LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Potential 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates Raise Big Money, Back Pro-Lifers
• NFL Football Players Support Tim Tebow, Pro-Life Super Bowl Ad With Mom
• Analysts Say Pro-Abortion Democrats Could Lose Senate After 2010 Elections
• Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz President Becomes Ford Foundation Trustee
• Abortion Advocates: Pro-Abortion Groups Wrong on Tebow Ad, Pro-Lifers Winning
• Abortion Practitioner Alberto Hodari Under Investigation by Michigan Officials
• New Study Finds Abstinence Education Effective, Comprehensive Sex-Ed Flops
• Planned Parenthood Refuses to Respond to Escort's Attack on Pro-Lifer Lila Rose
• Pro-Life Group Says Catholic Bishops' Official Had Post in Pro-Abortion Group
• Ohio Pro-Life Group Backs Portman, Kasich and Other Candidates for State Office
• The Notre Dame 88 Need Continued Support From Pro-Life Advocates
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Potential 2012 GOP Presidential Candidates Raise Big Money, Back Pro-Lifers
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The potential 2012 Republican presidential candidates all raised significant amounts of money for their political action committees last year. Each of the potential challengers to pro-abortion President Barack Obama not only received hefty donations but also doled out money to pro-life candidates. The associated with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the 2008 vice-presidential nominee, raised $1.4 million in the second half of last year and $2.1 million through all of 2009. The records show most of the income coming in after she stepped down as the governor of Alaska to focus more time to speaking out on issues.
According to a filing made Saturday to the Federal Election Commission, Sarah PAC received most of its support by way of small donations. Palin's PAC supported pro-life candidates -- with $35,500 to federal candidates and committees, including to pro-life Senate candidates Roy Blunt in Missouri and Rob Portman in Ohio. Palin also supported pro-life former congressman John Kasich, a candidate for Ohio governor, and pro-life Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell in his bid for the office last year.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who ran as a pro-life presidential candidate in 2008, raised $2.9 million last year and entered the year with $1.1 million on hand. Romney s PAC contributed the maximum $6800 to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in his successful bid to knock off pro-abortion Gov. Jon Corzine and $5,000 to McDonnell. He also sent $9,000 in early seed money to Scott Brown, who defeated pro-abortion Martha Coakley in Massachusetts.
And pro-life Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty raised $1.3 million since launching just three months ago. Full story at LifeNews.com
NFL Football Players Support Tim Tebow, Pro-Life Super Bowl Ad With Mom
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Current and former football players are weighing in and they support the college football superstar and his family in their television commercial that will run during the Super Bowl. Focus on the Family has purchased time for an ad that will focus on how Tebow's mother Pam refused to have an abortion.
Pam Tebow was pregnant with Tim Tebow when she was on a missions trip to the Philippines and when she took heavy medication after getting dysentery her doctor suggested an abortion because the drugs could harm the baby.
She refused and Tebow has gone on to win the Heisman Trophy and lead the Florida Gators to a national championship.
As Baptist Press indicates, Christian players interviewed at the Pro Bowl expressed strong support for Tebow's family and the ad.
David Garrard, quarterback for the NFL Jacksonville Jaguars, applauded Tebow for standing up for his convictions. I applaud him for standing up for what he believes, he said. More people, more athletes should do the same.
David Akers, a kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles, added that he is definitely pro-life," had adopted a child and he supports the ad and its support for unborn children. They have a life, Akers said according to BP, and if you take that away, that s pretty cruel. If you get into the politics of what should and shouldn't happen, I'm definitely biblically based. I think that s creation and we shouldn't harm it. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Analysts Say Pro-Abortion Democrats Could Lose Senate After 2010 Elections
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Political analysts looking ahead to the 2010 mid-term elections have said for months that there is an outside chance pro-abortion Democrats may lose their control of the House. Now, top experts suggest there is a remote possibility they could lose their hold on the Senate as well.
Removing pro-abortion stalwarts like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid from power would be a game-changer for the pro-life movement.
The two have worked overtime for a government-run health care bill that would force taxpayers to finance hundreds of thousands of abortions and present other concerns.
Pelosi has prevented the House from voting on some pro-life amendments and neither have allowed hearings or floor votes on any pro-life bills to limit abortions.
The addition alone of more pro-life lawmakers in either body -- without changing control of the House or Senate -- helps the pro-life legislative cause. But capturing either chamber would change the face of abortion politics on Capitol Hill. Full story at LifeNews.com
Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz President Becomes Ford Foundation Trustee
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Unable to earn the backing of grassroots Americans, the pro-abortion lobby has held close relationships with foundations -- from which it has drawn millions for its advocacy work. Cementing those ties, the president of the Planned Parenthood abortion business has been named a trustee of the Ford Foundation.
Planned Parenthood announced today in a statement LifeNews.com obtained, that the president of the abortion business, Cecile Richards, was named to the post.
Richards was elected this week to join the Ford Foundation s Board of Trustees and she will officially begin at the foundation s next board meeting in May. Ford trustees serve six-year terms, and may be re-elected to the board for a second term. The 15-member board of trustees sets broad policy related to the foundation s issue areas and geographic focus and oversees its investments and grants.
Wendy Wright of Concerned Women for America talked with LifeNews.com about the news.
"This appointment helps expose Ford Foundation s long-time radical work on population control," she said.
"Cecile Richards joining the board of the Ford Foundation reinforces the concern that wealthy elites never ended their penchant for eugenics. Planned Parenthood and the Ford Foundation are two major players in the sordid history of population control. They both pioneered campaigns targeting poor minorities," she continued. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact the Ford Foundation about its naming Richards to the board of trustees and its pro-abortion grants at http://www.fordfound.org/about/contactus
Abortion Advocates: Pro-Abortion Groups Wrong on Tebow Ad, Pro-Lifers Winning
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The campaign by pro-abortion groups to get CBS to reverse its decision to run the Focus on the Family commercial featuring Tim Tebow is causing so much backlash that two former leaders of prominent pro-abortion groups are calling on abortion advocates to call off the dogs.
The candid comments follow a surprising editorial from the New York Times defending the ad and the Tebow family.
Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL and Frances Kissling, who ran the pro-abortion group calling itself "Catholics for Choice," wrote the op-ed in the Washington Post on Sunday.
They take to task NOW, Emily's List and other abortion advocates who have criticized CBS for running the ad, which reportedly features Tebow and his mother Pam Tebow talking about her decision not to have an abortion in the face of threats to her health during her pregnancy with Tim.
"For abortion rights supporters, picking on Tim Tebow and his mom is not the way to go. Instead of trying to block or criticize the Focus on the Family ad, the pro-choice movement needs its own Super Bowl strategy," the pair write.
Saying Americans want to be inspired rather than be subjected to harsh criticism, and they say Focus and Tebow are winning the messaging debate on abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
Abortion Practitioner Alberto Hodari Under Investigation by Michigan Officials
Flint, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Michigan-based abortion practitioner Alberto Hodari has a troubled history as an abortion practitioner that has seen him kill three young woman in botched abortions and he faces accusations from another that he forced her to have an abortion. Now, Michigan officials are looking into his abortion practice.
Caitlin Bruce, a 20-year-old woman, says Hodari and a staffer held her down and completed an abortion on her even though she changed her mind while on the table and voiced her objections.
Tom Pabst, the attorney for Bruce, has filed both a civil lawsuit and papers with the County Prosecutor David Leyton hoping for criminal charges.
After learning of the incident, the pro-life group Operation Rescue filed an official complaint with state officials.
Today, OR president Troy Newman informed LifeNews.com that the Michigan Department of Community Health has confirmed in two separate letters that Hodari is officially under investigation by the Bureau of Health Profession for his involvement in the forced abortion.
The case is File #114925 and it concerns both the Bruce abortion and a 20-year old case involving a then 16-year old girl who came forward last year to tell of her abortion by Hodari that he forced upon her under false pretenses. Full story at LifeNews.com
New Study Finds Abstinence Education Effective, Comprehensive Sex-Ed Flops
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new study released today finds abstinence education effective in reducing sexual activity among youth while comprehensive sexual education flops. Students participating in an eight-hour abstinence program showed a one-third decrease in their rates of sexual activity compared to non-participants.
The study, involving black middle-school students, appears in the February 2010 Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, a publication of the American Medical Association.
It found the students in the abstinence program showed lower levels of sexual activity even two years later.
The National Abstinence Education Association tells LifeNews.com that the study shows positive outcomes for high-risk, African-American, middle school students.
"The study shows that a high-risk population of 6th and 7th graders receiving abstinence-centered education reduced sexual initiation, reduced the number of sexual partners (a crucial determinant in acquiring an STD), and further showed that abstinence instruction did not deter the use of condoms (a common charge brought by anti-abstinence critics)," NAEA's Valerie Huber said.
Of particular note, students were significantly less likely to initiate sex with the abstinence-centered approach than any other sex education strategy Full story at LifeNews.com
Planned Parenthood Refuses to Respond to Escort's Attack on Pro-Lifer Lila Rose
San Jose, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Staff at the San Jose, California Planned Parenthood abortion business where pro-life advocate Lila Rose was attacked in December have yet to respond publicly to that attack.
According to a police report filed at the scene and numerous witnesses, a uniformed Planned Parenthood escort engaged in a short exchange with Rose and eventually struck her on the hand, knocking her literature to the ground.
At the time, Rose told LifeNews.com she was visiting the abortion center with a group of about 20 students and three adults to pray and provide information to women who might be open to abortion alternatives.
Rose asked pro-life blogger Cassy Fiano to try to contact Planned Parenthood and get a response from them about the incident -- and she had no luck.
"I genuinely wanted to know their side of the story. Have they done their own investigation into this? Is the escort, a Gerard Nordley, still working with Planned Parenthood? Do they have a statement? Will they issue an apology?" she writes today.
"I called their public relations department repeatedly for over a month. I left message after message. I never received a single phone call to follow up about this incident, or a single e-mail," Fiano continued. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Group Says Catholic Bishops' Official Had Post in Pro-Abortion Group
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life organization contends a top official at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops pulled double duty with a leadership role in a group that promotes abortion. The American Life League charges concern John Carr, of the USCCB Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development.
The pro-life group says Carr held simultaneous leadership roles, creating a conflict of interest, with the USCCB and the Center for Community Change, which supports abortion.
"The closer we look at the Bishops' Conference [staff and programs], the more we find a systemic pattern of cooperation with evil," said Michael Hichborn, American Life League's lead researcher. "The CCC has lodged itself into the highest places of power in the USCCB while working to promote abortion."
Carr is the USCCB executive director of the Department of Justice Peace and Human Development which oversees the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). He has been employed by the USCCB since 1987.
Hichborn says Carr's relationship with the Center for Community Change goes back at least to 1983, serving in leadership roles from 1999 to 2006 including a stint as the chairman of the board. Full story at LifeNews.com
Ohio Pro-Life Group Backs Portman, Kasich and Other Candidates for State Office
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- Ohio Right to Life today announced its endorsement of a slate of pro-life candidates seeking elected office statewide. The pro-life organization picked Rob Portman as its endorsed candidate for the U.S. Senate and named John Kasich as its endorsed candidate for governor.
The Ohio Right to Life Society PAC selected candidates in five races, with the gubernatorial and Senate races drawing most of the attention for Ohio voters.
"The philosophical direction of the United States Senate hangs in the balance and we have learned the hard way that elections do have consequences," Mike Gonidakis, a spokesman for the group, told LifeNews.com today.
Gonidakis said electing Portman "should be priority number one for the pro-life movement to ensure that abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion does not become part of any national health care plan."
"It is an absolute responsibility for the men and women of Ohio's pro-life movement to support Rob Portman, who supports, promotes and has defended a culture of life throughout his career," he said of the long-time pro-life congressman. Full story at LifeNews.com
The Notre Dame 88 Need Continued Support From Pro-Life Advocates
Many persons who attended the March for Life last Friday saw banners asking that charges against the Notre Dame 88 be dropped. The ND 88 protested the University of Notre Dame's conferral of an honorary law degree on a politician with great political power to promote his pro-abortion agenda.
Their case has generated heated controversy that will only compound itself if trials commence. Now is a good time to suspend emotion and ask the question: should the pro-life community support dropping of charges?
Under normal circumstances a university has a legitimate concern to maintain order on its campus. However, the Obama invitation created a special set of circumstances. Following the example of civil rights protesters of the 1960 s, a group of committed pro-lifers decided to exercise peaceful civil disobedience in protesting the university s decision to honor one of the most pro-abortion politicians in history.
The university s president disagrees and refuses to call for a dropping of charges. Is he--not to mention his presumed supporters among university officers, trustees, and fellows--correct to persist in this refusal? No, for at least three reasons. Full story at LifeNews.com
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