LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
| For news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
• Poll Shows Support for Pro-Abortion Health Care Reform Bill Hits New Low
• 40 Days for Life Saves 38 Babies From Abortion, Another Clinic Staffer Quits
• African-American Leaders Oppose Black Pastors Backing Pro-Abortion Health Care
• Officials in Nebraska Begin Investigating Late-Term Abortion Practitioner Carhart
• Court Gets Brief in Planned Parenthood $180 Million Birth Control Fraud Case
• Bill Clinton Attacks Pro-Life Americans, Pushes "Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy"
• Advancing a Pro-Life Culture in a Catholic Community With Pro-Abortion Politicians
• Legislation Could Expand Assisted Suicide to New Hampshire, Surrounding States
• Genetic Engineering: U.S. Company Now Offers Look-Alike Celebrity Sperm
• Spain Cabinet Approves Measure to Expand Abortions, No Parental Involvement
• New York Congressional Candidate Hoffman Gets Pro-Life Group's Support
• South Dakota Voters Could Face Ballot Prop for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Judge in Notre Dame Pro-Life Protest Case Married to Pro-Abortion ND Professor
• Spokane Community Colleges Settle Lawsuit Over Discrimination Against Pro-Lifers
Is your Right to Life group or pregnancy center looking for an affordable speaker? Need a speaker for a conference, convention, church presentation or on short notice? Consider LifeNews.com Editor Steven Ertelt. Email us for details.
Poll Shows Support for Pro-Abortion Health Care Reform Bill Hits New Low
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows the support for the pro-abortion health care "reform" proposals pending in Congress has reached its lowest levels since the debate began. Just 41% of voters nationwide now favor the health care reform proposed by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats. That's down two points from a week ago and the lowest level of support yet measured by Rasmussen, one of the top-rated pollsters. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 56 percent of Americans are opposed to the three plans, each of which contain abortion funding. "The overall picture remains one of stability," pollster Scott Rasmussen explains. "Today's record low support for the plan of 41% is just a point lower than the results found twice before. With the exception of a slight bounce earlier this month following the president's nationally televised speech to Congress to promote the plan, support for it has remained in the low-to-mid 40s since early July," he said. "During that same time period, opposition has generally stayed in the low-to-mid 50s." Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact members of the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to support amendments to make sure abortion funding and coverage -- as well as rationing -- are specifically excluded from the Baucus bill. You can find members of the panel here. http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm
40 Days for Life Saves 38 Babies From Abortion, Another Clinic Staffer Quits
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The latest 40 Days for Life pro-life prayer campaign is having a great effect as 38 babies have reportedly been saved from abortions thanks to the efforts of local pro-life advocates. Meanwhile, a second abortion center worker has reportedly quit in Illinois, following one in Bakersfield, California. Angela Michael, who is leading the campaign in Granite City, Illinois, near St. Louis, says a nurse at the infamous abortion center there left the facility, hugged her. and told her she worked her last day. "Thank you for praying for me," she told Angela. "Your witness has been powerful to me. This is my last day! I'm going off to do what real nurses should be doing." While Jackie was praying at the 40 Days for Life vigil in New Hampshire, a car slowly pulled up in front of the abortion center and the driver rolled down the window. "I don't know what you're doing here; but whatever it is, it's working," he said, explaining that the abortion center had let employees go because business was off. David Bereit, the head of the pro-life effort, emailed LifeNews.com with the latest report. "Thus far in this fall 40 Days for Life campaign, we've received reports of 38 mothers who changed their minds and chose life. And of course, those are just the ones we know of," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
African-American Leaders Oppose Black Pastors Backing Pro-Abortion Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A coalition of African-American pro-life leaders have released a statement in response to the news that a group of black pastors endorsed the pro-abortion health care bills in Congress. They say the bills betray the black community because abortion targets black Americans moreso than other races. As LifeNews.com reported last week, Bishop Charles E. Blake Sr., a Los Angeles minister from the Church of God in Christ, a predominantly African-American denomination, joined other pastors in backing the legislation. The endorsement came despite analysis from pro-life groups that the bills contain massive abortion funding and subsidies -- something media outlets and independent watchdog groups have confirmed. "The black pro-life movement is outraged by the recent endorsement of this administration's health care proposal by some clergy of the Church of God in Christ," today's statement says in response. "As God-fearing individuals we encourage COGIC leaders to read and evaluate the president's plan, including the Capps-Waxman Amendment, rather than merely parroting his words," they said. "If unborn children cannot depend on the Church to carefully examine this bill to see if their lives will be protected from state-funded genocide, on whom can they depend?" Full story at LifeNews.com
Officials in Nebraska Begin Investigating Late-Term Abortion Practitioner Carhart
Bellevue, NE (LifeNews.com) -- Officials in Nebraska have begun investigating late-term abortion practitioner LeRoy Carhart, who has been accused of illegal and unethical practices by former employees. One of the pro-life groups involved in exposing him says it received word that the office of the state attorney general is involved. Operation Rescue informed LifeNews.com today that the office of Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning is in the process of interviewing former Carhart abortion employees who submitted affidavits. The legal papers blew the whistle on alleged unethical and illegal activities at his Omaha-area abortion business. One of the former workers contacted Operation Rescue and told the group she was interviewed last week. "We are encouraged that the Attorney General's office is taking the allegations against Carhart seriously and are in the process of investigating this case," said Operation Rescue president Troy Newman. Full story at LifeNews.com
 Medical professionals are on the frontlines of battle in life issues. From abortion to assisted suicide and euthanasia and all issues in between we are challenged in the workplace to defend our beliefs and risk our employment. The National Association of Pro-life Nurses has been here for nurses since the beginning of this battle. Join with us in our efforts to protect those voices at www.nursesforlife.org |
Court Gets Brief in Planned Parenthood $180 Million Birth Control Fraud Case
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit received legal papers from the American Center for Law and Justice today. They concern a case in which a former vice president of a Planned Parenthood abortion business affiliate in California has accused it of defrauding the state. P. Victor Gonzalez says the abortion business fired him because he raised concerns about illegal practices of overcharging the state. The former Planned Parenthood official filed a lawsuit in March 2008 against affiliates in California saying they overcharged the state hundreds of millions of dollars on birth control. In January, a federal district court judge dismissed the case and Gonzalez filed an appeal. Now, the ACLJ, a pro-life legal group, filed a brief with the appeals court representing the federal whistleblower. The papers note that the federal False Claims Act (FCA) forbids government contractors from submitting "false or fraudulent" claims for payment. The FCA also authorizes private individuals to bring suit against the offenders to recover the fraudulently obtained funds. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Former President Bill Clinton has returned to peddle the myth that pro-life Americans and others opposed to the aggressive pro-abortion agenda of a president are part of some "vast right-wing conspiracy" that supposedly lies about and unfairly attacks presidents with whom they disagree. The language first cropped up during the Clinton presidency during the 1990s as a way to dismiss attacks on his record without addressing the substance of the opposition. Now, in a new interview with NBC's "Meet the Press," Clinton is again promoting what many observers consider psychobabble. Asked by host David Gregory if the "vast right-wing conspiracy" is still present, Clinton responded: "Oh, you bet. Sure it is. It's not as strong as it was, because America's changed demographically, but it's as virulent as it was. Full story at LifeNews.com| Choicekills.com can change discussion from Defense to Offense |
 A woman's right to choose has succeeded in in forcing us to defend the right to life. Accusing Choice of being a killer TURNS THE TABLES and forces our opponents to defend against the reality that Choice facilitates abortion. Not an easy task. http://www.ChoiceKills.com |
Advancing a Pro-Life Culture in a Catholic Community With Pro-Abortion Politicians
by Archbishop Raymond L. Burke
It is clear that we are experiencing today a period of intense and critical struggle in the advancement of the culture of life in our nation. The administration of our federal government openly and aggressively follows a secularist agenda. While it may employ religious language and even invoke the name of God, in fact, it proposes programs and policies for our people without respect for God and His Law. In the words of the Servant of God Pope John Paul II, it proceeds "as if God did not exist" (Pope John Paul II, Post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles laici, "On the Vocation and the Mission of the Lay Faithful in the Church and in the World," 30 December 1988, no. 34). At the same time, there is a lack of unity among those dedicated to advance a culture which respects fully the gift of human life and its origin in procreation, that is, in the cooperation of man and woman with God through the conjugal union and through education in the home which they have formed by marriage. Recent statements, occasioned by the Rites of Christian Burial accorded to the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, have manifested profound disagreement and even harsh criticism among those who are publicly committed to the Gospel of Life. Full story at LifeNews.com
Legislation Could Expand Assisted Suicide to New Hampshire, Surrounding States
Concord, NH (LifeNews.com) -- New Hampshire state Representative Charles Weed is introducing a measure that would not only expand assisted suicide to New Hampshire but allow it for residents of surrounding states. The language of the Weed amendment would turn the Granite State into a suicide haven. The newly proposed HB 304 by Weed would allow assisted suicide. But it would go further by making it so a terminally ill patient need not be actually suffering serious symptoms to qualify for assisted suicide. Bioethics attorney Wesley J. Smith responds: "Assisted suicide advocates are cultural imperialists who, as they pretend they only want a 'limited' change in law and culture, actually seek to widen and expand the euthanasia/assisted suicide license through the use of loose definitions and broadly worded 'restrictions.'" The Weed measure says a "qualified patient" for assisted suicide "means a capable adult who us a resident of New Hampshire or is a patient regularly treated in a New Hampshire health care facility." That opens the door to residents of new England states to drive to New Hampshire to kill themselves under the law. Full story at LifeNews.com
Genetic Engineering: U.S. Company Now Offers Look-Alike Celebrity Sperm
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Anyone who has ever wondered what it would be like to have a baby whose genes come from someone who looks like a celebrity can now have their wish fulfilled. That's thanks to a company that is coming under fire for offering sperm from people who may resemble your favorite celebrity. A California-based fertility company called Cryobank is offering prospective parents a range of celebrity look-a-like sperm donors. The firm, which will soon open an office in New York, allows customers to search through a database according to characteristics such as ethnicity and eye color without revealing donors' photographs. But its consultation services that have staff assuring customers that their child will be born with genes form someone looking like David Beckham or Brad Pitt are proving popular. Full story at LifeNews.com
Spain Cabinet Approves Measure to Expand Abortions, No Parental Involvement
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- Last Friday, the Cabinet of the government of Spain approved a draft bill that would expand abortions and legalize them up to the fourteenth week of pregnancy. The measure has upset pro-life advocates, but the government made it worse by saying parental involvement won't be allowed. That means teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 who can get abortions will not have to either inform their parents about their abortion nor obtain their consent. The proposal passed a cabinet meeting of the country's ruling socialist party and now goes before the nation's parliament. The socialist government say the law is about "rights and respect" but pro-life advocates and the Catholic Church are strongly opposed to it. The Spanish Family Forum is denouncing the proposal and calling for votes against it. Full story at LifeNews.com
New York Congressional Candidate Hoffman Gets Pro-Life Group's Support
Albany, NY (LifeNews.com) -- New York voters will participate in an upcoming special election to replace Republican Rep. John McHugh, who accepted an appointment in the Obama administration. However, because the Republican candidate in the contest is not pro-life, several pro-life advocates are lining up behind a third-party candidate. Polls show pro-abortion GOP Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava leading the race over Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman, but not by much. As a result and because Hoffman is strongly pro-life, he is already receiving support. Former presidential candidate Fred Thompson jumped in the way with an endorsement for Hoffman, saying he "is a conservative, who understands that life is a precious gift." Full story at LifeNews.com
South Dakota Voters Could Face Ballot Prop for Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Pierre, SD (LifeNews.com) -- When voters in South Dakota head to the polls next November, they could face a statewide ballot measure that would force taxpayers to pay for embryonic stem cell research. That is the science that has yet to provide any cures for patients and has had problems in animal studies. Former state Treasurer David Volk of Sioux Falls, who is a cancer survivor, says he doesn't like the current state restrictions against funding the controversial research. He says he wants the regulations thrown out so taxpayer dollars can flow to embryonic stem cell research involving cancer, Diabetes, Alzheimer's and other diseases -- even though the use of adult stem cells is already helping patients now. Full story at LifeNews.com
Judge in Notre Dame Pro-Life Protest Case Married to Pro-Abortion ND Professor
South Bend, IN (LifeNews.com) -- An attorney for the pro-life protesters arrested on the campus of Notre Dame University is asking for the judge in the case to recuse herself. That is because Judge Jenny Pitts Manier, assigned to the ND88 case, is married to pro-abortion Notre Dame professor Edward Manier. Attorney Tom Dixon today filed a second motion for recusal in the "ND 88" case. In his papers, he provided details support for his assertion in his previous recusal motion that there exists sufficient actual and perceived bias. Dixon also cites Indiana state law in saying that Judge Manier is require to recuse herself because her spouse works for a party in the case. Full story at LifeNews.com
Spokane Community Colleges Settle Lawsuit Over Discrimination Against Pro-Lifers
Spokane, WA (LifeNews.com) -- Community Colleges of Spokane and Spokane Falls Community College officials agreed to a court order Thursday that settles a lawsuit filed after they attempted to unconstitutionally silence the pro-life message of a student group. SFCC officials had threatened student Beth Sheeran. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund, a pro-life law firm, filed suit in March against the schools over allegations that they violated the constitutional rights of pro-life students. SFCC officials reportedly threatened Sheeran and members of a student group with disciplinary measures, including expulsion, if they chose to hold a pro-life event on campus.
College officials claimed the event would be "discriminatory" because it would not include a pro-abortion viewpoint. Full story at LifeNews.com
Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
