March 14, 2008

The Siren Call of Barack Obama -- Part One of Two
Editor's note. Please send your comments to daveandrusko@hotmail.com

By the time we finally reach the day when a bitterly divided Democratic Party has to choose a presidential nominee, I strongly suspect that more than a few voters will be telling themselves that on abortion pro-abortion Sen. Barack Obama is "better" than pro-abortion Hillary Clinton. How can that be, you might ask, when both sing full-throatedly from the same pro-abortion songbook? Well, it's certainly not that the junior senator from Illinois has a voting record on abortion less uniformly pro-abortion than the junior senator from New York. Take a minute and go to NARAL's webpage (www.prochoiceamerica.org/elections/statements/obama.html).

There you find a thumbs up to Obama for his 100% pro-abortion record for 2005. Not a single deviation, no sir. NARAL includes several of Obama's full-bore expressions of enthusiastic support for abortion in general, Roe v. Wade in particular, and staunch opposition to the Supreme Court for upholding a ban on partial-birth abortion. For those who don't remember, they are called "partial-birth" abortions because this "procedure" crushes skulls and vacuums out brains of children inches away from full delivery. And at the top of its web page is Obama's statement to NARAL: "A woman's ability to decide how many children to have and when, without interference from the government, is one of the most fundamental rights we possess. It is not just an issue of choice, but equality and opportunity for all women. "I have consistently advocated for reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority as President. I oppose any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's ruling in this case. Complete story: "The Siren Call of Barack Obama

Pro-Abortion Group Calls John McCain's Abortion Opposition "Best Kept Secret" Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- A leading pro-abortion group says John McCain's position against abortion the "best-kept secret in politics" and continued to attack the likely Republican nominee. NARAL president Nancy Keenan sent a fundraising letter to her group's supporters on Wednesday and urged them to make his pro-life views more well known. "You want some straight talk? John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, is anti-choice - period," Keenan starts off the letter. "But thanks to a well-cultivated, media-abetted "maverick" image, McCain's anti-choice record is the best-kept secret in politics," Keenan adds. "The fact is, during a quarter century in Congress, Sen. McCain has shown nothing but contempt," for abortion, she explained. "Funding for discredited Bush "abstinence-only" programs - he's for it. Clarence Thomas, John Roberts and Samuel Alito for the Supreme Court - he's for them." Ultimately, Keenan worries that unsuspecting voters who support her group's position that all abortions should remain legal and funded with taxpayer dollars won't found out about McCain's views until it's too late. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Bank of America, Wachovia Accused of Denying Gifts to Abortion Business Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- A pro-life organization that monitors corporations that provide contributions to Planned Parenthood says Bank of America and Wachovia need to come clean about donations the companies have made to the nation's largest abortion business. Both corporations appear on Life Decisions International's boycott list. LDI president Douglas Scott tells LifeNews.com that "Bank of America continues to play word games in an attempt to mislead consumers" and "Wachovia is not any better." The pro-life says Bank of America Foundation President Andrew Plepler defended the donations to Planned Parenthood saying they are "primarily" driven by its employees through a matching gifts program. Scott says the wording leaves the door open to the question of whether Bank of America is also funding Planned Parenthood outside of its program to support its employees' charitable gifts. He says LDI has been trying since 2003 to get company officials to answer the question without success. Meanwhile, Scott says Wachovia has told customers it has not made donations to Planned Parenthood for many years. Yet, Scott points to an article in the Weekly Standard magazine last year saying otherwise. Full story at LifeNews.com

Lawsuit: California Planned Parenthood Overcharged State Millions for Birth Control Los Angeles, CA (LifeNews.com)

-- A former Planned Parenthood official has filed a lawsuit against affiliates in California saying they overcharged the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control. P. Victor Gonzalez says the abortion business fired him because he raised concerns about the illegal practices. Gonzalez says his own internal audit estimates that Planned parenthood overcharged California taxpayers for purchasing birth control by at least $180 million. He was the vice president of finance and administration for Planned Parenthood of Los Angles and, according to a Los Angeles Times report, the overbilling began in the late 1990s. While other public health facilities and private facilities charged the state between $8 and $9 for a cycle of birth control pills, Planned Parenthood charged almost $12. The Planned Parenthood charge to the California government was several times more than it paid for the drugs originally. That practice occurred until former state Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara sponsored legislation allowing Planned Parenthood to charge more based on concerns the abortion business presented her that it would suffer financial problems without it. However, altering the statute didn't address the billing practices prior to it and the Times says a 2003 state audit found at least $5.2 million in overbilling in 2003 alone from just one of the nine California Planned Parenthood affiliates. Full story at LifeNews.com

Catholic School Boycotts Parade Over Juvenile Diabetes Foundation Funds Chicago, IL (LifeNews.com)

-- A Catholic high school in Illinois boycotted Sunday's South Side Irish Parade because some of the money raised form the event will fund a group that supports embryonic stem cell research. The parade has been an annual event since 1979, but part of the funds go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which backs the controversial research. Archdiocese of Chicago didn't name the school with the concerns, but an official spoke with local media about the problems. Mary Louise Kurey, director of the archdioces Respect Life office, told the Chicago Tribune, "We live in a sinful world where there are many problems. We want to promote life saving cures of these diseases." "That's an extension of the respect life message. But we do want to make sure the organizations that are working toward this mission respect all human life," she added. JDRF has come under fire for supporting embryonic stem cell research, which requires the destruction of human life for scientists to obtain stem cells. William Ahearn, JDRF's vice president of strategic communications, admitted to the Tribune that JDRF directed $5 million to the controversial science last year. Full story at LifeNews.com.

American Idol Under Fire for Second Program Supporting Pro-Abortion Groups Hollywood, CA (LifeNews.com)

-- Popular television talent show American Idol is under fire again for a second anti-poverty campaign that will funnel donations to international groups that support abortion. The program has aligned itself with Save the Children and UNICEF, two groups that actively work with pro-abortion organizations. Last year, the project generated more than $75 million and, this year, American Idol will air its second Idol Gives Back program on April 9, 2008. As was the case before, several celebrities will appear on the show to urge Americans to make a donation. Life Decisions International, an American pro-life group that organizes boycotts of companies that support the Planned Parenthood abortion business, tells LifeNews.com that UNICEF has a long history of supporting abortion. As recently as October UNICEF sponsored a campaign that included a call for "safe abortions." Meanwhile, LDI tells LifeNews.com that Save the Children has a "working relationship" with several pro-abortion groups. "It is laudable that the people involved with American Idol want to help the poor," LDI president Doug Scott told LifeNews.com. "But it is tragic that they would choose to do so through groups like UNICEF and Save the Children." Full story at LifeNews.com.

Pro-Abortion Group Honors Abortion Practitioners, Ignores Illegal Activities Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- The national trade group for abortion businesses issued a statement on Monday honoring abortion practitioners across the country. However, the National Abortion Federation ignored the significant number of abortion practitioners who lost their medical licenses for breaking the law or abusing patients. In 1996, abortion advocates named March 10 as a day to honor abortion practitioners for killing unborn children and injuring women through abortion. However, the celebrants of the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers have never acknowledged how these abortion practitioners frequently violate the law. Vicki Saporta, the president of NAF, said she was proud to celebrate the day to "honor the men and women who ... make reproductive choice a reality." '[A]bortion providers remain dedicated to protecting the lives and health of women by providing them with quality reproductive health care," Saporta said. "[T]he men and women who brave this path are truly heroes." As LifeNews.com has reported and as pro-life nurse Jill Stanek noted in a recent editorial, abortion practitioners continue to violate the law and, in some cases, are losing medical licenses and facing jail time as a result. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Medical Waste, Patient Records Found in Michigan Abortion Center Dumpster Lathrup Village, MI (LifeNews.com)

-- Acting on a tip from a local pro-life group, Michigan officials have found parts of unborn children, medical waste and patient records in a dumpster outside an abortion center. The potentially illegal dumping occurred outside the WomanCare abortion center on Southfield Road and the contents are believed to be from the abortion business. Sgt. Vincent Lynch of the Lathrup Village Police Department told the Detroit Free Press newspaper that a local pro-life group tipped off officials about the problems. He said the contents of the dumpster were inspected and cataloged and a licensed hazardous waste hauler removed the contents. Lynch also indicated local officials will investigate the improper disposal of medical records -- a surprise given abortion advocates' refusal to turn over medical records in other cases in other states citing supposed privacy violations. According to Lynch, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality will conduct a probe into the medical waste, including surgical pads, gloves and other items found in the dumpster along with the records. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Revisionist History: Misrepresenting President Ronald Reagan's Abortion Record by Samantha Singson

Conservative voters long for another Ronald Reagan as president and his deeply felt pro-life views are still alluring to pro-life people long after his administration. Pro-life advocates always felt Reagan was "one of us" and understood their passion to protect unborn children -- but some revisionist historians would like nothing more than to confuse the record. By misrepresenting President Reagan's abortion record, these historians can confuse and divide the grassroots pro-life community and make it more difficult to rally around future presidential candidate. Florida State University associate professor of history Michael Creswell is the latest to engage in the practice. In a Tuesday editorial, Creswell accuses pro-life advocates of "remembering Reagan's record selectively" and claimed "Reagan often embraced policies sharply at odds with conservative philosophy." "Almost all conservatives oppose abortion," Creswell writes. "But in 1967, only four months into his first term as governor of California, Reagan signed into law a bill that resulted in millions of abortions due to a provision in the bill allowing abortions for the well-being of the mother." Creswell conveniently tells just half of the story. And if his recounting of the history of Reagan's abortion actions ended there, pro-life advocates would have reason to be concerned. But the facts go well beyond Creswell's revisionist history. In the 2005 book "Essential Ronald Reagan," writer Lee Edwards points out that Reagan felt duped into signing the measure because his legal advisors told him it would leave the vast majority of abortions illegal. He writes that Reagan came to "deeply" regret signing the bill. Full story at LifeNews.com.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer Resigns But David Paterson Backs Abortion
Albany, NY (LifeNews.com)

-- New York Governor Eliot Spitzer resigned his post on Tuesday after a national scandal involving his participating for six year sin a prostitution ring. However, when it comes to pro-life issues, Spitzer will be replaced on Monday by Lt. Governor David Paterson, who strongly supports abortion and embryonic stem cell research. Spitzer's first action as Attorney General was to try to close down crisis pregnancy centers in the state by claiming they misled women when giving them tangible abortion alternatives. He later proposed an abortion bill so radical it would overturn every pro-life limit on the books, make legalized abortion the law of the state and force Catholic hospitals to do abortions. Ironically, while Spitzer had to cancel a speech before the Family Planning Advocates of New York State on Monday to address the scandal, Paterson made the trip for him. In a letter to the group at its conference lat year, Paterson said he had "attended many FPA conferences in the past" and "know the importance of this event for" promoting abortion in New York. He applauded the group's efforts "to keep abortion safe and legal" saying it "benefited women and families throughout the state" and the pro-abortion group's "leadership on these issues has made New York a model for other states." Full story at LifeNews.com.

Jack Kevorkian Plans Run for Congress in Michigan Against Pro-Life Advocate Detroit, MI (LifeNews.com)

-- Convicted murderer and assisted suicide crusader Jack Kevorkian plans to run for Congress from his hometown in the Detroit area. The former pathologist has admitted to killing more than 130 people, including the televised death of Thomas Youk netted him a 25-year prison sentence. Kevorkian told the Oakland Press on Wednesday he plans to run as an independent for Michigan's 9th Congressional district. "We need some honesty and sincerity instead of corrupt government in Washington," Kevorkian said. "I plan to" run as an independent, he said. "I wouldn't do this otherwise." Kevorkian picked up petitions on Tuesday from the Oakland County Clerk's Office to get voters to sign to qualify him for the ballot. Should Kevorkian make the bid official by gathering the necessary 3,000 signatures, he would face pro-life Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Republican who strongly opposes both abortion and euthanasia. Full story at LifeNews.com

James Dobson: Future Pro-Life Leaders Needed With Death of Christian Advocates Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- Dr. James Dobson is concerned that the old guard of Christian pro-life leaders is passing away and that new leaders are needed to take their place. During a speech at the National Religious Broadcasters conference, Dobson noted the recent passing of pro-life advocates like Jerry Falwell and Rev. D. James Kennedy. He noted that other pro-life luminaries like himself, Billy Graham, Chuck Colson, and Chuck Swindoll are aging and that new pro-life leaders are needed. "It causes me to wonder who will be left to carry the banner when this generation of leaders is gone," Dobson told the convention. "The question is, will the younger generation heed the call? Who will defend the unborn child in the years to come? Who will plead for the Terri Schiavos of the world?" "Who in the next generation will be willing to take the heat, when it's so much safer and more comfortable to avoid controversial subjects," Dobson added. Full story at LifeNews.com

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March 24, 2008

John McCain Open to Pro-Life Perspective on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- Though he has a pro-life stance on abortion, John McCain's votes for embryonic stem cell research funding have given some pro-life people pause. Yet, a pro-life Arizona attorney who has spoken with the senator on the subject says McCain is excited about alternatives and agrees with the pro-life movement on some aspects of the debate. McCain, an Arizona lawmaker, has already earned the support of numerous pro-life advocates because of his abortion opposition. Some of them, such as Sen. Sam Brownback, say they've tried to persuade McCain to oppose embryonic stem cell research as well. Former Arizona Right to Life president John Jakubczyk recently commented on McCain's position and said the senator is impressed by the success of embryonic alternatives. "This issue has been a concern and I have discussed the subject personally with the Senator on more than one occasion," Jakubczyk says. "I have asked him to realize that these are unborn human beings, to examine the recent breakthroughs in the field and to understand the scientific and moral significance of these latest trends," he explained. Jakubczyk says he has already seen some progress. He points to a statement on the McCain campaign web site that talks about McCain's opposition to "the intentional creation of human embryos for research purposes." Full story at LifeNews.com

Bush Admin Asks Physicians Group to Not Attack Pro-Life Doctors on Abortion Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- The Bush administration has asked a national group for OBGYNs to not discriminate against pro-life doctors who don't want to be involved in doing or promoting abortions. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt opposes the new policy the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is considering. ACOG plans to review a policy. on Monday that says all doctors, including those who are pro-life, should refer women to abortion centers. The group has been criticized heavily for releasing the statement last year entitled "The Limits of Conscientious Refusal in Reproductive Medicine" that insists that doctors who object to doing abortions should refer patients to physicians who will do them. ACOG also requests that pro-life doctors move their practices closer to abortion businesses so women can have a shorter drive to get an abortion when their physicians refuse to perform or refer for one. One of the biggest problems with the policy is that the college's board could adopt it and doing or promoting abortions could become formally linked to physician board certification. That could wind up making many pro-life obstetricians quit their jobs rather than be forced to do abortions. Leavitt, in a letter on Friday provided to LifeNews.com, called on the college's board to reject the policy and protect the conscience rights of physicians. In a letter to American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology director Dr. Norman Grant, Leavitt said the policy "would force physicians to violate their conscience by referring patients for abortions or taking other objectionable actions, or risk losing their board certification. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Pro-Life Student Group Releases Full Tape of Abortion Speaker at NEA-Based Event Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- A pro-life student group has released the full copy of the tape it made of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, who spoke at a pro-abortion event hosted at the National Education Association's building. During the speech abortion advocates applauded Tiller for showing pictures of babies who became victims of abortions. Members of Students for Life of America released the video footage on YouTube from the March 9 Feminist Majority Foundation event on Wednesday. It shows Tiller openly discussing children who "slip out" accidentally during an abortion and are "born alive" or with a "heartbeat." SFLA director Kristan Hawkins taped the event with a colleague. "What is most disturbing about this video is the point when Dr. Tiller shows footage of children he has aborted," she told LifeNews.com. "One had an extra arm: could not that child have survived and received corrective surgery? Was violently killing the child the only way to go?" she asked. Full story at LifeNews.com

New York Abortion Bill's Fate Questionable With New Governor David Paterson Albany, NY (LifeNews.com)

-- The fate of a bill that would significantly expand unlimited abortions in New York is still in question with new Governor David Paterson taking the place of Eliot Spitzer. Paterson is a long-time abortion advocate but he hasn't said whether he will continue Spitzer's aggressive efforts to get it approved. Pro-life organizations have strongly opposed the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act. because it would enshrine abortion in state law and overturn virtually every pro-life limit. The measure would also force Catholic and other pro-life hospitals to change their policies and do abortions upon request. Last week, Paterson indicated he supports the measure and told a pro-abortion group's annual conference he fully embraced its fight to keep abortions legal. Alan Mehldau, chairman of Westchester-Putnam Right to Life, said he's hopeful Paterson will see the tremendous opposition to the bill and back off. "I'm hoping that he'll look at it and he'll see the reaction to this bill, which has been outstanding as far as people finally waking up," Mehldau said. He might say, 'Hey, this is one we'll leave out for the time being.'" Full story at LifeNews.com.

Oregon Assisted Suicide Report: Deaths Increase, No Psychological Referrals

Salem OR (LifeNews.com)

-- Oregon officials have released their tenth statewide report on the status of assisted suicide there and it found the number of people who died is on the rise. The report also showed the number of people getting drugs to use in taking their own lives is increasing as well. More people received lethal drugs from doctors to kill themselves than any previous year under the state's first-in-the-nation law legalizing assisted suicide. The report showed 85 people received the drugs (an increase of 20 from the year prior) while 49 people had their physicians help them kill themselves (up slightly from 2007). Three of the people who killed themselves in 2007 receive the prescription for the lethal cocktail in 2006. Since the Oregon assisted suicide law took effect, 341 patients have killed themselves. One leading euthanasia opponent, Rita Marker, of the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, said she's concerned doctors don't do more to help patients address the mental health issues that likely prompt them to consider suicide. "During 2007, not one patient who died under Oregon's assisted suicide law was referred for psychiatric or psychological evaluation before receiving the prescription for lethal drugs," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Abortion Advocacy Group Launches New Web Site Attacking John McCain Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- A leading abortion advocacy group has launched a new web site attacking presidential candidate John McCain and saying it exposes his "real record" on abortion. NARAL president Nancy Keenan has gone after McCain over the last few weeks saying her supporters don't all know that McCain opposes abortion. The new web site is an effort to get pro-abortion voters to "meet the real McCain," Keenan told donors Tuesday in an email LifeNews.com received. "Since he's so fond of 'straight talk,' let's be blunt - John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, is staunchly, rigidly, undeniably anti-choice," Keenan said. "But to hear the media and absorb the conventional wisdom, you'd never know it," she worried. "It's time we strip off the 'maverick' disguise and reveal the anti-choice stalwart beneath - the real McCain." Keenan says the new web site has already received visits from over 12,000 people but she is hoping for 327,001 to visit. That's the number of people her group says it reached during the 2006 Congressional elections. Full story at LifeNews.com..

Members of Congress Sign Letter Asking For Complete Cut in Abstinence Funding Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- Several dozen members of Congress, all abortion advocates, have signed a letter to House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey asking him to cut all funds for abstinence education. They don't want any money spent in the FY 2009 Health and Human Services appropriations bill spent on abstinence. Congressman Jim Moran, a pro-abortion Virginia Democrat, led the letter campaign and gathered the signatures of 76 of his Congressional colleagues. "We urge you to reconsider funding for the [abstinence programs] and to devote those dollars to other more effective programs," the letter reads.
They want the money axed from the Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program. It called "an important first step" Obey's decision last year to not increase the current level of funding despite requests from President Bush to do so. The letter complains that $1 billion has been spent on abstinence education programs and the letter claims several studies shows them ineffective. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Baby Whose Mother Saved Her From Abortion Gets Life-Saving Heart Surgery Phoenix, AZ (LifeNews.com)

-- Twenty-three year old Avery Milne received terrible news from doctors about her unborn child during her pregnancy. Mommy-to-be found out her unborn child Bela had little chance of survival as she was afflicted with a rare combination of Turner syndrome and hypoplastic left-heart syndrome. Turner syndrome occurs in about 1 out of every 2500 female births and female sexual characteristics are present but generally underdeveloped. In hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, the left side of the heart -- including the aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle and mitral valve -- is underdeveloped. Babies with this syndrome become ashen, have rapid and difficult breathing and have difficulty feeding. Together the conditions made Bela's prognosis so poor that physicians suggested Milne consider an abortion because they didn't know if Bela would live or die. "It was just a shock to find out because they didn't know what to tell me," Milne said. "It was just a big guessing game until she was born." Avery declined and, shortly after Bela's birth, doctors performed a new procedure that is minimally invasive but allowed them to correct the problems with Bela's heath without stopping it. Full story at LifeNews.com.

China Court Hears of Man Who Killed Pregnant Wife After Abortion Refusal Beijing, China (LifeNews.com)

-- A Chinese man appeared before a court on trial for killing his pregnant wife after stabbing her more than 30 times following her refusal to have an abortion. Chen Min had accused his wife of having an affair and having someone else's baby, but he has admitted he knew he was the father of the child. Shanghai No. 1 Prosecutors' Office said the 30-year-old man killed his wife after she refused his suggestion to have an abortion. During the trial prosecutors added that DNA tests confirmed Chen was the father of the baby. Xiao Ying was five months pregnant at the time of her death and she became pregnant one month after the couple met. They were married last July, according to a Shanghai Daily report. Prosecutors say Chen twice tried to talk Xiao into having an abortion and, after the second refusal, he grabbed a knife and repeatedly stabbed her in the stomach and chest. Last December, in another case, a Chinese man was sentenced to death for burning his girlfriend and causing her severe burns after she refused to have a sex-selection abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com

The Siren Call of Barack Obama -- Part Two of Two

It is by now a commonplace that what launched the career of pro-abortion Sen. Barack Obama was his "electrifying speech" (as it is often described) to the 2004 Democratic national convention, the same year he was running for the Senate from Illinois. But it can be argued that what really elevated Obama from crowd pleaser to rock star was his "Call to Renewal" keynote speech delivered at a "Faith, Values and Politics" forum sponsored by Sojourners magazine. The forum can probably best be seen as a dry run, testing themes that would help a party dominated by secularists to "get right" with people of faith. The speech seems to be largely an abridged and slightly altered version of what Obama wrote in his 2006 book, The Audacity of Hope. The following analysis of his observations on abortion will move back and forth between the shorter speech and the longer and more in-depth observations found in the book. (TIME magazine ran the relevant excerpt when The Audacity of Hope was first published. You can find it at www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1546298,00.html.) I hope it is obvious that I would not take issue with Obama's call for civility when debating abortion. Nor would I find fault with what he says was his decision to take down from his web page what Obama described as "within the bubble of Democratic Party politics … standard boilerplate [on abortion], designed to fire up the base." The words were his staff's, not his, Obama writes, and he removed the language in response to a thoughtful letter from a physician. The gentleman was considering voting for his opponent not because of "my position on abortion as such," Obama writes, but because of the aforementioned "standard boilerplate" which included the usual cant about "right-wing ideologues who want to take away a woman's right to choose." So far, so good. However, from that point on, although leavened with a powerful narrative of his faith journey, the discussion heads south. Obama writes about an exchange with a pro-life couple who, along with their children and a few others, was standing outside a building where he was to give a speech. After listening to the man, Obama writes that: "I told him I understood his position but had to disagree with it. I explained my belief that few women made the decision to terminate a pregnancy casually; that any pregnant woman felt the full force of the moral issues involved and wrestled with her conscience when making that decision." Complete story: The Siren Call of Barack Obama -- Part 2

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March 27, 2008

Activists Defend Barack Obama's Vote Against Victims of Botched Abortions Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- Abortion advocates are defending votes Barack Obama cast in the Illinois Senate against a bill that would require medical facilities to provide appropriate medical care to babies who survive botched abortions. One pro-life blogger says the arguments make it less likely Obama will be elected president. In a recent editorial at the pro-abortion blog RH Reality Check, activist Dana Goldstein writes about a "conservative smear campaign" highlighting Obama's radical pro-abortion position. Goldstein says the "anti-Obama strategy" is based on Obama's votes against the Illinois Born Alive Infant Protection Act. That's the measure that helps babies who are victims of botched abortions or left to die without any medical treatment following intentional premature births, otherwise known as induced-birth or live-birth abortions. Goldstein applauds Obama for voting against the bill, when a federal version passed in the U.S. Senate on a unanimous vote with the support of pro-life and pro-abortion lawmakers. "It is to Barack Obama's credit that, as an Illinois state senator, he voted against BAIPA twice, and then, as chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee in 2003, prevented it from advancing to the floor," she writes. Full story at LifeNews.com

Pro-Life Student Group Releases Full Tape of Abortion Speaker at NEA-Based Event Washington, DC (LifeNews.com)

-- A pro-life student group has released the full copy of the tape it made of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller, who spoke at a pro-abortion event hosted at the National Education Association's building. During the speech abortion advocates applauded Tiller for showing pictures of babies who became victims of abortions. Members of Students for Life of America released the video footage on YouTube from the March 9 Feminist Majority Foundation event on Wednesday. It shows Tiller openly discussing children who "slip out" accidentally during an abortion and are "born alive" or with a "heartbeat." SFLA director Kristan Hawkins taped the event with a colleague. "What is most disturbing about this video is the point when Dr. Tiller shows footage of children he has aborted," she told LifeNews.com. "One had an extra arm: could not that child have survived and received corrective surgery? Was violently killing the child the only way to go?" she asked. Full story at LifeNews.com

British Figures Show 1,300 Women Have Had Five Abortions, Hundreds Have More London, England (LifeNews.com)

-- As members of Parliament prepare to debate some limits on late-term abortions and abortions on disabled babies, new figures show 1,300 women have had five abortions or more. The repeat abortion stats worry pro-life groups that some women are viewing abortion as a method of birth control. The figures came from the British government in response to Tory backbencher Mark Pritchard as MPs prepare to debate the human embryo bill and limits on abortion. The figures also show 950 women in England and Wales who have had four previous abortions at the time of their fifth. Another 200 had five abortions at the time of their sixth, 110 had six previous abortions at the time of the seventh, and 54 had seven or more previous abortions at the time they sought another. Those figures, covering 2006, show the number of repeat abortions skyrocketing as 58,740 women had at least one abortion when seeking their second in 2004. That increased to 61,904 having had a previous abortion when requesting one in 2006 Full story at LifeNews.com..

Don't Make Room for Daddy - The Problems With Assisted Reproduction
by Jennifer Lahl

Recently, I watched an Oprah show featuring children of sperm donation. Whatever your views are on the ethics of using sperm donation to make children, there was no denying the brokenheartedness of the three young women sitting on Oprah's stage that day. They wondered out loud to the audience: “Does he ever think about me?â€?, “Do I look like him?â€?, and “Does he know I'm out here?â€? Two half-siblings told their story. In their search to find their sperm-donor dad, they found each other. Oprah's crew filmed their first encounter, as one waited at the train station for the arrival of the other. It was hard for me to hold back the tears as I watched this brother and sister find each other for the first time. They couldn't take their hands off each other's faces. They found it impossible to stop looking into each other's eyes, as if looking at themselves in the mirror. “I belong. I look like someone. I am a part of something “a family." The longing for community and family, perhaps the most important communal structure, is strongly present inside each of us. It's part of what makes us human. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Yeoman's Work -- How a Pro-Life Doctor Overcomes Abortion With Truth

As an OB/GYN, Dr. William Lile will take part in the miracle of birth more times than many of us will ever get to witness it. Medical practitioners in Dr. Lile's specialty have been immensely important to the pro-life cause for providing insight and information into the science and awe-inspiring wonders of pregnancy and birth. However, Dr. Lile is also aware of the terrible truth that it is his peers who perform most of the abortions in the U.S., and he is going the extra mile to let the truth be known about God's miracle of life and abortion's brutality. Although his respect for the sanctity of life began in childhood, Dr. Lile received a new perspective on abortion during his medical training when he came face to face with peers who had succumbed to the temptation of easy money. During his residency at Sacred Heart Hospital in Pensacola and the University of Florida, Dr. Lile was asked by abortionist Bo Bagenholm what he believed happened to aborted babies. Professing his belief in the soul, God's mercy and the infants' innocence, Dr. Lile said he believed they were welcomed into heaven. "He told me, 'I've sent more souls to heaven than most people, according to your religion,'" recalled Dr. Lile. "There was no guilt." "In my opinion my peers initially get involved with abortions for the quick money, and then it becomes a matter of ego," added Dr. Lile. "I find it amazing how these people are put on a pedestal, and thanked by other doctors for doing a procedure they are uncomfortable doing themselves." Full story at LifeNews.com.

Assisted Suicide Crusader Jack Kevorkian Makes Congressional Bid Official
Detroit, MI (LifeNews.com)

-- Convicted murderer and assisted suicide crusader Jack Kevorkian made his candidacy for a Detroit-area Congressional seat official on Monday. Kevorkian says his main agenda as a member of the august body would be promoting the Ninth Amendment as allowing a right to assisted suicide. State law required Kevorkian to gather 3,000 signatures to qualify for the ballot and he turned in papers with those signatures to local election officials. Kevorkian didn't say much else about assisted suicide during the formal press announcement but accused the current government of being tyrannical. ''You've been trained to obey it, not fight it because the tyrant doesn't like that,'' Kevorkian said, according to an AP report. "I have no ties, no fetters. I am free," the former pathologist added, saying he is beholden to no so-called special interests. He will run as an independent and will challenge pro-life Rep. Joe Knollenberg, a Republican who strongly opposes both abortion and euthanasia. Full story at LifeNews.com

Pro-Life Film "The Human Experience" Promotes Consistent Respect for Human Life by Colin Mason

I'm sitting at a worn desk in the headquarters of Grassroots Films in Brooklyn, NY. Humming Macs surround me as the company dog, a sand-colored mutt named Daisy, wanders aimlessly around my feet. Across the desk, Michael Campo is describing the experience of visiting a leper colony in Ghana. "At first I was a little afraid, because I didn't know what to expect," he reminisces. "But all that fear was gone in five or ten minutes . . . they found such great joy and happiness together." Campo, 28, co-stars in Grassroots Films' latest project, The Human Experience. Fast-paced and modern, The Human Experience is a you-are-there documentary that claims to offer an unprecedented look at the human condition. After being thoroughly excited by the trailer (available at www.grassrootsfilms.com), I had the pleasure of being invited to screen this film in Brooklyn, as well as speak to all of the major players at Grassroots Films. Simply speaking, I was deeply impressed by The Human Experience. It is possibly the most truly pro-life film I have ever seen. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Abortion Center Owner in California Faces Trial Wednesday for Unlicensed Medicine Los Angles, CA (LifeNews.com)

-- A woman who owns a chain of abortion businesses in southern California faces trial on Wednesday on charges of practicing medicine without a license. Last month, Bertha Bugarin pleaded not guilty to putting women's health in serious jeopardy after she and her sister were found doing abortions despite not holding a medical license. Los Angeles police began the case when a special unit of the LA Police Department called the Health Authority Law Enforcement Task Force raided a handful of area abortion centers last August. They arrested the 47-year-old Bugarin, who was charged with five felony counts of practicing medicine without certification and two misdemeanor counts of dispensing medication without a license. Her 49-year-old sister Raquel Bugarin is charged with aiding or abetting the practice of medicine without certification. In anticipating the case, Operation Rescue president Troy Newman told LifeNews.com that the sisters should spend significant time in jail if they're found guilty. Full story at LifeNews.com

Elderly Australian Man Creates Suicide Robot to Kill Himself, Used Internet Guide Canberra, Australia (LifeNews.com)

-- In another case of someone using information gathered from the Internet to take their own life, an elderly man from Australia killed himself after making a robot. Francis Tovey, 81, lived alone and wanted to kill himself after enduring repeated requests from family to move to an assisted living facility. Unhappy with their request, Tovey scoured the Internet for information on making a robot capable for firing a semi-automatic gun pointed at his head. When triggered remotely, the gun fired four shots that killed Tovey. The Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper indicated Tovey set up the robotic device in his driveway early on Tuesday because he wanted construction workers at a nearby housing site to hear the gunshots and discover his body. Full story at LifeNews.com.

Netherlands Pro-Euthanasia Psychiatrist Publishes Do-It-Yourself Suicide Guide Amsterdam, Netherlands (LifeNews.com)

-- A Netherlands psychiatrist who assisted in the suicide of a grieving mother that ultimately led to the Dutch Supreme Court ruling that the depressed should have the right to kill themselves has now published a do-it-yourself guide to committing suicide. The guide is expected to go on sale soon in the European nation and it contains detailed information on how people can use drugs to kill themselves. It also contains information on how to perform other acts of suicide using starvation techniques and describes the quickest and least painful ways to do so. "Doctors learn little about this subject during their training," author and psychiatrist Boudewijn Chabot says, according to the London Telegraph. "This book is for people who want to make their own decisions about ending their own lives." Euthanasia and assisted suicide are legal in the Netherlands and, together, there are already about 4,400 suicides annually. Full story at LifeNews.com

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