater impact," Bereit concluded.

Were key voter groups really mislead by the mainstream media and deceptive campaign claims?  Is the nation too secularized to care about life issues such as abortion?  Can citizen initiatives such as 40 Days for Life, Truth Tours, etc. continue to move the nation in a Pro-Life direction?  Only time will tell where the nation is headed on defense of human life.  Pray that efforts of Pro-Life leaders are successful, regardless of the actions of pro-abortion politicians.

Wednesday, Nov 5, 2008  --  Efforts to defend life become more challenging

With the election victory of Barack Obama, efforts to defend life will become more challenging.  Losing Pro-Life support from the White House will mean more push for "reproductive rights" in nations around the world through various United Nations agencies, and could lead to more government funding of abortion in our nation. 

If the so-called Freedom of Choice Act were to pass, virtually all regulations of abortion, both state and Federal, would be immediately overturned.   The urgency to rally public opinion against such radical measures becomes urgent beginning on January 20, 2009.

Tuesday, Nov 4, 2008  --  New state statistics show falling abortion rates

The election campaign brought back inaccurate claims that abortions rise when the President is Pro-Life.  Such claims are used to justify the concept that abstinence fails to reduce abortions.  Two recent reports on state abortion statistics refute this premise.  Both Nebraska and Ohio have reported falling abortion rates.

It is ironic that Nebraska was criticized by the Guttmacher Institute, research arm of Planned Parenthood, for limited government distribution of birth control.   From their viewpoint, this situation should lead to more abortions, but reality does not comply with their agenda.  In Ohio, the governor recently began rejecting Federal funds for abstinence education so future statistics from that state could show increases in abortion rates, but that result would have nothing to do with a Pro-Life President. 

Monday, Nov 3, 2008  --  40 Days for Life makes major Pro-Life impact

The 40 Days for Life vigils at 179 locations around the nation ended on November 2nd.  The number of confirmed lives saved during the 40 days has reached 520.  This number surpasses the previous total for all earlier 40 Days for Life vigils combined.

More exciting news is coming.  One of the 40 Days for Life local vigil leaders has learned the abortion facility that was the focus of their vigil over these last 40 days is closing.  A "Space Available" real estate sign appeared in front of the building on October 30th -- day 37 of the vigil.  The local leader has since confirmed with the real estate company that the abortionist is shutting down the business permanently.  More details will be made available, including the location, as soon as the facility is closed, which should happen very soon.

Other abortionists apparently decided to take time off.  One vigil location reported, "There's a sign on our clinic door -- closed until November 5."  In Oklahoma City, Karen reports that someone called the clinic and was told the abortionist won't be back until November 6. "That's two whole weeks plus two days of closure for the clinic," she said. "I know our prayers had an effect on him!"

As with past 40 Day vigils, this one is expected to lead to more ongoing vigils at abortion mills around the nation, not continuously, but more frequently than before.  The impact of 40 Days for Life will continue.

Thursday, Oct 30, 2008  --  Roe “an easy target” and a "rallying point"

Criticism of Roe v. Wade recently came from an unexpected source.  In a conversation last week with Princeton University Provost Christopher Eisgruber, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg observed, "I think the Court bit off more than it could chew.”  She said this in hindsight because she was not on the Supreme Court in 1973.

It seems that Ginsburg does not really disagree with the result of Roe v. Wade (abortion on demand for all nine months of pregnancy).  She stated, "Of course, it has to be the woman’s choice, but the Court should not have done it all.   It is dangerous to go to the end of the road when all you see in front of you are a few yards.”

Apparently, Ginsburg must be more concerned that the public has not accepted the Roe v. Wade decision, than she is about any legal implications of the legislating from the bench that occurred.  She called Roe “an easy target” and a "rallying point."  Her observation that if the ruling had been written differently, "There would have been an opportunity for dialogue with state legislatures” to “reduce restrictions on access to abortion” hints at trying to get to the same place with more of an incremental approach.  

Ginsburg's voting record on abortion cases demonstrates that she had no interest in limiting the scope of Roe v. Wade, once it was in place.  In her mind, going too far was just a timing issue -- if the court had acted in multiple steps, maybe the nation would have been more accepting.  Pro-Lifers know that would never be the case, when the right to life of the unborn is threatened. 

Wednesday, Oct 29, 2008  --  Vote NO on IL constitutional convention

Holding a constitutional convention to reform Illinois government may sound like a good idea, but how will the delegates be selected?  Since they would be selected from current state Senate districts, why would they be more focused on true reform than the members of the Illinois Legislature?  With possible "reforms" such as a "constitutional right" to abortion or an equally dangerous "equal rights amendment", how could we ensure such radical proposals would be rejected? 

The Illinois Constitution can be amended without holding a constitutional convention.  A November 4th ballot initiative proposes an amendment to allow recall elections on incumbent state officials.  The Illinois Legislature could pass such an amendment without holding a convention.  Other potential amendments could be handled in the same way.  If amendments are needed, they should each be considered on their own merits rather than as a package deal coming out of a constitutional convention where voters might be persuaded to take the bad with the good.

Tuesday, Oct 28, 2008  --  Healing following abortion

40 Days for Life reports the experience of Mike Stack from the 40 Days for Life in Southfield, Michigan that shows the importance of outreach to those who are hurting following an abortion:

I'm still a bit awestruck and emotional at what I encountered at the vigil site today. We had invited several post-abortive women and men to stand with the "I Regret my Abortion" and "I Regret Lost Fatherhood" signs from the Silent No More campaign. Several of them shared their testimony of hurt and healing.

I am still trying to process the intense emotions I have from this experience. Here we have women and men deliberately ripping off their band aids and exposing their pain for the sake of those entering the abortion facility and those who work there. I have never seen a greater act of love. Their self sacrifice is changing hearts and saving their sisters and brothers from making the same mistake they made so many years ago. My heart breaks not only from the sorrow of listening to their pain but from the joy of seeing the healing that they have experienced through God's Mercy.

One of the most remarkable stories we heard this morning was shared by a woman that providence brought to us today. She is well acquainted with the abortion facility where the 40 Days for Life vigil is taking place. She had an abortion there several months ago. She told us how she was ambivalent about her abortion decision and had gone back and forth between the abortion facility and the crisis pregnancy center just down the road.

At that time she had been given a diagnosis of HIV and the abortion facility convinced her that her only option was to abort to avoid passing the deadly virus to her baby. Even though her husband objected, she initially consented to the abortion. She was well into her second trimester and would need the two-day procedure for her abortion. She wanted time to think but the staff insisted she stay for the abortion and tricked her into doing the entire procedure in one day.

Meanwhile her husband was doing every thing he could to talk to her and get her out of the abortion facility but the staff locked him out and forced her to turn off her cell phone so he couldn't communicate with her. With the abortion completed she left and was later rechecked for HIV. It was found that there had been some mistake at the lab and she had been given a false positive report for HIV.

Today God has given her a healthy pregnancy -- twins! -- a renewed marriage commitment and some good lawyers to bring prosecution against the abortionist and his staff. She freely admits that these are all good things, but nothing will bring back the child she has lost to abortion. We pray in thanksgiving for the courage these women and men have demonstrated in exposing their hurt and healing and we pray for blessings on all those that hear their courageous words.

Monday, Oct 27, 2008  --  Abortion compares with the crimes of Hitler and Stalin

Edward Cardinal Egan, Archbishop of New York uses a picture of a preborn child to make a point.

The picture on this page is an untouched photograph of a being that has been within its mother for 20 weeks.  Please do me the favor of looking at it carefully.  Have you any doubt that it is a human being?  If you do not have any such doubt, have you any doubt that it is an innocent human being?  If you have no doubt about this either, have you any doubt that the authorities in a civilized society are duty-bound to protect this innocent human being if anyone were to wish to kill it?

One day, please God, when the stranglehold on public opinion in the United States has been released by the extremists for whom abortion is the center of their political and moral life, our nation will, in my judgment, look back on what we have been doing to innocent human beings within their mothers as a crime no less heinous than what was approved by the Supreme Court in the "Dred Scott Case" in the 19th century, and no less heinous than what was perpetrated by Hitler and Stalin in the 20th. There is nothing at all complicated about the utter wrongness of abortion, and making it all seem complicated mitigates that wrongness not at all. On the contrary, it intensifies it.

Friday, Oct 24, 2008  --  Post abortion trauma is real

One IRLC radio message explains the potential negative consequences of abortion, including the statement, "Some women choose abortion to save their relationship or 'keep' a boyfriend from leaving, but most such relationships come apart shortly after abortion."

Right after it played on WIND 560 AM, a call came in.  The woman said that statement was so true.  She talked with me for over an hour about the impact abortion had on her life.  She is now 22 years past her third abortion, but still cannot overcome the regret and sorrow. 

She has been to counseling, but without too much impact.  Even before the American Psychological Association recently published a report claiming post abortion trauma does not exist, most counselors had already been ignoring abortion as a factor.

I referred her to Project Rachel (or call 800-5WE-CARE) and Rachels Vineyard (or call 877-HOPE4ME) for true post-abortion ministry that understands the impact abortion can have.

Thursday, Oct 23, 2008  --  Accepting Roe v. Wade is not an option

Trying to minimize the issue of support for abortion "rights," some have proposed that the Church should accept the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a "permanent fixture of constitutional law" and should concede that the only way to reduce abortions is to provide more government support for pregnant women.  Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, NY have written a statement in response that is posted on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops web site.

"Providing support for pregnant women so they choose to have their babies is a necessary but not sufficient response to abortion.  Similarly, reversal of Roe is a necessary but not sufficient condition for restoring an order of justice in our society's treatment of defenseless human life," they wrote.

"Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose. Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life," they added.

Wednesday, Oct 22, 2008  --  A peek inside Planned Parenthood

Participants in the 40 Days for Life vigil at a Planned Parenthood location were approached last Saturday by PP employee who shared that she desperately wants out of her job.  She explained that after she started working at Planned Parenthood earlier this year, the abortion business assigned her the gruesome task of counting the baby body parts following each abortion to make sure everything was removed from the mother.

She then revealed some chilling examples of how Planned Parenthood practices "choice".  She explained that several weeks ago a young woman sat before her registering for an abortion and said,
"I'm so conflicted, should I do this or not?"  She leaned forward and quietly told her, "Don't do
this."  The girl left without getting an abortion. 

A co-worker overheard and reported her to the Planned Parenthood supervisor who wrote her up and put a stern warning in her employment file.   Confirming a conflicted mother's concern about getting an abortion is not acceptable at Planned Parenthood.  Abortion is the only choice for them.

She also said that Planned Parenthood had told its workers that they would be immediately fired if they ever talked to those on the sidewalk, referring to the 40 Day vigil participants.  That suggests PP management is very worried their employees will be influenced by the vigil to seek other employment.

And they are right!  This woman is receiving help to find a new job.   The 40 Days for Life volunteers are now taking up a collection to provide for her short-term needs so she can leave her job immediately, and they are helping her find another job quickly since she is the sole provider for her four daughters and needs income.  Pray that these efforts will be successful so this woman can be freed from the horrors of Planned Parenthood.

Tuesday, Oct 21, 2008  --  PP and NARAL support assisted suicide

Washington state has a November ballot initiative to legalize assisted suicide, following the approach of Oregon, where state-funded payment for life-saving treatments may be denied in favor of funding assisted suicide.  So why is "reproductive health care" provider Planned Parenthood placing their support behind legalization of assisted suicide in Washington state?

Planned Parenthood of Washington emailed its supporters a copy of a voting guide it compiled along with other liberal groups in the state.  This voting guide called the assisted suicide ballot measure an "important" vote to "promote progress in Washington."  NARAL is also shown as endorsing the assisted suicide measure.

The voting guide claims, "Vote Yes on I-1000 if you believe terminally ill people should have a choice about how much pain and suffering they must endure at the end of their lives," even though patient pain is routinely treated without advocating death.  I wonder if Planned Parenthood is looking to offer another line of business in case abortions get slow.  They can send abortionists on house calls to offer assisted suicide to patients who want to exercise their "choice" to die.

Just ignore a study earlier this month that found 25% of the people dying from assisted suicide in Oregon were depressed, yet they received lethal cocktails anyway.  Researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University conducted the study, which offers evidence showing the guidelines in the Oregon assisted suicide law don't work.

Monday, Oct 20, 2008  --  Impact of 40 Days for Life grows

The 40 Days for Life prayer vigils continue at 179 locations nationwide through November 2nd.  Many locations maintain the vigil for 24 hours each day.  Through last weekend the total number of confirmed reports of lives saved since the beginning of this fall's 40 Days for Life campaign has reached 306!

There are also reports of cancelled abortion appointments, lower customer traffic at abortion clinics -- reduced up to 50%, and more people leaving without having abortions.  None of these cases are reflected in the confirmed count of lives saved.   Praise the Lord for changing hearts!

Friday, Oct 17, 2008  --  St. Louis bishop pleads "Save our children!"

The Most Rev. Bishop Robert J. Hermann currently serves as the administrator of the Archdiocese of St. Louis.  He recently published a column entitled "I Thought You Should Know" in the St. Louis Review, the diocesan newspaper.  This article makes the case that:

More than anything else, this election is about saving our children or killing our children.  This life issue is the overriding issue facing each of us in this coming election.  All other issues, including the economy, have to take second place to the issue of life.

When I speak to some socalled good Catholics, I am shocked that they are quite ready to vote for a pro-abortion candidate under almost any circumstance. I find this hard to understand.

How can a so-called good Catholic vote for a candidate that supports laws that take the life of innocent children, when there is an alternative? If there were two candidates who supported abortion, but not equally, we would have the obligation to mitigate the evil by voting for the less-permissive candidate.

If you want to make Satan angry, pray the Rosary for the sake of Life.   Pray that as a nation we will choose leaders that will say ‘no’ to the culture of death and say ‘yes’ to the culture of life.  Save our children!   Pray the Rosary!

Thank you Bishop Hermann for your plea in defense of human life in the womb and for your call to prayer before this critical election.

Thursday, Oct 16, 2008  --  "Common ground" for reducing abortions?

During the October 15th third Presidential debate Barack Obama suggested that “We can find common ground in seeking to minimize the number of abortions by supporting alternatives.”  In fact, the concept that an Obama presidency would reduce abortions is not consistent with reality.   Read more ... 

Wednesday, Oct 15, 2008  --  Texas bishops say intrinsic evils must be opposed

In a letter dated October 8th, Texas bishops Kevin Farrell of Dallas and Kevin Vann of Fort Worth clarified the moral considerations involved in selecting candidates for the November election.  They made the following statement concerning how various issues should be evaluated:

Therefore, we cannot make more clear the seriousness of the overriding issue of abortion -- while not the "only issue" -- it is the defining moral issue, not only today, but of the last 35 years.  Since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, more than 48 million innocent lives have been lost.  Each year in our nation more than one million lives are lost throught legalized abortion.  Countless other lives are also lost through embryonic stem cell research.  In the coming months our nation will once again elect our political leaders.  This electoral cycle affords us an opportunity to promote the culture of life in our nation.  As Catholics we are morally obligated to pray, to act, and to vote to abolish the evil of abortion in America, limiting it as much as we can until it is finally abolished.

As Catholics we are faced with a number of issues that are of concern and should be addressed, such as immigration reform, healthcare, the economy and it solvency, care and concern for the poor, and the war on terror.  As Catholics we must be concerned about these  isseus and work to see that just solutions are brought about.  There are many possible solutions to these issues and there can be reasonable debate among Catholics on how to best approach and solve them.  These are matters of "prudential judgment."  But let us be clear:  issues of prudential judgment are not morally equivalent to issues involving intrinsic evils.  No matter how right a given candidate is on any of these issues, it does not outweigh a candidate's unacceptable position in favor of an intrinsic evil such as abortion or the protection of "abortion rights."

Tuesday, Oct 14, 2008  --  Oppose Obama, get visit from the Secret Service

As reported on WorldNetDaily, Jessica Hughes of Lufkin, Texas, former Marine, mother of three, answered her cell phone.  The caller was a female Obama volunteer who asked if Jessica would support Obama for President.   Jessica replied, "No, I don't support him.  Your guy is a socialist who voted four times in the state Senate to let little babies die in hospital closets; I think you should find something better to do with your time."  Then Jessica hung up.

The next day, a man and a woman in suits showed up at the door of her home, identifying themselves as members of the Secret Service.  The Secret Service agents stated that the Obama campaign had complained of a death threat.  They had quoted Jessica as saying, "I will never support Obama, and he will wind up dead on a hospital floor."

Jessica's husband had heard Jessica's side of the original phone call and verified the actual quote.  To which the female agent replied, "Oh? Well why would she (the Obama volunteer) make that up?"  Jessica replied that the Obama volunteer was probably unhappy about what Jessica had said about her candidate.  The female agent then said "That's right, you were rude!"

The male agent then displayed a file with Jessica's full name prominently printed on it and asked her how she felt about Obama.  At this point, the former Marine told the agent "in no uncertain terms" (as she later recounted) that this was America and that the last time she checked, she was allowed to think whatever she wanted without being questioned by the Secret Service. 

The agents then admitted they had no tape of the conversation, just the quote from the Obama campaign.  Responding to Jessica's questions, the agents would not identify themselves by name, nor reveal the name of the Obama volunteer who had made the complaint.  The agents did indicate that Jessica was not in a court of law yet, and that they were trying to not embarrass her "by going to all her family and neighbors."

To these implied threats, Jessica invited the agents to speak to whomever they wanted, and stated she would happily go to court since she had done nothing wrong.   Jessica asked the agents, "Look, someone calls me unsolicited on my cell phone to ask me to support their candidate, and I can't tell them why I don't?"

The Secret Service left Jessica that day, but she could not get the "visit" out of her mind.  Jessica wrote later, "The fact that the volunteer lied, the fact that the Secret Service came to my house to question me about my thoughts and feelings and threaten to embarrass me to my neighbors and go to court if I didn't cooperate is not the tragedy here; because that girl on the phone doesn't have the pull to send the Secret Service to my home.  Someone high in the ranks of a campaign working for a man who may be the next President of the United States of America felt comfortable bringing the force of the Federal Government to bear on a private citizen on nothing but the word of a partisan volunteer."

Monday, Oct 13, 2008  --  Censorship from ABC in Chicago

The following press release from The Caring Outreach reveals that ABC television in Chicago is practicing censorship of a Pro-Life message:

The Caring Outreach had announced that 85 Days – a thirty-second message depicting intrauterine photos of an unborn baby in the first months of life – was scheduled to air on Oprah this October. The ad has not appeared on that program, however, because ABC, without citing any scientific or medical sources, claimed that the images used in the commercial were not that of an unborn child at 85 days gestation, as the ad states.

ABC has been directed to medical documentation that verifies its accuracy and has also been informed that this same commercial message has been aired on three other ABC affiliates in Wisconsin (for over 6 months) as well as in Maine. In addition, cable networks are currently running this message throughout the Chicago media market without objection.

Since ABC has chosen to reject this informational message, The Caring Outreach has no recourse but to request a Fairness Check to make sure that the “accuracy” of those commercials meet the same standards to which ABC holds other commercials.  If we find the Fairness Check to be in our favor, (which we will), a lawsuit against ABC will be considered.

Thursday, Oct 9, 2008  --  Bishop Martino says abortion is the primary issue

In a letter he directed to be read at all Masses for Respect Life Sunday in the Diocese of Scranton, Bishop Joseph Francis Martino explained why protecting human life from abortion takes precedence over other important issues.  Within his letter, he analyzed the importance of various issues:

Another argument goes like this: “As wrong as abortion is, I don't think it is the only relevant ‘life’ issue that should be considered when deciding for whom to vote.”  This reasoning is sound only if other issues carry the same moral weight as abortion does, such as in the case of euthanasia and destruction of embryos for research purposes.

Health care, education, economic security, immigration, and taxes are very important concerns.  Neglect of any one of them has dire consequences as the recent financial crisis demonstrates.  However, the solutions to problems in these areas do not usually involve a rejection of the sanctity of human life in the way that abortion does.

Being “right” on taxes, education, health care, immigration, and the economy fails to make up for the error of disregarding the value of a human life. Consider this: the finest health and education systems, the fairest immigration laws, and the soundest economy do nothing for the child who never sees the light of day.  It is a tragic irony that “pro-choice” candidates have come to support homicide – the gravest injustice a society can tolerate – in the name of “social justice.”

Wednesday, Oct 8, 2008  --  Lives are being saved at Chicago 40 Days for Life

Corrina Gura of the Pro-Life Action League has gathered information from the Chicago 40 Days for Life vigil at Family Planning Associates near Elston and Cicero.  She reports fantastic news:

There were three confirmed saves in the first four days of the vigil. One couple left after being inside for only 15 minutes, then spoke to a sidewalk counselor and walked with her to the nearby pro-life Women's Center. The second and third saves were late term, meaning laminaria must be inserted a day or two before the procedure takes place. Two women who had already had laminaria inserted stopped to speak to our sidewalk counselors, changed their minds, and had the laminaria removed. There have been many others who have left the clinic before having an abortion, though they haven't stopped to tell our counselors their stories.

Best of all is that business at the clinic is at an all time low.   Even on Saturday, a day when the lot is usually packed, there were very few cars there!  Our presence is keeping people away and turning them towards life-affirming solutions to their pregnancies instead.

There have been several more saves in the last week and a half, including another two women who were scheduled for second-trimester abortions.  Our count of babies saved is at least 9 babies after only two weeks!

Tuesday, Oct 7, 2008  --  Violent responses to Pro-Life presence on the street

Last Saturday I witnessed what turned out to be an assault on a person holding a picture of an aborted baby during the witness and prayer vigil at Orland Park Planned Parenthood Express.  This violent response was clearly a case of attacking the messenger based on the message.  Fortunately, no one was injured.  The police were called, but they were not able to locate the perpetrator.

Some might say that the graphic image triggered this violent response.   But consider the Day #9 report covering 40 Days for Life around the nation.   No graphic signs are used.  Even so, in Texas Amy reported, "We have seen a lot more aggression from the pro-choice side.  Last year we didn't have any problems with this.  But already this year, a glass bottle has been thrown that hit someone in the shoulder.  Then a couple of days ago, a guy pulled his car over and began making threats to our prayer warriors on the sidewalk."

Similar reports come from one Arizona campaign, where Cheryl said vigil participants had to call the police.  As a large SUV came down the street, "the male driver honked at us and then swerved the vehicle off the road across the median line in front of me."  Several people saw the SUV drive just a few more blocks -- and then stop.  That made it easy for the police to find the driver. "The man admitted that what he did was wrong," said Cheryl, "but also said that he doesn't agree with what we are doing."

There have been several other instances like this cropping up around the country as abortion supporters appear to be getting desperate in their efforts to stop the peaceful, but highly effective, efforts of 40 Days for Life, including an attack with fire extinguishers at another Arizona location.

Lynn and several others were praying next to Planned Parenthood as part of the 40 Days for Life vigil in their community. "A black SUV with two guys in it pulled up. They jumped out and attacked all of us with fire extinguishers. They doused us all with the powder (it was very frightening while it was happening) and then jumped in their car and sped off."

Those participants showed their commitment.  "No one left, and one man who had come out for the first time said it only made him more courageous and strong in his conviction to come out again. Praise God!  So even though we were covered in powder, we continued praying."

Monday, Oct 6, 2008  --  Blatant attempt to euthanize patient against guardian's wishes

I received a call today from a son who is trying to prevent his 93-year-old father from being starved to death "so he will not continue to suffer."  The son is fighting the medical professional, social workers, and his sister as he attempts to prevent his father from becoming a victim of euthanasia. 

The father speaks to his son and other people, though he has dementia.   The chaplain at Loyola University Medical Center had conversations with the man, but the doctors wanted to remove his feeding tube anyway. 

His sister wanted the feeding tube removed so the son had to go to court to obtain guardianship over his father.  He was successful, but the guardianship brought a social worker into the picture, who is also pushing for euthanasia.  Since the courts are involved, the best hope I could give was a referral to the Thomas More Society.

The father had not completed any advance directive.  If he had completed a life-affirming durable power of attorney for health care such as IRLC's Patient Self-Protection Document, he might have been able to prevent some of the problems his son has been experiencing, as he attempts to respect his father's life to its natural end.  Pray that attorneys at Thomas More Society can help.

Friday, Oct 3, 2008  --  IVF is even more deadly than we thought

In vitro fertilization (IVF) has become the treatment of choice to address infertility.  While there are other steps that can be tried first, those steps are frequently ignored in favor of moving right to IVF.  The IVF industry claims success rates of 21 to 35%. 

I received a call today from a nurse who worked in the IVF industry.   She revealed that the success rates are overstated.  Actual success rates are as low as 5%.  She left the IVF industry because she recognized how many babies die during attempts to achieve success for couples who are desperate for children. Many of those who work with IVF are concerned that it is a deadly business.

This nurse also confirmed the "dirty little secret" of the IVF industry.  In virtually all cases, those who bring together the ovum and sperm later evaluate the embryos that are created and only account for those considered to be viable.   Those deemed defective are allowed to die.

This information reconfirms what I revealed back in 2005.  I was quoted in a Chicago Tribune article entitled "In vitro new front in embryo war."  I stated, "IVF requires killing."  That quote generated responses claiming that embryos were not killed when limits were placed on the number of ovum to be fertilized and all embryos are implanted.

Today's caller confirmed that embryos judged to be defective are not taken into account so their deaths are never revealed to IVF patients.  Of course, given the low success rate of IVF, all those babies who die in the womb are also deaths caused by IVF.

Another deadly issue confirmed by this former IVF industry insider is the push for "selective reduction."  She revealed that many contracts for IVF services mandate the killing of "excess embryos" in the womb if more than two embryos are found to successfully implant and develop.

The ethical alternative to IVF is NaProTechnology.  NaPro focuses on resolving the underlying conditions that are causing infertility.  No embryos are sacrificed to achieve pregnancy with NaPro.  The deadly reality of IVF cannot be avoided except by rejecting IVF entirely.

Thursday, Oct 2, 2008  --  Life Chains will form in 1375 North American locations

This coming Sunday brings the annual formation of Life Chain in the United States and Canada with  1375 locations registered to participate.  People hold signs with messages including: Abortion Kills Children, Abortion Hurts Women, Adoption The Loving Option, Jesus Heals and Forgives, Lord Forgive Us and Our Nation, etc.  Check on the location of Life Chains in your area and join this national effort to promote respect for life.

Wednesday, Oct 1, 2008  --  More bishops give priority to the life issues

This time the bishops of New York have issued a statement urging voters to make Pro-Life issues their first priority when voting.   They say the destruction of 50 million children and the injury of countless millions of women eclipses any other political issue.  Here are some excerpts:

"It is the rare candidate who will agree with the Church on every issue.  But as the U.S. Bishops’ recent document Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship makes clear, not every issue is of equal moral gravity," they explain.

"The inalienable right to life of every innocent human person outweighs other concerns where Catholics may use prudential judgment, such as how best to meet the needs of the poor or to increase access to health care for all," they add.

“The right to life is the right through which all others flow.   To the extent candidates reject this fundamental right by supporting an objective evil, such as legal abortion, euthanasia or embryonic stem cell research, Catholics should consider them less acceptable for public office,” they concluded.

Thank you to the bishops of New York for providing clarity on the importance to be given to the life issues when evaluating how to vote.