LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Friday, January 29, 2010
| For pro-life news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
• Obama SOTU, McDonnell Response Contrasts on Abortion, Health Care
• Democrats Outline Two-Step Method: Approach to Pro-Abortion Health Care
• Sarah Palin Lauds Tim Tebow Ad Applauding Mother's Non-Abortion Decision
• Catholic Bishops Want Health Care Bill, Not With Massive Abortion Funding
• The Pro-Lifer's State of the Union: What Obama Didn't Say About Abortion
• John Edwards Accused in New Book of Wanting Mistress to Have Abortion
• Human Rights Watch Attacks Ireland for Pro-Life Laws Prohibiting Abortions
• University of Wisconsin Docs Planned New Madison Abortion Center for Years
• Washington State Cmte Makes No Decision on Bill Attacking CPCs
• Scott Roeder Admits in Court to Killing Abortion Practitioner George Tiller
• Middle Tennessee State U Stops Discriminating Against Pro-Life Group
--> LifeNews.com is co-sponsoring the Support the Pro-Life Tim Tebow Super Bowl Ad fan page on Facebook with our friends at Americans United for Life. Please join the page and show your support for Tebow, his family and the good people at Focus on the Family letting America know about the pro-life valeus the Tebow family shares.
 Help Focus Thank Pregnancy Centers - Each day, pregnancy centers help moms choose life for their babies -- and now, you can say thank you! Visit BeAVoice.net to help Focus on the Family thank pregnancy centers for serving women and saving lives. Tell your friends! |
Obama State of the Union, McDonnell Response Contrasts on Abortion, Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama and pro-life Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell presented a stark contrast Wednesday night. Obama's State of the Union address promoted the pro-abortion health care bill while McDonnell included a reference to promoting pro-life values in his response.
"I want everyone to take another look at the plan we've proposed," Obama said of the Senate bill that funds abortions and have other abortion problems.
"Here s what I ask of Congress, though: Do not walk away from reform. Not now. Not when we are so close. Let us find a way to come together and finish the job for the American people," Obama said.
Obama appeared to ignore the polling data that consistently shows the American people not only oppose the health care bill but oppose government funding of abortions in it -- instead talking about how pushing the pro-abortion government-run health care bill affected his own political bottom line.
In his response, McDonnell presented a response from Americans opposed to Obama's health care plan.
"In recent months, the American people have made clear that they want government leaders to listen and act on the issues most important to them," he said. We want results, not rhetoric. We want cooperation, not partisanship." Full story at LifeNews.com
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promised today that Congress will approve a health care bill while Speaker Nancy Pelosi outlined the two-step plan.
Pelosi said Congress "must take whatever time it takes" but explained how the House and Senate would likely tackle smaller bills to promote parts of the government-run health care bill.
The bills themselves could come packed with abortion funding if language similar to the Hyde or Stupak Amendment is not included.
Pelosi said the bills were meant to give momentum to the final legislation and not be a replacement for it. "That doesn't mean that it is a substitute for doing comprehensive" legislation, Pelosi said. "It means we will move on many fronts, any front we can."
Pelosi would not say which provisions of the main bill would be floated as stand-along legislation but she said "they can move quickly." Full story at LifeNews.com
Sarah Palin Lauds Tim Tebow Ad Applauding Mother's Non-Abortion Decision Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Former vice-presidential candidate and possible 2012 hopeful Sarah Palin knows something about a difficult pregnancy. Palin, who could have decided to have an abortion of her Down Syndrome baby as so many others do, chose life in the same manner as Tim Tebow's mother. |
As college football star Tim Tebow confirmed yesterday, a new commercial from Focus on the Family that covers his mother's decision not to have an abortion of him will air during the Super Bowl.
While pro-abortion groups have attacked the ad, Palin is applauding it.
"Women s Rights groups, like NOW, commendably call out advertisers and networks for airing sexist and demeaning portrayals of women that lead to young women s diminished self-esteem and acceptance of roles as mere sexed-up objects," Palin wrote on her FaceBook page. "What a ridiculous situation they're getting themselves into now with their protest of CBS airing a pro-life ad during the upcoming Super Bowl game," she continued.
She said there is nothing wrong with an ad that will "speak to the sanctity of life and the beautiful potential within every innocent child as Mrs. Tebow acknowledges her choice to give Tim life, despite less than ideal circumstances." Full story at LifeNews.com
The Pro-Lifer's State of the Union Address: What Obama Didn't Say About Abortion
by Brad Mattes
I promised I wouldn't just do what was popular. I would do what was necessary. -- President Obama, State of the Union 2010
Mr. President, what you've done has been neither popular nor necessary.
Not a word was said, during last night s State of the Union address, about the administration's pro-abortion 'accomplishments.' But they are many.
In January, just days after taking office, Mr. Obama rescinded a policy to keep US money out of international clinics that promote and offer abortions. Early nominations to the administration included the attorney who fought to starve and dehydrate Terri Schindler Schiavo.
By February, Mr. Obama took away protections for healthcare workers who could not in good conscience agree to assist in abortions.
In March, he lifted a ban on taxpayer-funded embryonic stem cell research a move that forever cut short the lives of precious babies, in their earliest state of development, and forced us to pay for it. Then $50 million went to the United Nations Population Fund, which is heavily involved in limiting the population of China through forced abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
The new allegations add insult to injury over someone who could have become president and was the running mate for 2004 pro-abortion presidential hopeful John Kerry.
Andrew Young's forthcoming tell-all book about Edwards was profiled in a new Wall St. Journal article, and though the tome isn't officially on sale until next week it contains one explosive zinger.
The book tells how Edwards tried to cover up his affair with Rielle Hunter. As WSJ notes, "According to Young, Hunter called him in May 2007 to say she was pregnant. Young says that when he informed Edwards, the senator told him to 'handle it,' to which he replied: 'I can't handle this one.'"
Young writes that Edward unloaded on Hunter and said he wanted help in persuading her to have an abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
Human Rights Watch Attacks Ireland for Pro-Life Laws Prohibiting Abortions
Dublin, Ireland (LifeNews.com) -- Human rights apparently don't include the right to life -- at least according to the pro-abortion group Human Rights Watch. The New York-based organization released a document today entitled "A State of Isolation: Access to Abortion for Women in Ireland" attacking Ireland's pro-life laws.
Among other things, it claims that Ireland is in breach of its international human rights obligations for not allowing legalised abortion in this country.
"Women in need of abortion services should, as a matter of international law and human decency, be able to count on support from their government as they face a difficult situation," said Marianne Mollmann, the women's rights advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "But in Ireland they are actively stonewalled, stigmatised, and written out."
Dr Ruth Cullen of the Pro-Life Campaign told LifeNews.com today she is disappointed that a foreign group would attack Ireland's desire to protect women and children.
"Human Rights Watch cannot credibly claim to be a human rights organization while at the same time denying the rights of unborn children throughout the entire nine months of pregnancy. Any authentic vision of human rights has to include the right to life. Otherwise it is meaningless," she said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Madison, WI (LifeNews.com) -- The new abortion facility at the Madison Surgery Center, a joint venture between UW Hospital and Clinics, Meriter Hospital and the UW Medical Foundation, hasn't yet started abortions. But new documents pro-life groups have obtained show plans for the abortion center were in the works for years. The documents also confirm UW is already involved in research using body parts from the babies victimized by abortions.
Last year, pro-life groups including the Alliance Defense Fund, Pro-Life Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Right to Life exposed the plan for the new UW abortion center and led opposition to it.
Now, recently-obtained documents, requested under the Freedom of Information Act, reveal abortion practitioners Caryn Dutton and Laurel Rice have been working towards this plan for years and purposely kept it secret from the Madison Surgery Center (MSC) staff.
Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin, provided information to LifeNews.com about what she found. Full story at LifeNews.com
The measure, Senate Bill 6452, has the backing of pro-abortion groups like NARAL and Planned Parenthood, which loses abortion business when women find positive alternatives.
Sen. Rodney Tom, a Democrat from Medina, is the sponsor of the legislation and the panel has until February 4 to make a decision on it. His bill would place a "gag order" on the centers because they don't push abortion on women.
The legislation would apply the Consumer Protection Act to religious non-profit organization and, as opponents say, would violate the pregnancy center's rights of freedom of faith and conscience. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact your Washington state legislator at http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx and urge a no vote on the bill.
Roeder is charged with first-degree murder in shooting Tiller and two counts of aggravated assault for threatening members of Tiller's church after he shot him there.
During his time on the stand, Roeder admitted he purchased a gun the day before he shot Tiller and that he had engaged in target practice beforehand.
His defense lawyer asked: "Did you go and shoot Dr Tiller?" Roeder replied: "Yes." Full story at LifeNews.com
Middle Tennessee State University Stops Discriminating Against Pro-Life Group  Murfreesboro, TN (LifeNews.com) -- Officials at Middle Tennessee State University have agreed to stop discriminating against a campus pro-life group now that a legal group has stepped into the fray. After receiving a letter from Alliance Defense Fund attorneys, Middle Tennessee State has agreed to retract a discriminatory requirement. MTSU had required that a pro-life student group pay a security fee for a campus display. ADF attorneys representing the student group, Pro-Life Collegians, argued that the fee was unconstitutional, noting that other student groups are not required to pay for campus security during their events. Pro-life student groups shouldn't be penalized and discriminated against for expressing their beliefs, said ADF Litigation Staff Counsel Joe Martins. Full story at LifeNews.com |
| Looking for a Pro-Life Speaker for 2010? |
| Looking for a pro-life speaker for your next banquet, conference or convention? LifeNews.com editor Steven Ertelt is a low-cost speaker who can entertain and educate your audience as well as help you with a fundraising pitch if necessary. He can also speak on any pro-life topic. For more information, email news@LifeNews.com. |
Encourage Friends to Sign Up for Free Pro-Life News From LifeNews.com
| | |
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address Wednesday night, top Democrats today outlined a new two-step approach to approving a government-run health care bill. The hope to approve smaller bills that are more popular and then move to the massive pro-abortion bill.
The bishops have called on Congress to continue to work on health care reform to provide access for everyone, protection of life at all stages and conscience rights.
The call came in a January 26 letter signed by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston- Houston, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities and two other prominent Catholic bishops.
The bishops said that the need for reform remains despite a new political climate which saw the election of Scott Brown from Massachusetts in the Senate provide a filibuster-proof minority.
Although political contexts have changed, the moral and policy failure that leaves tens of millions of our sisters and brothers without access to health care still remains, they said. We encourage Congress to begin working in a bipartisan manner providing political courage, vision and leadership. We must all continue to work towards a solution that protects everyone s lives and respects their dignity. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops are calling on Congress to complete the work on their health care bill, but they are urging lawmakers to exclude abortion funding. With the Senate bill as the likely basis for the final legislation and reconciliation unlikely to remove abortion, that conclusion seems improbable.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards sounded the death knell on his own political career when he was caught in an affair. Now the former North Carolina senator stands accused in a new book of wanting his mistress to have an abortion.
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) -- A Washington state legislative committee did not make a decision on a bill that goes after pregnancy centers in the state that help women find abortion alternatives and pregnancy support. The Senate Health and Long-Term Care Committee held a hearing Wednesday morning on the bill.
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- Scott Roeder, who has no ties or affiliation with pro-life organizations or the pro-life movement, admitted in court today that he shot and killed late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller. Roeder says he do so in order to protect unborn children even though Tiller was close to losing his medical license.
