Life Advocacy Briefing

Outreach to Victims

HUMAN LIFE ALLIANCE (H.L.A.) HAS PUBLISHED A NEW PAMPHLET targeted to the African-American community and to all those whose hearts weep for the genocidal consequences of commercialized abortion, Planned Parenthood-style.

The 12-page booklet can be ordered via the organization’s Internet website at www.humanlife.org, turning to the Resources page and choosing “Did You Know?” Suggested donation: 20 cents each.

The powerful brochure was written by African-American pro-life leaders, according to HLA, and includes such startling facts as this contribution from Dr. Johnny Hunter, president of LEARN, Inc.: “Between 1882 and 1963, 3,446 Negroes were lynched in the United States. That number is surpassed within three days by abortion.”

And this from former abortionist Dr. Noreen Johnson: “62.5% of abortion facilities are located where the poor and minority people live.”

“Abortion is the leading cause of death among African-Americans,” asserts Rev. Arnold Culbreath, Urban Outreach director for Life Issues Institute. That is true, we might note, for Americans across the board: abortion is the leading cause of death, far surpassing the death toll for any cause of death among born people.

HLA led off its announcement of the publication with another startling fact, that more than 47% of African-American pregnancies end in induced abortion. How many does it take for society to recognize genocide?

Promoting Ethical Research

SEN. DAVID VITTER (R-LA) HAS FILED A BILL to grant a federal income tax credit against expenditures invested in ethical stem cell research.

Co-sponsored at this writing just by Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), S-2863 has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Finance, chaired by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT). Citizens wishing to back the measure should call Senators and ask them to co-sponsor the measure, beginning with the committee members, listed below. Senators may be reached via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121.

The measure expressly excludes rewarding expenditures for experimentation which “may involve (A) the creation of a human embryo for research purposes, (B) the destruction of or discarding of, or risk of injury to, a human embryo, or (C) the use of any stem cell, the derivation or provision of which would be inconsistent with subparagraph (A) or (B).”

The Members of the Senate Finance Committee are: Chairman Max Baucus and Democratic Senators Blanche Lincoln (AR), Ken Salazar (CO), John Kerry (MA), Debbie Stabenow (MI), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Charles Schumer (NY), Kent Conrad (ND), Ron Wyden (OR), Maria Cantwell (WA) and John Rockefeller (WV). Also Ranking Republican Sen. Charles Grassley (IA) and GOP Senators Jon Kyl (AZ), Mike Crapo (ID), Pat Roberts (KS), Jim Bunning (KY), Olympia Snowe (ME), John Ensign (NV), John Sununu (NH), Gordon Smith (OR) and Orrin Hatch (UT).

Oklahoma Lawmakers Get It Right

THE OKLAHOMA STATE LEGISLATURE HAS OVERRIDDEN the veto by Gov. Brad Henry (D) of legislation requiring abortionists to perform an ultrasound examination of a targeted baby and offer the baby’s mother an opportunity to see the sonogram of her child at least an hour before the scheduled killing.

The measure also offers conscience protection to health care professionals who refuse to participate in child-killing, bars abortions on minors without their parents’ consent, places limits on the abortion pill RU-486 and bars “wrongful life” lawsuits.

The override motion carried the House by a vote of 81 to 15 and the State Senate 17 to 10.

Kansas Governor Gets It Wrong

KANSAS GOV. KATHLEEN SEBELIUS (D) LAST MONDAY VETOED a bill “aimed at strengthening late-term abortion laws,” reports Jeannine Koranda of the Wichita Eagle.

“Among other provisions,” writes Ms. Koranda, “the bill would allow family members of a woman to sue if they thought a doctor had [committed] or was about to [commit] an illegal late-term abortion.”

The governor complained that the measure would authorize such a lawsuit “‘even where it may be necessary to save [the abortion-vulnerable mother’s] life,’” reports Ms. Koranda. “‘I am concerned,’” wrote the governor as quoted in the Eagle, “‘that the bill is likely unconstitutional or, even worse, endangers the lives of women.’ …

“But proponents of the stronger law said,” writes Ms. Koranda, “that instead of endangering women, it would help prevent coerced abortions, particularly for minors, and increase the information women had before an abortion, such as being allowed to see an ultrasound. …

“‘What she has done here,’” said Mary Kay Culp, director of Kansans for Life, quoted by Ms. Koranda, “ ‘is vetoed a reasonable bill with unreasonable excuses.’”

The bill also contained reporting reforms and directed that the Dept. of Health & Environment make abortion reports – which do not contain customer identity – available to prosecutors. Such access is a major issue in Kansas currently; Johnson County prosecutor Phill Kline, the former state attorney general, is battling through the courts to obtain abortuary records in his ongoing investigation of a Planned Parenthood abortuary believed to be involved in abortions illegal under Kansas law which, without access to records, is proving to be unenforceable.

An override attempt is expected in the House when the legislature reconvenes this Wednesday; House Members originally passed the bill by two votes more than would be needed to override. The Senate, however, passed the bill by a margin two votes shy of override strength, so pro-life Kansas citizens are contacting their state senators to urge override, and prayers are needed from across America.

Persistent Pressure

THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE HAS ADOPTED A RESOLUTION expressing its “unconditional” support for abortion, reports Family Research Council. The move, notes FRC, “took even member nations by surprise.” The resolution, according to England’s Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC), also advocates compulsory sex education for young people.

“The vote will lead to pressure on Ireland to liberalize its abortion law,” predicts SUPC, citing Irish Independent as source, with the [Council of Europe’s parliamentary] assembly singling out that country, Malta and Poland for criticism.”

The “Council” does not set policy, notes FRC, but “it does influence it” in the European Union, and its influence, says FRC, “makes this decision significant as the EU’s clout increases.” The Council, states FRC, “is vastly overstepping its bounds.”

The prominent US pro-family group “urge[d] member nations to denounce the declaration and call for an honest debate.”

SPUC predicts, citing Irish Independent, “The European Court of Human Rights takes account of such resolutions … .”

Is Abortion Cabal Losing Ground?

A GROWING NUMBER OF ITALIAN DOCTORS’ REFUSAL to take part in the intentional killing of prenatal boys and girls – 69.2% up from 58.7% in 2003 – is frustrating the abortion industry.

“A similar situation exists in Canada,” reports Thaddeus M. Baklinski for LifeSiteNews.com, “where, though abortion is technically legal up to the moment of birth, such a high percentage of doctors refuse to commit abortions that abortion access is in effect restricted.” Canadian Medical Assn. standards provide for conscientious objection not only to participation in abortion but also to referral for the deed, reports Mr. Baklinski citing a WorldNetDaily.com report by Ted Byfield as source.

The Byfield story “came in response,” writes Mr. Baklinski, “to a demand by Vicki Saporta, president and CEO of the Washington, DC, based National Abortion Federation, that all doctors in [Canada] be forced to refer for abortions, whether or not they object morally or on religious grounds.” The NAF solution, quotes LifeSiteNews: “‘Require doctors by law to perform abortions whether they like it or not.’”

Canadian lawmakers – though largely secular and liberal – are unlikely to do that in a country where even the most notorious abortionist Henry Morgentaler opposes such a mandate.

And in Italy, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi just won parliamentary elections, bringing this pro-life friend of freedom and the United States back to office after driving every Communist out of parliament for the first time in more than four decades.

Pope Calls for Respect for Unborn Child

WHEN POPE BENEDICT XVI CONCLUDED HIS RECENT VISIT to the United States with a Catholic Mass drawing nearly 60,000 Americans to New York’s Yankee Stadium, he stirred massive response with his call to hold to “the truths that set us free.”

“One of the most extraordinary moments during Sunday’s Mass occurred,” writes John Jalsevac for LifeSiteNews.com, when the Pope “encouraged the young people present to ‘find the courage to proclaim Christ … and the unchanging truths which have their foundation in Him. … These are the truths that set us free,’ he said,” quoted by LifeSiteNews.

“‘They are the truths which alone can guarantee respect for the inalienable dignity and rights of each man, woman and child in our world,’” he said, reports Mr. Jalsevac, “‘including the most defenseless of all human beings, the unborn child in the mother’s womb.’ With the mention of the unborn child, the until-then-silent and attentive congregation of 60,000 burst into spontaneous applause.”

The Pope went on, reports Mr. Jalsevac, to “urg[e] American Catholics to reject any philosophy that preaches a separation between faith and life, and to bring the hope of their faith into the public square, thereby to transform society. ‘Praying fervently for the coming of the Kingdom,’ he said” in the LifeSiteNews story, “‘means overcoming every separation between faith and life, and countering false gospels of freedom and happiness.

“‘It also means rejecting a false dichotomy between faith and political life,’” he said, “‘since, as the Second Vatican Council put it, “there is no human activity – even in secular affairs – which can be withdrawn from God’s dominion.” It means working to enrich American society and culture,’” he said, reports LifeSiteNews, “‘with the beauty and truth of the Gospel and never losing sight of that great hope which gives meaning and value to all the other hopes which inspire our lives.’”

Overpopulation Hysteria

April 22, 2008, report by John Jalsevac for LifeSiteNews.com

In a recent column, Albert Mohler, the current president of the prestigious Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, comes out swinging against what he calls (echoing the words of Malcolm Muggeridge), “The Great Liberal Death Wish.” Mohler’s column was prompted by an apocalyptic piece that appeared in USA Today entitled “Might our religion be killing us?”

In th[at] article, Oliver “Buzz” Thomas argues that the commandment, given to Adam in the Garden of Eden, to “be fruitful and multiply” is leading to the destruction of the planet and suggests that instead of encouraging procreation, religions ought instead to be promoting smaller families, at a limit of two children. He also suggests that governments ought to introduce tax incentives for those who limit their families instead of for those who have children.

Thomas draws a parallel between Christianity and the religion of the Aztecs, the latter of which demanded mass human sacrifice and encouraged widespread violence and which ultimately contributed to the demise of the Aztec civilization. “We moderns are far more sophisticated, of course,” says Thomas, “but if we persist with some of our religious practices, we could be heading down the same disastrous dog trot. …

“Consider the Roman Catholic Church’s continued opposition to modern birth control or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ (i.e., Mormons’) encouragement of large families,” he says. “This might not alarm you unless you realize that nearly one in every five humans on the planet is Roman Catholic and that the Latter-day Saints belong to one of the fastest-growing religions in the Western Hemisphere. Many Orthodox Jews and some Muslims also eschew birth control. …

“Population growth hits hardest in the poorest nations, and as poverty increases, public health declines. I am quite certain that God is not the author of human misery, but by preaching against birth control at the same time we are preaching against abortion, it seems that we’re making God out as cruel, a buffoon, or both. …

“We must stop having so many children,” he concludes. “Clergy should consider voicing the difficult truth that having more than two children during such a time is selfish. Dare we say sinful?”

Mohler, however, retorts that Thomas’s article “fails on multiple grounds,” and instead points out, “The real population problem the world is almost certain to face in the future is too few babies being born – not too many.

“Russia,” observes Mohler, “is experiencing a net decrease in population, a situation that could threaten social stability. In China, the nation’s disastrous ‘one-child-only’ policy has led to a dramatic gender imbalance – and the rapid aging of the population means that basic social needs will present a crisis. …

“In reality, population growth is already subsiding on a global basis.” This decrease in population will have particularly disastrous consequences for the developed world, says Mohler, asking, “What happens when the number of retirees approaches the number of workers? That economic experiment cannot work.”

Mohler accuses the ilk of Thomas as promoting an approach to population control that “is rooted in an elitist distaste for larger families and an ambition of some to control the reproductive destiny of others. …

“In any event, a couple deciding to have additional children will often reflect a rational approach to getting out of poverty – not the cause of poverty in itself. Put bluntly, even in economic terms, children usually bring greater economic benefits than costs over the long term.”

He concludes, “For Christians, far more than economics is at stake. The far larger issue is the glory of God in the birth and maturation of godly progeny. Children are to be received – and conceived – as gifts, not as threats of environmental disaster.”