Life Advocacy Briefing

June 25, 2018

Done with the Nonsense / Storm Clouds Over the A.M.A.
Killing Babies Is Not ‘Family Planning!’ / ‘Sanctuary’ County
Proclaiming Reality / Moving Ahead / Trying to Hijack the G-7

Done with the Nonsense

WHEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED U.S.A. EXIT from the sick joke known as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) last week, eyebrows were raised in many circles. But the move should have been predictable.

“‘I want to make it crystal clear,’” declared US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley, quoted by Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews.com, “‘that this step is not a retreat from our human rights commitments. … On the contrary; we take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organization that makes a mockery of human rights.’”

Besides the UNHRC’s membership including notorious human rights abusers, besides UNHRC’s habit of bashing Israel while turning a blind eye to those who use guerilla tactics in attacking the sovereign state, the reputation of the international busybody includes, notes Mr. Freiburger, its continual “attempts to frame left-wing social causes as human rights issues.

“Last year,” LifeSiteNews notes, “council members criticized Poland for banning most abortions. In 2012, it attempted to assert abortion as a human right. In 2016,” Mr. Freiburger reports, “it voted narrowly to establish a bureaucratic post exclusively dedicated to LGBT issues.

“The Trump Administration has taken a number of steps,” reports Mr. Freiburger, “to push back against these trends. In March, USAID adviser Bethany Kozma told a private meeting of the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women that the ‘US is a pro-life country,’ and as such wanted the commission’s final report to replace ‘modern contraception’ with ‘family planning’ that included abstinence education.

“The next month,” the LifeSiteNews reporter continues, “State Dept. ambassador Michael Kozak declared that abortion is ‘not a human right’ and that the Administration considers international contraception ‘access’ to be a non-issue.

“America’s delegation to the UN has also resisted efforts to recognize a ‘right’ to abortion under international law,” notes Mr. Freiburger. What a difference an election can make!

Storm Clouds Over the A.M.A.

AN OMINOUS CLOUD HAS SETTLED OVER the American Medical Assn., the nation’s largest professional association of physicians. Meeting at its annual convocation in Chicago in mid-June, the AMA delegates voted to send back to committee the recommendation by its ethics panel that the AMA reiterate its opposition to doctor-abetted “suicide.”

The panel had brought forward its recommendation – echoing the long-standing and frequently reinforced position of the professional group – after a two-year study. But 56% of the voting delegates opted to reject the recommendation and undertake another study.

The stall comes in the wake of policy reversals by several state affiliates, demonstrating the critical need for ethically oriented physicians to participate actively in their state associations as well as to lobby their delegates to the annual national meeting. The consequences of inaction are incalculable, as the AMA and its state affiliates are among the most powerful lobbying influences in legislative bodies across America.

Killing Babies Is Not ‘Family Planning!’

STRAINING THE PRACTICE OF EUPHEMISM beyond credibility, the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology (ABOG) is “seeking a ‘new subspecialty certification for doing late-term abortions’ to encourage Fellowships in Family Planning at universities across the United States,” according to LiveAction writer Kelli, citing a news release by the American Assn. of Pro-Life OB/GYNS (AAPLOG) as source.

“As AAPLOG points out,” writes Kelli, “part of this subspecialty certification in ‘complex family planning’ requires that those in such fellowships would be trained not only in contraception and in first-trimester abortions but late-term abortions as well.”

Among requirements for certification for the “Fellowship in Family Planning” are, notes Kelli, “the requirement to learn to use medications (mifepristone, misoprostol, prostaglandin and methotrexate) for first- and second-trimester abortion and to learn to utilize vacuum aspiration for first-trimester procedures. … Those in a Family Planning Fellowship,” she reports, “would also be required to learn second-trimester procedures, such as D&E (dilation and evacuation), intact D&E or dilation and extraction), hysterotomy and hysterectomy. …

“Fellows must also,” she reports, “‘have knowledge of the standard of care for feticide for second-trimester abortion, which can include intra-amniotic injections, intra-fetal injections and intra-operative feticide.’”

The Live Action report quotes Dr. Donna Harrison of AAPLOG, declaring, “‘If ABOG continues to pursue late-term abortion training certification, it does so against the wishes of those in the field of obstetrics and gynecology. Eighty-five percent of OB-GYNs do not do abortions in their practices,’” she said, “‘We encourage doctors to file a comment against ABOG’s late-term abortion training.’”

AAPLOG can be contacted via phone at 1-202/230-0997 or e-mail at [email protected].

‘Sanctuary’ County

THE COUNTY BOARD OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY, ILLINOIS, VOTED last Monday to declare the southeastern Illinois county “a ‘sanctuary for the unborn,’” reports Keith Stewart for the Effingham Daily News. The vote was 8 to 1 on the resolution, first proposed, notes Mr. Stewart, by the board chairman.

“The ‘Sanctuary for the Life of Unborn Human Beings’ resolution says,” writes Mr. Stewart, “the county will oppose abortions, except those necessary to save the life of the mother.’”  

“‘In Illinois, we have contradictory laws,’” said the board chairman, quoted by the Daily News. “‘If you kill a pregnant woman, that’s two murders. However, if she has an abortion, it isn’t. It doesn’t make sense.’”

Among those citizens who addressed the board and were quoted by the local newspaper was Vallory Kemme, who, writes Mr. Stewart, “cited CDC statistics claiming that in Illinois, abortions are the leading cause of death over heart disease or firearms.’”

We at Life Advocacy applaud Ms. Kemme for bringing this fact to the public view, as the death toll from abortion exceeds the so-called “leading causes of death” when only the deaths of born people are taken into account, more than heart disease, more than cancer, more than those causes which rightly stir so much concern within the public. Asserting this fact is an effective attention getter, opening minds to the reality of abortion’s cost to families and to humanity. 

“‘Thank you so much,’” Ms. Kemme said to the board, quoted by the Daily News, “‘for having the courage to bring up this sensitive topic and your efforts to protect the lives of unborn children and their mothers. … There are few priorities higher than protecting innocent life, especially when that life is utterly defenseless.’”

Though the resolution is unlikely to affect actual public policy or law enforcement, it surely serves as a declaration to the abortion cartel that Effingham County, Illinois, is not likely a lucrative location for its trade. Should the example of this county spread to others in the Land of Lincoln, the declared “sanctuary” could ultimately affect the political landscape of a state which has slid into Left-wing domination after many decades of heartland values. Bravo!

Proclaiming Reality

INDIANA RIGHT TO LIFE (I.R.T.L.) LAST WEEK TURNED THE SPOTLIGHT on the abortion industry’s refusal to carry out the state law’s requirement that medical professionals report suspected cases of child sex abuse to state authorities.

In a series of news conferences across the state last Wednesday, IRTL “called for an investigation” into the abortion industry’s compliance with the law that requires reporting of abortions committed on girls younger than 16, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews.com.

“‘Forty-eight consumer complaints have been filed,’” IRTL said in a news release quoted by Mr. Freiburger, “‘against nine Indiana abortion doctors who have allegedly failed to follow the legal reporting requirements to protect young children from sex abuse.’”

The news release “named several abortionists,” notes Mr. Freiburger, “covering every licensed abortion facility in the state,” including Women’s Med Center in Indianapolis and Clinic for Women, also in Indianapolis, as well as Planned Parenthood shops in Indianapolis, Lafayette, Bloomington and Merrillville.

“‘We call on the Indiana Medical Licensing Board, the Indiana State Dept. of Health and local prosecutors,’” said IRTL in the release, “‘to take appropriate action against these abortion doctors, including review of their medical licenses and fines for each non-report. Possible cover-up of child sexual abuse cannot be tolerated,’” asserted IRTL in the LifeSiteNews story. “‘An immediate suspension of licenses for abortion facilities may be in order pending a complete investigation.’”

IRTL’s statewide news conference tour appears to have been touched off by the recent release by Live Action of further documentation, notes Mr. Freiburger, “of Planned Parenthood officials across the United States neglecting to report signs of child sex crimes.

“In addition to highlighting documented cases of actual victims and undercover video capturing Planned Parenthood workers’ disinterest in apparent child rape and sex trafficking, Live Action’s ‘Aiding Abusers’ series also features the firsthand accounts of former insiders describing a culture of indifference within the organization,” notes Mr. Freiburger.

“Ex-Planned Parenthood employee Catherine Adair quotes former colleagues as dismissing her appeals to report apparent abusers bringing in their victims for abortions by saying, ‘She’s better off with the abortions,’” quotes Mr. Freiburger, “while former HIV health educator and Title X [Ten] training manager Monica Cline recalls being laughed at upon broaching the subject. ‘Honey, if she’s not having sex with this man this week, she’ll have another one next week,’ [Ms.] Cline recalls dismissive abortion workers saying.

“‘The alleged failure of these abortion doctors to protect young girls from sexual abuse is evidence that the abortion industry cares more about profits than they do about their patients,’ Right to Life of Indianapolis president Marc Tuttle declared Wednesday,” quoted by Mr. Freiburger. “‘Sexually irresponsible men have always used abortion to avoid the consequences of exploiting women, and it appears every abortion business in the state has enabled that disgusting behavior.’”

Indeed, that is a key to what the abortion industry does. While claiming to represent the interests of women, the abortion cartel and its fellow travelers, in reality, abet irresponsible men, who benefit most from Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton. Kudos to Live Action and Indiana Right to Life for pointing it out.

Moving Ahead

TWO STEPS OF PROGRESS were achieved this month in Missouri’s battle to protect unborn children and their mothers from the abortion cartel.

The state has announced that under the appropriation measure for the Dept. of Social Services, abortionists and abortion “counselors” such as Planned Parenthood are no longer eligible for Medicaid funding for any purpose.

Furthermore, US District Judge Beth Phillips in mid-June “refused” to issue an injunction sought by Planned Parenthood Great Plains, reports Cassy Fiano for Live Action, “against the [Missouri] law requiring an abortionist to contract with an OB/GYN who has admitting privileges at a local hospital. …

“‘A state regulation that increases the distance a woman must travel or the expense of the procedure will not, alone, constitute an undue burden,’ [Judge] Phillips wrote in her ruling,” quoted by Ms. Fiano. “‘It is not enough for the regulation to make it more difficult for women to obtain an abortion; instead,’” she wrote, “‘it must be a substantial burden on their ability to obtain an abortion.’”

Trying to Hijack the G-7

June 14, 2018, report by Rebecca Oas, PhD, for C-Fam (Center for Family & Human Rights)

            In the lead-up to this year’s G-7 summit in Quebec, Canadian officials were explicit: women and children were going to be central, and an essential component of their health and empowerment is abortion. But when the final declarations were released, all language about “reproductive rights” was removed and, according to Devex, “the US delegation … was responsible for the softer official language.”

            Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, following the famous example of Sweden, has characterized his government and its foreign policy as “feminist.” He employs quotas to ensure that half his cabinet members are women and imposes regulations on his party to support only pro-abortion policies and candidates. For the first time, as G-7 host, Canada established a Gender Equality Advisory Council which submitted its recommendations to integrate gender into the G-7’s work. Other inputs included a statement from more than 60 feminists that included a call for an end to the “criminalization or restrictive regulation of abortion.”

            The Gender Equality Advisory Council also included abortion in its recommendations, which called for the withdrawal of the US Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy (also called the Mexico City Policy), the provision of abortion as a component of humanitarian assistance and funding for abortion advocacy and government-subsidized coverage of abortion.

            According to the chairman’s summaries of the discussions, several leaders called for the inclusion of “reproductive rights” language in the official declarations, but this proved impossible without US agreement.

            One member of the council is Katja Iversen, president of Women Deliver, which will host its next conference in Canada next year. After the conference ended, Iversen and Canadian foreign minister Marie-Claude Bibeau co-authored an editorial framing the formation of the Gender Equality council as the major outcome of the G-7, omitting any mention of the official outcome documents.

            One of the council’s two co-chairs was philanthropist Melinda Gates, whose willingness to attach her name to a document with such an extreme pro-abortion message stands in sharp contrast to her prior insistence that her promotion of family planning would be separate from abortion. Using the tagline “no controversy,” Gates drew criticism from feminist groups for “stigmatizing” abortion. Meanwhile, pro-life groups noted her willingness to partner with and fund family planning organizations that are outspoken abortion proponents. Recently, Gates has also been critical of the US Mexico City policy.

            The last time Canada hosted the G-7 (then the G-8) was in 2010, where then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper launched the Muskoka Initiative, a global effort to improve maternal and child health around the world – without reference to abortion. This was criticized by then-US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who served under Pres. Barack Obama, and Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Following elections in both the US and Canada, their administration’s positions on abortion have effectively reversed.

            When Harper renewed funding for the Muskoka Initiative in 2014, the backlash over the exclusion of abortion flared up again. At the time, Melinda Gates defended him: “Maternal and child health is on the global health agenda in part, really, thanks to what Canada did.”

            Regarding the abortion controversy, Gates repeated her intention to sidestep it: “I’ve decided not to engage on it publicly – and the Gates Foundation has decided not to fund abortion.”

            If the G-7 Gender Equality Advisory Council’s recommendations are any indication, her reticence to engage on abortion publicly is now a thing of the past.