C-SECTIONS IN U.S. REACH RECORD HIGH Nearly 1.2 million C-sections were performed in 2004, accounting for 29.1 percent of all births that year, the NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS reported. That is up from 27.5 percent in 2003 and 20.7 in 1996. The increase is attributed to fears of malpractice lawsuits if a vaginal delivery goes wrong, the preferences of mothers and physicians and the risks of attempting vaginal births after Caesareans. For decades, C-sections were done in only a small fraction of births. In 1970, the national rate was 5 percent. Then it rose, surpassing 20 percent by the mid-1980’s. (MODESTO BEE – 11/16/05 POTENTIAL CURE FOR PARKINSON’S Researchers at Tel Aviv University have succeeded in using adult stem cells to produce GDNF, which is a substance that protects the neurons that produce dopamine. The lack of dopamine is a major factor in the on-going process of Parkinson’s disease. (RTL OF GREATER CINNCINNATI NEWS – 9/05) PLANNED PARENTHOOD VIDEO GLORIFIES VIOLENCE AGAINST CHRISTIANS An animated video posted to the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate web site showed a pro-abortion “superhero” vaporizing peaceful pro-life picketers and drowning an abstinence proponent in a garbage can full of liquid. Jim Sedlak of ALL’s STOPP INTERNATIONAL said: “IN THIS POST-9/11 ERA OF TERRORISM, PLANNED PARENTHOOD HAS RECKLESSLY CROSSED THE LINE BY PROMOTING VIOLENCE AGAINST PEOPLE WHO DO NOT SHARE THEIR RADICAL BELIEFS.” (ALL NEWS from AMERICAN LIFE LEAGUE – August 2005) TEENS PAY PRICE FOR “FREE SEX” Free sex – that’s what the sexual revolution promised adults in the 1960’s. Over the last 40 years even teenagers have been promised the same. But the repercussions for teens who follow such advice can be staggering, especially when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases (STDS). According to the Medical Institute for Sexual Health (MISH), approximately 50% of sexually-active teens are already infected with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), an STD that is the cause of 99% of cervical cancer. “THIS CANCER IS CAUSING ABOUT AS MANY DEATHS AMONG WOMEN AS AIDS,” said a recent MISH press release. (AFA JOURNAL – October 2005) NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION ATTACKS CHRISTIAN VALUES The National Education Association (NEA), the nation]s largest teachers’ union, wants more homosexual influence in the public schools. At its recent convention in Los Angeles, representatives of the 2.7-million-member NEA voted overwhelmingly to develop a strategy to create what they call a “SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND TRANS- GENDER” students in schools. (THE BIBLE FRIEND – July/August 2005) - 8 -
MARCH OF DIMES AGAIN Two years ago the MARCH OF DIMES began a major education campaign about premature births. The number of preemies has risen, and these infants have increased health problems. The goal of the campaign was to raise awareness and to hopefully reduce the premature birth rate. Sadly the MOD has failed to even mention a major risk factor. More than 40 studies show that women who have had induced abortions have an increased risk of delivering a premature baby – some studies report as high as a 30% increase. The MARCH OF DIMES claims neutrality on abortion, but its pro-abortion sympathies are exposed in its refusal to admit this disastrous abortion after-effect, The MARCH OF DIMES also supports fetal tissue research and embryonic stem cell research. (RTL OF GREATER CINCINNATI, INC. Newsletter – 8/05) FIRST SETTLEMENT IN ABORTION/BREAST CANCER LAWSUIT An Oregon abortion business settled a lawsuit in early 2005 filed by a young woman with a history of breast cancer who claimed that she was not informed that her abortion would increase that risk. The case is the first such lawsuit to be settled in the United States. (ELLIOT INSTITUTE NEWS, Vol. 4, No. 2 – METRO-DENVER LUTHERANS FOR LIFE NEWSLETTER – Fall, 2005) ITALIAN COMA VICTIM AWAKENS AFTER TWO YEARS Salvatore Crisafulli, a 38-year-old father of four, recently awoke from a two-year coma. He told doctors and his family that he understood everything going on around him during that time. “THE DOCTORS SAID THAT I WASN’T CONSCIOUS, BUT I UNDERSTOOD EVERYTHING AND I CRIED IN DESPERATION,” Crisafulli told Italian media outlets. Crisafulli’s brother Pietro called the recovery “an Italian Terri Schiavo case.” He emerged from the coma three months ago, and, speaking recently, his first word was “Mamma.” (LifeNews.com – 10/4/05 – MIAMI COUNTY RTL NEWS – 10/2005) PRO-LIFE BUMPER STICKER ENCOURAGES TEENAGE MOM TO KEEP BABY When pro-life advocates Dave and Mary Labun left their house, they didn’t expect to see the following note on their car: Hello, this might be very weird, but I wanted to thank you. I’m not sure what you believe in, but I’m a strong believer in God, and right now I am 17 and pregnant. And on my way to school one day, I was really wondering what to do – I was really thinking about abortion, because I was scared. As that thought came to mind, I walked past your car and happened to look over and saw your bumper sticker, “ABORTION STOPS A BEATING HEART.” My heart dropped. I believe God was talking to me, through that sticker, and I also believe I will never think about it again. I’m going to keep my baby, and I’m not that scared anymore. (http:life news.com/state1150.html) ABORTION-DRUG ABUSE LINK Abortion and drug abuse have been linked, according to a study co-sponsored by the U. S. Department of Health & Human Services and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drug abuse is three times more common during a subsequent pregnancy among women who have had abortions in the past than those who have never ended a pregnancy. The findings of the study paralleled those of 21 other studies that connect abortions to an increased rate of substance abuse. (AFA Journal – September 2005) - 9 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-NOVEMBER-JANUARY 2006 |
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CLINTONS USE BILLY GRAHAM TO GAIN POLITICAL GROUND National Clergy Council president Rev. Rob Schenck walked out on his role model Billy Graham after the evangelist surrendered his microphone to Bill Clinton on the third night of his New York City crusade and then gave a veiled endorsement to Senator Hillary Clinton who was sitting nearby on stage. “I WAS STUNNED AND APPALLED,” said Schenck, who left the Flushing Meadows Park as Graham was still complimenting the Clintons. “THIS WAS A DELIBERATE, CUNNING, PURELY POLITICAL MOVE BY THE CLINTONS TO DIVIDE THE EVANGELICAL VOTE AND ASSURE HILLARY OF A VICTORY IN ’08,” said Schenck, a minister with the Evangelical Church Alliance and a missionary to elected officials. (Christian Comm. Network – http://www.Christianwireservice.com/) POPE BENEDICT XVI URGES BOYCOTT OF ITALIAN REFERENDUM Speaking to the Italian Bishops Conference in May, Pope Benedict praised the group for standing up for the rights of embryos and defending family values by “ILLUMINATING AND MOTIVATING” Italian citizens to turn against a referendum aimed at repealing restrictions on artificial insemination and embryonic research. “I AM CLOSE TO YOU IN WORD AND IN PRAYER” he told the bishops. (Los Angeles Times – Modesto Bee-5/31/05) FIVE-MONTH-OLD BABY WITH DWARFISM DIES AFTER VENTILATOR REMOVAL Following permission from Texas Probate Court Judge William C. McCullough, five months’ old Sun Hudson was taken off her ventilator against the wishes of Sun’s mother, Wanda, who had been waging a court battle against the hospital. She had insisted her baby needed more time to grow so he could be weaned from the ventilator. Bioethicists say this is the first time a U. S. judge has ever allowed a ventilator to be removed from a living baby. (WorldNetDaily.com – Celebrate Life – May-June 2005) SRI LANKAN MOTHERS WHO LOST CHILDREN IN ASIAN TSUNAMI WANT STERILIZATIONS REVERSED While no statistics are available on how many women want to have their sterilizations reversed, doctors and officials say the number has grown since the tsunami. “UNTIL NOW THE BASIC ISSUE WAS HOW TO SURVIVE,” said Dr. Gamini Perera, obstetrician. “NOW SOME HAVE STARTED TO THINK HOW TO GET THE FAMILY TOGETHER AGAIN,” he said. The Sri Lankan government says it will help families pay for surgery to reverse sterilizations. “IT IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE AND, IF WE ARE REQUESTED, WE WILL HELP,” SAID Sri Lanka’s minister for health care, Siripalo De Silva. “NOTHING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SEEING LIFE EMERGING AGAIN FROM THE DEVASTATION OF TSUNAMI.” (Associated Press – Modesto Bee – 6/16/05) - 7 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-AUGUST-OCTOBER 2005 |
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The following Planned Parenthood boycott list is researched and published by Life Decisions International. It’s all they do, and due to their diligence, a minimum of 122 corporations have stopped funding Planned Parenthood: Adobe Software Azko Nobel Pharm Bank of America Circuit City CIGNA Health Ins. Clif Bar Nike Epic Systems Ernst & Young Blimpie Subs Gannett/USA Today Hearst Newspapers Emmis Comm. Johnson & Johnson JP Morgan Chase Highsmith School Kenneth Cole Levi Jeans/Dockers Kaiser Permanente Merck Phar. Microsoft Software Lost Arrow Neiman Marcus NY Times Tommy Hilfiger Oracle Software Pfizer Pharm. Nationwide Ins. Schering Pharm. Small Dog Elec. Prudential Ins. Time Warner/AOL Unilever Symantec Software Walt Disney Whole Foods Willis Stein Wyeth Products from China Wachovia Bank Price Chopper/Mini Chopper Altria (Phillip Morris, Nabisco and Kraft) Cost Plus World Market New World Restaurant Group Write the CEOs. It is important that they know that funding Planned Parenthood is bad business! Don’t be fooled by fancy replies of denial. This is common practice. If they were NOT funding Planned Parenthood, there would be cause for a lawsuit against Life Decisions. (From Christian Action News, P. O. Box 1711, Palm City, FL 34991 – November 2005 Newsletter) CHARITABLE GROUPS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH PLANNED PARENTHOOD AND/OR ITS AGENDA: The American Cancer Society Dr. Phil Foundation Girl Scouts Camp Fire Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation YWCA Rotary Clubs FROM LIFE DECISIONS INT'L WEB SITE: www.fightpp.org) |
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CONDOLEEZZA RICE DEFINES HER ABORTION POSITION Condoleezza Rice has described herself as “mildly pro-choice” and “kind of libertarian” on abortion and left the door open to a possible presidential race in 2008. “IF YOU GO BACK TO 2000 WHEN I HELPED THE PRESIDENT IN THE CAMPAIGN,” Rice said, “I SAID THAT I WAS, IN EFFECT, KIND OF LIBERTARIAN ON THIS ISSUE, AND MEANING BY THAT, THAT I HAVE BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT A GOVERNMENT ROLE IN THIS ISSUE. I AM A STRONG PROPONENT OF PARENTAL CHOICE – OF PARENTAL NOTIFICATION. I AM A STRONG PROPONENT OF A BAN ON LATE-TERM ABORTIONS.” Rice, 50, has been quoted as using the “mildly pro-choice” formulation as long ago as August 1999, in a National Review profile. Rice told the Washington Times that she believes the president “HAS BEEN IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE” ON ABORTION WHICH IS WE HAVE TO RESPECT THE CULTURE OF LIFE AND WE HAVE TO TRY AND BRING PEOPLE TO HAVE RESPECT FOR IT AND MAKE THIS AS RARE A CIRCUMSTANCE AS POSSIBLE. (Modesto Bee – 3/13/05) DUTCH PHYSICIANS ADMIT KILLING NEWBORNS In hopes of provoking the government of the Netherlands to action, a group of Dutch doctors willingly admitted having euthanized 20 newborns. According to reporter Matthew Schofield, “THE DOCTORS HOPE THEIR MOVE WILL PROMPT PARLIAMENT TO RECOGNIZE OFFICIALLY THAT DOCTORS HAVE BEEN EUTHANIZING CRITICALLY ILL CHILDREN BEYOND WHAT DUTCH LAW ALLOWS.” “IT’S TIME TO BE HONEST ABOUT THE UNBEARABLE SUFFERING ENDURED BY NEWBORNS WITH NO HOPE OF A FUTURE,” said Dr. Robert Verhagen, head of pediatrics for Groningen University Hospital. “ALL OVER THE WORLD, DOCTORS END LIVES DISCREETLY, OUT OF COMPASSION, WITHOUT ANY KIND OF REGULATION.” (AFA JOURNAL – May 2005) CHINA’S MISSING GIRLS China is missing girls, 40 to 60 million of them, which will leave an equal number of young Chinese men without wives. Chinese couples, allowed to have only one or two children, abort girls in the womb in order to try for boys later. Boys are preferred for traditional cultural reasons because they support their parents in their old age (girls become part of their husbands’ families when they marry), because they extend the family line, and because in rural areas, they can perform more labor. Chinese officials announced in January that they will enforce a long-ignored ban on sex-selection abortions. This ban is unlikely to work. India criminalized it to no effect. India’s sex imbalance at birth has not improved. Ultrasounds are taken to monitor the health of unborn children, so doctors know their sex. Parents find out from them, even though it’s illegal for the doctors to reveal it. (From Population Research Institute Review – January-February 2005) BRAZILIAN WOMAN REGAINS ABILITY TO TALK A 54-year-old Brazilian woman recovered from a brain hemorrhage that left her paralyzed and unable to talk after scientists transplanted adult stem cells from her pelvis into her brain. Hers is the first reported successful treatment of this condition. (LifeNews.com – 11/23/04) - 8 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-MAY-JULY 2005 PARENTS’ “RIGHT TO KNOW” INITIATIVE QUALIFIES FOR BALLOT IN CALIFORNIA The initiative to require parents to be notified 48 hours before their minor daughter (under the age of 18) is scheduled to have an abortion was certified on 5/16/05 by Secretary of State McPherson. This initiative, a constitutional amendment, needed 596,105 registered voter signatures to qualify. Supporters of this initiative turned in more than 1 million unverified signatures and reports from 49 counties projected the number of valid signatures to be 682,131. A Zogby poll, published in June of 2002, showed that 71% of Californians favor parental notification when their children want to have an abortion. (From Christian Comm. Network, CCNWashDC@aol.com) PRO-LIFER JEFF WHITE ACQUITTED ON FETAL BODY DISPLAY Jeff White, Director of Survivors, a pro-life youth organization, and former director of Operation Rescue, was found NOT GUILTY in the District of Columbia of keeping a dead body for the purpose of display to the public. White was arrested at the nation’s capital for allegedly displaying the remains of a preborn baby outside a Washington, C. C. abortion clinic during the pro-abortion MARCH FOR WOMEN’S LIVES in April 2004. White was arrested and dragged away from PLANNED PARENTHOOD after police confiscated the vial containing the baby’s remains. (Just twenty feet away from White stood the entrance to the Washington, D. C. Planned Parenthood where, at that very moment, abortionists were dismembering babies the same size as the one White allegedly displayed.) During closing arguments, the judge asked the government whether or not the fetus was a human. The government in response first said yes, and then said that the body was part of a human body. The government position on this issue confused even the judge as it became apparent that the government prosecutor was self-conflicted as to the issue of the humanity of the fetus. After a ten-day trial, the judge found that the government failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and noted several deficiencies in the government’s prosecution of Mr. White. (CCNWashDC@aol.com) ADULT STEM CELLS GROW HAIR ON MICE The cure for baldness may be imminent after Rockefeller University researchers successfully coaxed adult stem cells to grow hair. When grafted onto bald mice, the cells produced not only furry tufts but stretches of skin complete with the oil-producing glands that help keep it supple. Researchers are looking into whether these skin stem cells can do other things. Bill Lowry, co-author of the study, said adult stem cells from skin have the clear benefit of being easily accessible. (Discover Magazine – January 2005) - 9 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-MAY-JULY 2005 |
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BEIJING HOLDS FESTIVAL FOR TWINS Beijing held its first festival for twins in October 2004 attracting hundreds of lookalike siblings – a rare sight in a society where birth control rules limit most urban families to one child. Pairs of twins in matching cowboy hats, sweaters or scarves mingled, chatted and performed on state at the government-sponsored event in a park. A pair of men played a saxophone duet and younger twins danced and sang. Participants ranged in age from 69 to a set of 4-month-olds in a double stroller. Organizers said 500 sets of twins, including some from abroad, signed up to attend the four-day festival. A set of 15-year-old triplets from eastern China also showed up. “WE’RE NEVER LONELY,” said Wang Yanren, one of the trio of teenage girls, who wore matching blue jackets. “NOW WITH FAMILY PLANNING, EVERY FAMILY IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE ONE CHILD. SO WE’RE LUCKY.” Rules imposed two decades ago limit urban couples to one child and those in the countryside to two. But twins and other multiple births are exempt from heavy fines imposed for additional births. Hoping to take advantage of that exemption, some Chinese parents try to hide a forbidden extra birth by registering the child with an older sibling as twins. (Modesto Bee- October 3, 2004) CASTRO SLAMS BUSH Fidel Castro celebrated Cuba’s Revolution Day on July 26, 2004 by taking pot shots at President Bush. “HE DEPENDS ON RELIGION AS A DEFENSE MECHANISM, SUBSTITUTING THOUGHT. IN SOME WAYS, HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE TO THINK.” Bush has been thinking about Cuba lately. During a July 16 press conference, the president accused the Cuban government of massive human rights violations and specifically condemned the country’s growing sex trade. “THE REGIME IN HAVANA, ALREADY ONE OF THE WORST VIOLATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE WORLD, IS ADDING TO ITS CRIMES. CASTRO WELCOMES SEX TOURISM.” (Minnesota Christian Chronicle – THE BIBLE FRIEND, 9/04) NURSES QUIT TO PROTECT BABIES Nine Alabama state-health department nurses have resigned from their positions because of concerns about the agency mandating the distribution of emergency contraceptives, also known as “morning-after pills,” at so-called “family-planning” clinics. Nurse practitioner, Donna Tyner, who quit her job at a Montgomery public health clinic, says she resigned because she was required to distribute pills despite her moral and religious objections. “THE FIRST TIME I HAD TO DO IT, IT MADE ME PHYSICALLY SICK, AND I TOLD THAT TO MY SUPERVISOR,” she said. (Agape Press – CELEBRATE LIFE – September-October 2004) K-MART SUPPORTS MARCH OF DIMES WALK K-MART is pushing for donations to the MARCH OF DIMES at its 1,500-plus stores. A K-Mart Corporation spokesperson said it is the nation’s top WALK AMERICA team. The MARCH OF DIMES claims that it does not take a position on abortion, but its official policy statement supports FETAL TISSUE EXPERIMENTATION, and the MARCH OF DIMES has funded FETAL EXPERIMENTATION AND FETAL TISSUE use for more than 20 years. It has also lobbied in Congress in support of federal funding for fetal tissue and embryonic stem cell research. (Caleb Report – March/April 2004 – HLA ACTION NEWS – Summer 2004) – SEE PAGE 12 – LETTERS AUSTRALIAN CHILD CARE CENTER ERECTS WALL NEXT TO ABORTION CLINIC A Marie Stopes abortuary in Perth, Australia persuaded a neighboring child care center to erect a nearly seven-feet high wall so that women seeking abortions would not become upset by the sight and sound of children playing. (VOICES FOR THE UNBORN, Feasterville, PA – October 2004) – The Interim – 9/04 FIRST STEM CELL BANK Britain has established the world’s first stem cell bank. The bank will store embryonic and fetal stem cells from test tube babies, aborted babies and from embryos left over after in-vitro fertilization, as well as adult stem cells. (www.lifeuk.org - HLA ACTION NEWS – Summer 2004) SPAIN TO LEGALIZE ABORTION ON DEMAND Spain’s new socialist government announced plans to legalize abortion on demand during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Abortion is currently available in cases of rape, fetal deformity or when the physical or mental health of the mother is threatened. (VOICES FOR THE UNBORN - 8/04) – The Interim – 7/04 FORCED ABORTION IN THE USA According to a special report issued by the Elliot Institute, an organization that studies the impact of abortion on women, forced abortions in the U.S. have reached epidemic proportions. Each week, thousands of girls and women face threats and abuse from others who pressure them to have abortions. “A HOMELESS WOMAN WAS DENIED SHELTER UNTIL SHE SUBMITTED TO AN UNWANTED ABORTION – A TEEN WAS RIDICULED BY A SCHOOL COUNSELOR AND BUSSED TO THE ABORTION CLINIC – A DAUGHTER WAS PUSHED INTO AN ABORTION AT GUNPOINT BY HER MOTHER – A GIRLFRIEND WAS INJECTED WITH AN ABORTIFACIENT OUTSIDE A PARKING GARAGE – A 13-YEAR-OLD WAS RETURNED TO HER MOLESTER AFTER HER ABORTION – THREE SISTERS WERE RAPED REPEATEDLY BY THEIR FATHER AND FORCED INTO ABORTIONS OVER NEARLY A DECADE – A WIFE MISCARRIED AFTER HER HUSBAND JUMPED ON HER STOMACH TO FORCE AN ABORTION – A WAITRESS WAS FIRED AFTER REFUSING TO HAVE AN ABORTION.” The events above are just a few of the hundreds of appalling stories found in the Elliot Institute’s 21-page special report, “Forced Abortion in America.” This report can be downloaded from: www.afterabortion.info/petition. (www.lifenews.com/nat644.html;www.afterabortion.info/news, 7/12/04) FOUR NEW MOTHERS IN TOWN OF 1,600 IN ITALY The small Italian town of Laviano is experiencing an extremely low birthrate. In 2003 there were only four new mothers out of a total population of 1,600. This was significantly smaller than in the year 1970 when there were 3,000 people living in Laviano and 70 babies born. Mayor Rocco Falivena is offering payments of 10,000 euros ($11,900) spread out over six years to every couple who has a baby. (Population Research Institute Review – Jan.-Feb. 2004) “THE JAMAICAN ASSASSIN” – ABORTIONIST DR EARL MCLEOD HAS 2 CLINICS CLOSE A non-citizen of the U.S., abortionist Dr. Earl Mcleod, has killed by his own admission, between 150,000 and 200,000 babies in this country. He owns and operates HILLCREST, the killing center at 2709 N. Front St. in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He is running into some real headaches now with the closure of two of his D.C. clinics and a possible closure of one in Rockford, Maryland. (The Gift of Life, St. Francis Pro-Life Newsletter – August 2004) VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-NOVEMBER-JANUARY 2005 |
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LAST SEXTUPLET FROM FAMILY WHO REFUSED ABORTION HEADS HOME Ron and Tina Otten’s children are now all home. After making national headlines months ago for refusing to consider an abortion to enhance the odds that all six of their unborn children would be born healthy, each of the babies has been declared well enough to go home and leave the care of the hospital. Otten chose to go ahead with the pregnancy, even though doctors recommended abortion. The physicians used the phrase “selective reduction”, a procedure in which one or more babies are aborted to improve the chances that the rest will survive and be healthy. But the Ottens rejected the idea of ending the lives of their babies before birth. “WE ASKED THEM NOT TO EVEN DISCUSS IT WITH US AGAIN,” Ron Otten told a Belleville, Illinois newspaper. “WE CAN’T PLAY GOD.” CHINA FACES RAPIDLY AGING POPULATION Demographers have warned that China faces a rapidly aging population fueled by its one-child policy and the gender imbalance caused by the abortion of baby girls. By 2030, China may contain nearly 400 million elderly people with little support and only a few eligible for social security. Attempts to establish pension funds have so far met with little success. (From The Internet, 4/29/04 – VOICES FOR THE UNBORN) ENGLISH NURSE ATTEMPTS TO MURDER ELDERLY PATIENTS A nurse is being tried for the attempted murder of four elderly patients. Barbara Salisbury was allegedly seen by colleagues giving one patient an overdose of diamorphine with the words “give in – it’s time to go” and trying to kill another patient by removing his oxygen supply, and by lying him on his back so his lungs would fill with fluid. Robin Spencer (prosecutor) said that Ms. Salisbury tried to murder patients in order to free beds and “brazenly overstepped the line between humane nursing and callous dispatch.” (From The Internet, 4/29/04 – VOICES FOR THE UNBORN) DISABLED GROUPS FILE BRIEF BACKING LAW THAT SAVED TERRI SCHIAVO A group of seventeen disability rights organizations filed a brief in July, 2004 defending Terri’s Law, the measure passed by the state legislature that allowed Florida Governor Jeb Bush to save Terri Schiavo’s life. The organizations, including NOT DEAD YET and THE HOSPICE PATIENTS ALLIANCE, say the Terri Schiavo case is one that could set a key legal precedent “THAT AFFECTS THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE WITH COGNITIVE DISABILITIES ACROSS FLORIDA AND, POTENTIALLY, NATIONWIDE.” The brief urges the Florida Supreme Court to affirm Terri’s right to food and water and overturns a judge’s decision allowing Terri’s estranged husband Michael to starve her to death. “A JUDGE’S ORDER TO TERMINATE THE LIFE OF A WOMAN WITH SEVERE DISABILITIES IS NOT A PRIVATE FAMILY MATTER,” says Max Lapertosa, an attorney representing the coalition of organizations. “TERMINATING MS SCHIAVO’S LIFE SUPPORT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE AUTHORITY OF THE COURTS.” Lapertosa added: “THIS CASE REFLECTS WHETHER OUR SOCIETY AND LEGAL SYSTEM VALUE THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES EQUALLY TO THOSE WITHOUT DISABILITIES.” (http://www.lifenews.com/bio379.html) - 8 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-AUGUST-OCTOBER 2004 PLANNED PARENTHOOD’S NEW T-SHIRT “Planned Parenthood is proud to offer yet another T-shirt in our new social fashion line. ‘I HAD AN ABORTION’ fitted T-shirts are now available. These soft and comfortable T-shirts assert a powerful message in support of women’s rights. Order yours for $15 each.” In their ongoing, flagrant pursuit and practice of unlimited abortions, Planned Parenthood has gone to a new level of brazen, bad taste. Only the most strident feminist would sally about town wearing their new T-shirt offering. (http://shop.store.yahoo.com//ppfastore/ihadabt.html) “EUTHANASIA BY OMISSION” – THE WITHDRAWAL OF FOOD AND WATER Cutting through all the chaff of moral and medical obfuscation, Pope John Paul II in an address to the WORLD FEDERATION OF CATHOLIC MEDICAL ASSOCIATIONS AND THE PONTIFICAL ACADEMY FOR LIFE said that removing the feeding tube of a disabled patient is immoral and amounts to “EUTHANASIA BY OMISSION”: “I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THE ADMINISTRATIION OF FOOD AND WATER…ALWAYS REPRESENTS A NATURAL MEANS OF PRESERVATION OF LIFE, NOT A MEDICAL TREATMENT.” The Pope stated that providing food and water to such patients is “MORALLY OBLIGATORY” and that removing the feeding tube of a disabled person is “A SERIOUS VIOLATION OF THE LAW OF GOD.” He condemned the euphemistic degradation of human beings by such phrases as “vegetative state.” “A man, even if seriously sick or prevented in the exercise of his higher functions, is and will always be a man…He will never become a ‘vegetable’ or an ‘animal’.” (RTL OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY Newsletter – 4/04) PLANNED PARENTHOOD ABORTION BUSINESS OPENS IN FRESNO The largest Planned Parenthood facility in the nation opened in June, 2004 in Fresno, California. The new facility, operated by Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, is located next door to an older facility, and has over 10,000 square feet of space. Officials have been quite vocal in pointing out that the waiting room has bullet-proof glass installed “in anticipation of extremists,” according to Patsy Montgomery of Planned Parenthood. (http://www.lifenews.com/state627.html) PRESIDENT BUSH ASKS COURT TO RECONSIDER OREGON ASSISTED SUICIDE RULING President Bush is asking a federal appeals court to reconsider its decision overturning a Bush administration ruling that prohibited federally regulated drugs from being used in assisted suicides in Oregon. Citing the Controlled Substances Act, Attorney General John Ashcroft ruled last year that the drugs used in Oregon assisted suicides, all of which are federally controlled, can no longer be used. A three-judge panel overruled that decision in May. Now, the Bush administration wants the entire 25-judge court to consider the case. If they decline to do so, the Bush administration can move ahead to the U. S. Supreme Court with its appeal of a local judge’s decision overturning Ashcroft’s order. (http://www.lifenews.com/bio378.html - 9 - VOICE FOR THE UNBORN-AUGUST-OCTOBER 2004 |
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JUDGE USES ‘LACI’S LAW’ TO LIFT DEPORTATION ORDER FOR PREGNANT WOMAN A federal judge presiding over the case of a pregnant woman fighting deportation to Mexico cited a law approved after the death of Laci Peterson and her baby, to keep the woman in the U.S. Myrna Dick, 29, of the Kansas City suburb of Raymore, is five months pregnant and married to a U.S. citizen. Senior U.S. District Judge Scott O. Wright ruled that the couple’s fetus is also a U.S. citizen and thereby entitled to legal protection. In rejecting the federal government’s request to lift a temporary stay granted 4/30/04, Wright cited that Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004 which grants fetuses equal protection under the law. Wright said the government does not have grounds to deport Myrna Dick’s baby. Unless Wright’s order is overturned, that baby would probably be born as a U.S. citizen – before the case is decided. Dick, who was born in Mexico but lived in the U.S. most of her life, is accused of falsely claiming U.S. citizenship while returning from a 1998 trip to visit a relative in Mexico. The violation carries a punishment of immediate and permanent deportation. Dick was arrested in April after going to immigration officials to renew her work permit. (Associated Press/Modesto Bee – 5/29/04) CHINA’S ONE-CHILD POLICY LEAVES SHORTAGE OF WIVES China’s rigid one-child policy is leaving an unexpected legacy – a nationwide wife shortage. Chinese news media are reporting that the country now faces a “major threat” from a demographic imbalance which will leave millions of men without wives. The one-child policy, which has been decried as a major human rights violation by activist groups throughout the world, has triggered the twin tragedies of female infanticide and abortion. China now has about 117 boys for every 100 girls, with nearly 13 million more boys than girls under the age of nine. By the year 2020, China could have some 40 million men who cannot find wives – a disturbing development which could have devastating implications for Chinese society for generations to come. (http://www.lifenews.com/nat515.html) PRO-LIFE WOMEN FORCIBLY DRAGGED FROM JOHN KERRY ABORTION RALLY Five pro-life college students were forcibly removed from a pro-abortion rally held by presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry in late April. The students were literally dragged off after they began leading a pro-life chant, and one woman suffered injuries to her feet as a result. Suanne Edmiston, a sophomore at George Washington University, was one of the pro-life students who attended. Several abortion advocates told the students they had to leave. Edmiston said the students told them they would leave, but wanted a uniformed official to explain why they had to leave a public event and one for which they had obtained tickets from the Kerry campaign. After seeing the students wouldn’t leave, the NARAL women told each other to link arms and began to surround the pro-life students. The NARAL women eventually enveloped three of the students, including Suanne, in a circle and began dragging them away. The abortion advocates dragged Suanne over a rough gravel surface that caused her foot to bleed so much that Edmiston required medical attention afterwards. (http:www.lifenews.com/nat483.html)
FIRED EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN SUES AFTER REFUSING TO TRANSPORT WOMAN FOR ABORTION In a case that attracted national attention, a lawsuit has been filed against an ambulance service that fired a worker who refused to transport a woman to an abortion center. THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR LAW & JUSTICE filed a federal suit against SUPERIOR AMBULANCE SERVICE, an Illinois company, claiming that company officials violated Stephanie Adamson’s rights by firing her for her religious beliefs. In August 2003, Adamson responded to a non-emergency call at Mt. Sinai Hospital. There, she was instructed to transport a woman to an abortion center near Cook County Hospital to have an abortion. Once Adamson confirmed the nature of the assignment, she made it clear that she could not aid a woman to have an abortion because of her pro-life religious beliefs. A second crew was called to the scene to transport the woman, and Adamson was subsequently fired by a supervisor. “THIS IS A CASE WHERE AN EMPLOYEE FIRED AN EMPLOYEE FOR ACTING IN ACCORDANCE WITH HER RELIGIOUS BELIEFS BY REFUSING TO BECOME A PARTICIPANT IN AN ABORTION,” SAID ACLJ attorney Frances J. Manion. “OUR CLIENT BECAME AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIAN BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO SAVE LIVES, NOT TAKE LIVES,” Manion said. (http:www.lifenews.com/nat503.html) FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL PRAISES FDA DECISION TO KEEP MORNING-AFTER PILL FROM GOING OVER-THE-COUNTER Citing a concern that young teenagers may not safely use the morning-after pill without a doctor’s guidance, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officially rejected a plan to make the pill available over-the-counter in America’s pharmacies. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement in response to the FDA’s decision: “FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL APPLAUDS THE FDA FOR PUTTING THE SAFETY OF AMERICAN WOMEN AND GIRLS ABOVE THE WISHES OF THE PRO-ABORTION LOBBY, AND WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO HOLD THEIR GROUND. WOMEN TAKING THE BIRTH CONTROL PILL CONSULT WITH THEIR DOCTORS ONCE A YEAR FOR MEDICAL CHECK-UPS. THE MORNING-AFTER PILL IS 50 TIMES STRONGER, AND YET OVER-THE-COUNTER ACCESS WOULD HAVE ALLOWED WOMEN AND GIRLS TO TAKE THIS DANGEROUS DRUG WITHOUT ANY MEDICAL OVERSIGHT. . .” (http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?=PRO4e04 - 5/28/04 YOUNG ADULTS’ CHLAMYDIA RATE HIGH Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease nationwide, with an estimated 3 million people infected each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Chlamydia infections can be cured with antibiotics. Left untreated, they can cause pelvic pain and infertility in women and increase susceptibility of the AIDS virus in men and women. In 2002, 834,555 cases of chlamydia were reported in the US. More than 4 percent of young adults in the US are infected with chlamydia, and the sexually transmitted disease is six times more common in blacks than in whites, according to researchers. The prevalence was lowest among whites – 1.94 percent – and highest among blacks – 12.54 percent. Other infection rates were 10.4 percent of Native Americans, 5.9 percent of Hispanics and 2 percent of Asian Americans. (Associated Press/Modesto Bee – 5/12/04) - 8 - |
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Women who contract the sexually transmitted disease, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), may be in danger of developing cervical cancer - but most women are unaware of the threat. According to Reuters, a recent survey found that less than a third of female respondents had ever even heard of HPV. That ignorance can be deadly: 95% of women with cervical cancer have HPV. HPV is not only incurable, but women cannot protect themselves from the disease by insisting that their sex partners use a condom. The virus is often found on areas of the skin not covered by prophylactic. That may excplain why HPV is among the most common sexuallty transmitted diseases in the nation, according to the U. S. Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC). There are some 20 million Americans infected with it, and 5.5 million new cases are reported in the U.S.each year. (Reuters, 8/5/03 - AFA Journal, 10/03) |
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The opening of the first abortion clinic for teenagers in China apparently has sparked heated public debate. The clinic opened in southwestern Chongqing, one of China's most populous cities in February, 2003. It provides so-called emergency contraception and free abortions. However, critics have accused the clinic of encouraging young people to engage in irresponsible sexual activity. The reported furor over this clinic is surprising because abortion, including coerced abortion, is widespread in China and is encouraged under the one-child family policy. It seems, however, that teenage sex outside marriage remains taboo. (The Australian, 3/11/03) |
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China, especially in rural areas, is facing a tremendous problem with its male-female ratio thanks to population control efforts and a culture that prefers boys to girls. For every 100 girls born in China, about 16 more boys came into the world, according to national census statistics in 2000. The result of years of similar numbers is a society where millions of Chinese men are having a difficulty finding wives. The inbalance had become "one of the most serious problems in the Chinese rural area," Xinhua news agency quoted Vice Minister Pan Guiyu, in charge of the State Commission for Population and Family Planning, telling the Chinese Women's Ninth National Congress. In addition to infanticide practice against girl babies, the adoption of children from China by people of other countries discriminates against boys. Guiyu said virtually all adoptions are of girls. (www.choosethechild.org) |
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The United Nations Population Division recently released a report that should dispel any fears that the world is overpopulated, what the New York Times has called, "ONE OF THE MYTHS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY." The world population is in fact aging at a disproportionate rate. The report found that the "potential support ratio" of people 15 to 64 to those over 65 is currently 9 to 1, and projects that by 2050 that ratio will decrease 4 to 1. With more people living longer and families having fewer children, the fastest growing age group is now made up of people over the age of 80. As the number of people able to work to sustain economics continues to shrink, many countries are finding development nearly impossible. In addition, the pressure is mounting on healthcare systems and government services. Half of the countries in the world, including many in Latin America, Asia and Africa, have birthrates below replacement. Europe and Japan are literally dying, and low birth rates and lack of family friendly policies have been cited as the culprits IRONICALLY, THIS SAME UNITED NATIONS THAT IS SOUNDING AN ALARM IS THE SAME UNITED NATIONS PROMOTING POPULATION CONTROL MEASURES ALL OVER THE GLOBE. (Austin Ruse - Friday Fax; 3/1/02 - HLA Action News - Spring 2002) |
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Patridia Ireland, who spent a decade as NOW'S outspoken president, helping lead opposition to Clarence Thomas' Supreme Court nomination and spearheading efforts to preserve aborion rights, has been dismissed after six months as chief executive of the YWCA of the U.S.A. Dorris Daniel-Parkes has been named interim director by the National Coordinating Board of the YWCA, the organizztion said. Ireland said members of the board had met with her in New York and first asked for her resignation, The New York Times quoted her as saying. She said she declined because she did not want to give the impression she had "jumped ship." According to board chairman Audrey Peeples in a press release: "WE HAVE THE DEEPEST ADMIRATION FOR MS. IRELAND'S DEDICATION TO WOMEN'S ISSUES AND SOCIAL JUSTICE, BUT THE YWCA HAS PROVED TO BE THE WRONG PLATFORM FOR HER TO ADVOCATE FOR THESE ISSUES." (From www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news) |
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PLANNED PARENTHOOD and NOW held a press conference at the Community Concourse in San Diego on June 11, 2003 to complain about the Davis recall and that their "right to choose" might be eroded under another governor. Eight pro-lifers arrived early, each bearing large graphic signs depicting aborted babies. The press conference was being set up in the public concourse with a row of chairs for "dignitaries", a lectern, and a banner as a backdrop. The pro-lifers set up on either side of the metal stand behind the lectern facing the row of chairs. The dozen or so signs dwarfed PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S little banner. The PLANNED PARENTHOOD spokesperson, Mary Ellen Hamilton, began giving piecemeal interviews to the large group of media that had gathered. Pro-lifer Heather Mechanic quietly took her sign and stood behind Mary Ellen, Mary Ellen kept trying to move away from Heather's backdrop and then suddenly took off running across the concourse. Heather moved with her, and the cameramen ran after. Mary Ellen never was able to get out a clean sound bite and eventually gave up and left. From there the press conference fell apart. The organizer, a young man who looked to be near tears, cancelled it and spent the rest of the time whining about how the pro-lifers had "hijacked" their press conference. (From LifePriority@cs.com) |
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Nearly 10.5 million children were being raised by full-time stay-at-home moms last year, up 13 percent in a little less than a decade. Experts credit the economic boom, the cultural influence of America's growing Hispanic population and the entry into parenthood of a generation of latchkey kids. Of the 41,8 million children under 15 who lived with two parents last year, more than 25 percent had mothers who did not work and stayed home, according to a Census Bureau report. That was up from 23 percent, or 9.4 million children, in such situations in 1994, a bureau analyst said. Many younger women who now have children grew up when placing a child in day care was the norm, said Susan De Ritis, spokeswoman for the Fairfax, VA-based Family and Home Network, which represents stay-at-home parents. "THOSE CHILDREN THAT WERE IN DAY CARE GROWING UP ARE NOW BECOMING MOTHERS THEMSELVES, AND NOW THEY DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS TO BECOME DAY CARE CHILDREN," she said. |
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TEXAS SENATOR OFFENDS PRO-LIFE COMMUNITY Texas pro-life advocates have never quite trusted Kay Bailey Hutchison when it comes to abortion. Six years ago, delegates of the state Republican convention booed her, and staunch abortion opponents tried to block her from being a national convention delegate because of her support for abortion. Yet groups that favor abortion don't trust her, either, and say she only pays lip service to the cause. Both sides had something to grumble about after the Senate voted to ban partial-birth abortion. Sen. Hutchison (R-TX) joined the majority, as she has on previous efforts to ban the abortion procedure. But she seemed to do an about-face on an amendment claiming that abortions is a fundamental right and that the Supreme Court's landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling should not be overturned. |
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JANE FONDA RECEIVES PLANNED PARENTHOOD AWARD Actress and political activist Jane Fonda received the PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA'S highest award at a dinner at the Portland Hilton in Portland, Oregon. Fonda received the Margaret Sanger Award - named for Planned Parenthood's founder - at the pro-abortion group's annual convention. Federation President Gloria Feldt says Fonda, who serves on a Planned Parenthood advisory board, has helped the organization take a more active role in politics and has shown a keen understanding of many of the pressures facing young girls. Fonda has also been a major political donor to the pro-abortion movement. In 2000, she gave more than $12 million dollars to help bankroll an advertising and get-out-the-vote effort to help candidates supporting legalized abortion. (The Pro-Life Infonet infonet@prolifeinfo.org) |
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POLLS INDICATE STRONG SUPPORT FOR LIMITING ABORTION USA Today/CNN/Gallup, 1/03: 88% - Requiring doctors to inform patients about alternatives to abortion before performing the procedure. 78% - Requiring women seeking abortions to wait 24 hours before having the procedure done. 72% - Requiring women under 18 to get parental consent for an abortion. Worthlin Worldwide, 12/02: 68% - Restoring legal protection for unborn children. 66% - Supreme Court nominees who would uphold laws that restore legal protection to unborn children. (AFA JOURNAL - March 2003) |
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PLANNED PARENTHOOD PAYING TEENS TO EDUCATE PEERS PLANNED PARENTHOOD in Morrow County, OH has made a deal with the school system to pay teenagers $100 to be trained as an "outreach worker." They would then be paid additional money for each new teenage client they recruit. The money will come, in part, from federal and state grants via the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. According to the U. S. Government Accounting Office, PLANNED PARENTHOOD received more than $137 million in federal money during the 2001 fiscal year. Family Research Council president Ken Connor said: "UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD TAXPAYERS BE FORCED TO SUBSIDIZE PLANNED PARENTHOOD'S EFFORT TO PROMOTE TEEN SEX." (Family Research Council, 12/2/02) |
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U. S. SENIOR POPULATION SET FOR BOOM Between 2000 and 2030, the number of Americans 65 or older will increase from 35 million to 71 million; or from 12.4% to nearly 20% of the population according to the national Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. The chronic diseases associated with aging will mean increased demands on the nation's medical and social systems. Worldwide, the number of senior citizens is projected to more than double by 2030, from 420 million to 973 million. (Associated Press) |
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OREGON ASSISTED SUICIDE DOUBLED IN 2003 Thirty-eight Oregonians died by assisted suicide in 2002, up from 21 in 2001 according to state officials. Last year's total was by far the highest since the law took effect in 1998, allowing people to kill themselves with the help of a doctor. Twenty-seven people used the law in both 1999 and 2000. Sixteen opted for assisted suicide in 1998. Last year's surge in assisted suicides came as the federal government waged a legal fight to cripple the law. The voter-approved law has remained in force during the ongoing court battle. Dr. Kenneth Stevens, a cancer specialist and president of PHYSICIANS FOR COMPASSIONATE CARE, which opposes assisted suicide, said he was disappointed by the increase in 2002. "THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS DOCTORS SHOULDN'T DO," he said. "DOCTORS SHOULDN'T HAVE SEX WITH THEIR PATIENTS. DOCTORS SHOULDN'T EUTHANIZE THEIR PATIENTS. THEY SHOULDN'T WRITE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT WOULD BE LETHAL. THOSE ARE THE ETHICS WE'VE HAD FOR GENERATIONS." (infonet@prolifeinfo.org) |
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PHILLIP NITSCHKE, AUSTRALIA'S "KEVORKIAN," TO MAKE NEW SUICIDE MACHINE In January, Australian custom agents in Sydney seized a "death machine" made by Australia's leading euthanasia practitioner, Philip Nitschke, as he prepared to leave for San Diego to introduce the device to a national meeting of the HEMLOCK SOCIETY, a U. S. euthanasia group. The device consists of a coffee-can-sized canister, an intravenous drip bag and nasal prongs. It pumps pure carbon monoxide into a mask causing asphyxiation in a matter of minutes, and does not need to be administered by a doctor. The patented device costs about $100. Labels on the machine, under the guise of a warning, will describe how to mix the chemicals to produce the deadly carbon monoxide. Although assisted suicide is illegal in Australia, Nitschke said the machine would circumvent laws against such lethal machines because it can also dispense oxygen, which is legal. He is currently being investigated for his role in the suicides of at least three people. (Associated Press, 1/12/03; Focus on the Family, 1/8/03) |
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NEW YORK WOMAN ON TRIAL FOR KILLING HER BOYFRIEND OVER ABORTION A Brooklyn woman, who admitted she shot her boyfriend dead during a fight in their car over whether she should have an abortion, will get her day in court. Lesa White, 38, the mother of the couple's two kids, is expected to take the witness stand in her defense in Brooklyn Supreme Court. She pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in a deal that could have sent her to prison for 20 years. But she convinced a judge to allow her to withdraw the plea - and risk a conviction that would carry a sentence of 25 years to life. Lesa White claims she pumped two bullets into Arthur Sampson by accident during a September 2001 fight. She said they argued about whether she should have an abortion - something Sampson, 30, wanted but she didn't. But prosecutors and Sampson's family say White fired in a rage after he went with his sister to serve White an order of protection to end their six-year relationship. (infonet@prolifeinfo.org) |
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SENATOR SAM BROWNBECK INTRODUCES BILL TO BAN ALL HUMAN CLONING On the heels of President Bush's call for a ban on all forms of human cloning in his State of the Union address, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced a bill that would ban all cloning that creates human embryos simply for the purpose of destroying them in scientific research. Brownback's legislation is identical to a bill now before the House of Representatives - the Weldon-Stupak bill - previously passed in the last Congress. |
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WOMEN WITH HISTORY OF ABORTION MORE LIKELY TO USE DRUGS, ALCOHOL, STUDY FINDS The results of a study led by Dr. Priscilla Coleman, an assistant professor of family and consumer sciences at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, show that women who had an abortion were more than five times more likely to use illicit drugs and over twice as likely to use alcohol during their next pregnancy compared to women with one prior birth. The study appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, one of the world's leading OBGYN journals. In a nationally representative sample of 607 women, the data peretaining to the use of marijuana were perhaps the most startling: women with a history of abortion were over 10 times more likely to use marijuana during pregnancy when compared to women who had previously given birth. When the comparison group was women with no prior pregnancies, the results were similar. |
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NEW POLL INDICATES UPSURGE IN PRO-LIFE SUPPORT The latest research shows that America is becoming more pro-life. A nationwide survey of 1,009 people conducted by Zogby International indicates that more than one-fifth of the people polled are less in favor of abortion today than they were a decade ago. Even more encouraging, young people tend to be more opposed to abortion than members of the Baby Boom generation. One-third of people age 18 to 29 said abortion should never be legal. |
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MORE TEENS GETTING MARRIED The number of married teenagers surged nearly 50 percent during the 1990s, reversing a decades-long decline. Marriage remains fairly uncommon in this age group -only 4.5 percent of 15 to 19-year-olds were married in 2000 -but researchers were nonetheless surprised by the increase reported by the Census Bureau. David Popenoe of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University, which studies marriage trends and ways to strengthen marriage, offered several possible reasons. "THERE'S BEEN A SLIGHT TREND TOWARD CONSERVATISM AMONG TEENS, LESS PREMARITAL SEX, MORE FEAR OF DISEASE," he said. "IT COULD CONCEIVABLY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WELFARE REFORM. BUT IT'S A SURPRISE." (Associated Press) |
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NANCY PELOSI - "CONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC"? On CNN'S show, "Inside Politics," Nancy Pelosi recently said, "YES, I'M A LIBERAL DEMOCRAT, BUT I'M A CONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC." Her comment was also cited in U. S.A. Today. Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights President William Donohue found this amusing: "NANCY PELOSI, THE NEW MINORITY LEADER IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, HAS VOTED AGAINST SCHOOL VOUCHERS AND THE FAITH-BASED INITIATIVE. WHEN IT COMES TO ABORTION, NO ONE IN THE U. S. CONGRESS HAS A MORE EXTREME RECORD THAN SHE DOES. WHETHER THE ISSUE IS PARENTAL CONSENT OR PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION, SHE CAN ALWAYS BE COUNTED ON TO DELIVER A PROABORTION VOTE. YET SHE CALLS HERSELF A 'CONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC.' IT WOULD BE INSTRUCTIVE TO KNOW WHAT SHE CONSIDERS A LIBERAL CATHOLIC TO BE. IT'S AC TUALLY WORSE THAN THIS. THE OCTOBER 12, 2002 EDITION OF THE PBS PROGRAM 'TO THE CONTRARY,' SHOWED PELOSI PLAYING HOST TO ANTI-CATHOLICS. FRANCES KISSLING AND OTHER STAFF MEMBERS OF THE NOTORIOUSLY ANTI-CATHOLIC ORGANIZATION CATHOLICS FOR A FREE CHOICE, WERE FEATURED WALKING OUT OF PELOSI'S OFFICE AFTER A LOBBYING SESSION. . ." (www.catholicleague.org/02press_releases/pr0402.htm) |
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TAIWAN ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE DECLINING BIRTHRATE Taiwan is attempting to reverse its continuously declining birthrate, which stands at 1.16 children per woman, down from six children in the 1950s. The Ministry of the Interior, and Council for Economic Planning and Development has proposed awarding couples monetarily if they give birth to more than two children. The move comes at a time when China is being heavily criticized for its policy of coercive abortion and forced sterilizations. The birthrate must be at least 2.1 children per family to maintain a replacement level. (Pro-Life Infonet - 10/16/02) |
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PLANNED PARENTHOOD RETALIATES OVER HOLIDAY CARD CRITICISM In response to the intense criticism it faced by the release of the "Choice on Earth" holiday card, Planned Parenthood Federation of America decided to further insult Christians: "OUR SUPPORTERS ARE SO ENERGIZED BY THE VICIOUS CRITICISM OF OUR HOLIDAY CARD THAT WE'RE PRINTING THESE LIMITED-EDITION 'CHOICE ON EARTH' T-SHIRTS. . ." Kerry Daughtery, a columnist for the Virginia-Post, wrote about the cards in a recent piece: ". . . When these guys talk about 'choice,' they're talking about abortion. So unless I'm missing something, Planned Parenthood is peddling abortion cards for Christmas. . ." (www.fightpp.org./show.cfm?page=press&action=display&ID=40)
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Please Contact Us with any comments or suggestions. Updated Monthly Last Updated 05/15/03 |
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