LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Report Tries to Clear Obama Admin on Promoting Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
• Abortion Practitioner Pulls Gun at Praying Pro-Life Advocates in South Carolina
• Breast Cancer Awareness Months Starts With Magazine Ignoring Abortion Risk
• Inventor of In-Vitro Fertilization Wins Nobel Prize in Medicine, Pro-Life Group Upset
• Millions See Pro-Woman, Pro-Life Message on Abortion at 2010 LifeChain Event
• Florida Pro-Life Group Endorses Marco Rubio for Senate, Rick Scott for Governor
• Pennsylvania Bill Filed to Stop the Abortion Funding ObamaCare Nearly Allowed
• Michigan Abortion Centers Guilty of Violating HIPAA in Dumping Patient Records
• Carelton University Students Arrested, Ignored Free Speech Limits on Abortion
• Boston College Law School Criticized for Linking to Planned Parenthood Web Site
• University of Michigan Researchers Create First Embryonic Stem Cell Line
• Colorado Poll Shows Personhood Amendment 62 Likely Losing by Large Margin
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Report Tries to Clear Obama Admin on Promoting Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new report issued by the inspector general for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) claims the Obama administration did not improperly use taxpayer funds to promote the new constitution in Kenya, which contains provisions essentially legalizing virtually all abortions.
The Obama administration spent tens of millions financing groups participating in the Yes campaign supporting the draft constitution Kenyans approved in August. Some of the groups have long advocated legalized abortion in Kenya.
Both the administration and United States Ambassador to Kenya Michael Ranneberger were accused of endorsing the pro-abortion constitution in violation of the Siljander amendment, a law making it so the United States is not allowed to lobby for or against abortion in other nations.
The report indicates the Obama administration spent $61.2 million with $12.6 million going directly to efforts to promote the pro-abortion constitution -- though Obama officials contend the money went to voter education efforts on the process itself and not promoting a Yes vote -- and the rest of the funding went to eight prime recipients and 86 sub-recipients.
Congressman Chris Smith, a pro-life New Jersey Republican who has taken the lead in monitoring the Obama administration vis-a-vis the Kenya constitution efforts, said the report was "poorly researched, superficial, incomplete and a whitewash."
This was not a well-researched investigation. We had expected the truth and nothing else. We had hoped the IG would dig deep for the facts," he told LifeNews.com late Friday. "This is the most superficial report I've seen in my 30 years in Congress. Full story at LifeNews.com
Abortion Practitioner Pulls Gun at Praying Pro-Life Advocates in South Carolina
Charleston, SC (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion practitioner reportedly brandished a gun when heading to do abortions at the Charleston Women's Medical Center abortion facility in West Ashley, South Carolina on Saturday morning. Gary Boyle, 62, lives in Tennessee, but does abortions at the facility near Charleston.
Apparently upset at the fact that local pro-life advocates have been participating in the national 40 Days for Life campaign, Boyle met their peaceful presence by pulling a gun.
According to the Post and Courier newspaper, Boyle drove his silver Lexus vehicle into the parking lot and he allegedly approached the pro-life advocates, including a 17-year-old boy, and produced a black handgun loaded with 15 rounds.
As Boyle, who runs the Bristol Regional Women s Center abortion facility in Tennessee, made his way to the abortion business, 50-year-old pro-life resident John Karafa called 911.
We were like, Well, that was a gun, Karafa told the newspaper. You can't do that.
The Post and Courier indicates Boyle was arrested and appeared before Charleston County Magistrate Priscilla Baldwin on Saturday afternoon via video conference and Baldwin set his bail at $25,000 on the charges.
Several of the local pro-life prayer event participants, who had signed pledges stating they would act in a peaceful, nonviolent manner during the 40 Days for Life event, appeared outside the courthouse while the proceedings took place. Full story at LifeNews.com
Breast Cancer Awareness Months Starts With Magazine Ignoring Abortion Risk
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Prevention magazine is coming under fire for a new article written in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The magazine claims abortion has no link to breast cancer and implies scientists don't understand the disease or ways to prevent it even though carry a pregnancy to term provides a protective effect.
"Twelve myths to ignore about breast cancer" has Prevention magazine claiming "scientists still have no idea what causes breast cancer," "breast cancer is not preventable," and "induced abortion does not increase breast cancer risk."
Karen Malec, the head of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer says Prevention magazine does a disservice to women because "disease prevention is far better than being cured of that disease -- especially when the cure entails the loss of a woman's breasts, chemotherapy and radiation."
She told LifeNews.com that "if the cancer charity industry had been honest about the risks of the pill, combined with hormone replacement therapy and induced abortion when the evidence became available ... many thousands of American lives could have been saved."
Malec says Prevention magazine missed the fact that researchers Jessica Dolle, National Cancer Institute branch chief Louise Brinton, and Dr. Janet Daling and others at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center pointed out in 2009 that abortion is a "known and suspected risk factor" for breast cancer. Full story at LifeNews.com
Inventor of In-Vitro Fertilization Wins Nobel Prize in Medicine, Pro-Life Group Upset
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- Robert Edwards, known as the father of the test tube baby and the inventor of in-vitro fertilization, has been awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his IVF work. However, the award is coming under fire from a British pro-life group upset because IVF has resulted in the deaths of unborn children.
The web site for the Nobel Prize says over 10% of couples experience infertility and credits Edwards with helping them be able to have a baby.
The foundation for the Nobel Prize says Edwards' contributions to fertility "represent a milestone in the development of modern medicine."
In the 1950s, Edwards believed IVF could eventually help treat infertility and, after decades of work, in fertilizing human egg cells in cell culture dishes, the first test tube baby was born in 1978.
Since 1978, about four million babies have been born via IVF, some of whom are now parents themselves as second and third generations spring from them.
However, in-vitro fertilization has come at a price, the England-based Society for the Protection of Unborn Children says, because multiple embryos are frequently implanted during fertility treatments and unborn children are subsequently killed when more than one baby's life becomes viable.
"IVF is possible because of one simple fact: human life begins at fertilization [or] conception. But IVF is an abuse of this knowledge," says Anthony Ozimic, SPUC's communications manager. "IVF puts human embryos at a vast disadvantage - they are subject to testing and discrimination, freezing and storage, disability and death." Full story at LifeNews.com
Millions See Pro-Woman, Pro-Life Message on Abortion at 2010 LifeChain Event
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Millions of Americans yesterday were exposed to the pro-woman, pro-life message on abortion in cities and towns across the country as a result of the 2010 LifeChain. The event has people holding signs such as "Abortion Kills Children" or "Abortion Hurts Women" along busy street corners.
With more than 1,450 LifeChain events taking place across the United States and some in Canada and other nations, tens of millions of people ultimately saw pro-life signs.
In Omaha, Nebraska alone, more than 3,500 people lined both sides of key streets organizer Carolyn LaGreca told the World-Herald newspaper. Like those who joined the event in other states, she said participants received responses ranging from thumbs up and supportive honking to shouts, insults and the occasional obscene gesture.
Participants, who included adults and children, also held signs that read Adoption The Loving Option" and Jesus Forgives & Heals.
Steve Brody, executive director of Dubuque County Right to Life, told the Dubuque newspaper hundreds of people gathered along U.S. 20 with their signs.
"This is wonderful," he said, pointing out the mix of races, denominations and ages participating. Full story at LifeNews.com
Florida Pro-Life Group Endorses Marco Rubio for Senate, Rick Scott for Governor
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A Florida pro-life group has issued endorsements in races for Congress and statewide offices, but its endorsements in two marquee matchups will probably stand out for more state voters. Florida Right to Life has endorsed pro-life Senate candidate Marco Rubio and gubernatorial candidate Rick Scott.
Although independent candidate Gov, Charlie Crist has claimed in the past to hold a pro-life position, his veto of a bill that allowed women to see an ultrasound of their unborn baby before an abortion caused most pro-life voters to spurn those claims.
The Florida Right to Life endorsement further entrenches the notion that Rubio is the only pro-life candidate in the Senate race against Crist and pro-abortion Rep. Kendrick Meek.
Meanwhile, FRTL's endorsement of Scott comes after a very closely contested primary campaign against pro-life candidate Bill McCollum and now an equally tight general election contest against pro-abortion Democrat Alex Sink. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pennsylvania Bill Filed to Stop the Abortion Funding ObamaCare Nearly Allowed
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- A Pennsylvania state legislator has proposed legislation seeking to stop the combined state and federal funding for abortions that almost occurred in the ObamaCare health care law President Barack Obama signed. The measure was used to allow abortion funding under the high risk health insurance pool.
The Obama administration, in concert with officials in three states, including Maryland and New Mexico, had approved paying for abortions under new high risk insurance programs created under the national health care law.
The National Right to Life Committee exposed the Pennsylvania abortion funding and the Obama administration responded at first by claiming the executive order Obama signed prohibits the funding NRLC uncovered.
Then, Obama officials revised the statement to say they promised the high risk insurance programs would not fund abortions.
Wanting to make sure the abortion funding doesn't take place in his state, Republican Pennsylvania State Senator Don White introduced Senate Bill 1399 to prohibit insurance plans in the Keystone State from covering abortions with taxpayer funds. Full story at LifeNews.com
Michigan Abortion Centers Guilty of Violating HIPAA in Dumping Patient Records
Detriot, MI (LifeNews.com) -- The federal government has found three Michigan abortion businesses guilty of violating the HIPAA statutes as a result of their illegally dumping patient records in trash bins outside their facilities. Local pro-life advocates found the records in the dumpsters at the abortion centers.
The Chicago Office for Civil Rights began an investigation of the WomanCare, Sharpes Family Planning and Women's Advisory abortion centers after receiving a formal complaint filed by Monica Migliorino Miller, director of Citizens for a Pro-life Society.
In the early months of 2008, members of CPLS conducted searches of the trash dumpsters used by these abortion centers. They repeatedly dumped whole patient records, including intake forms, abortion appointment schedule sheets, recovery room reports, lab reports, insurance forms, photo-copied driver's licenses, applications for financial aid to off-set the cost of the abortion and other documents that revealed personal health care information.
Hundreds of patient records were recovered, the largest share from the WomanCare abortion center located in Lathrup Village and owned by troubled abortion practitioner Alberto Hodari. In addition to the patient records, extensive bio-hazard waste and the remains of aborted unborn children were also discovered at the abortion center upstairs. Full story at LifeNews.com
Carelton University Students Arrested, Ignored Free Speech Limits on Abortion
Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- Carelton University students were arrested on the campus of this Canadian college today after ignoring the university's limits on their free speech rights. The students are members of Carelton Lifeline, a student pro-life group that wanted to put up a huge display against abortion on campus.
University officials attempted to make the students take their display, which included graphic pictures, to a closed room where they would not be readily seen.
The students refused and held their display on public property instead of caving on what it considered a censorship attempt.
Jim Hughes, the president of the Campaign Life Coalition, a national pro-life group in Canada, objected to the arrests. Full story at LifeNews.com
Boston College Law School Criticized for Linking to Planned Parenthood Web Site
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- Boston College Law School is coming under criticism for linking to a Planned Parenthood abortion business on its web site under "pro bono organizations." The Catholic institution currently lists the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts on its web site and one group hopes the link will disappear soon.
TFP Student Action director John Ritchie pointed LifeNews.com to the web link to Planned Parenthood.
Boston College Law School classifies Planned Parenthood as a "public interest organization."
"Here you will find lists of organizations that sponsor law-related pro bono activities in Massachusetts. We encourage you to contact those organizations whose work aligns with your own personal mission of service, and to make the time available to contribute to their work in a meaningful way," the BC web site says. Full story at LifeNews.com
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University of Michigan Researchers Create First Embryonic Stem Cell Line
Detroit, MI (LifeNews.com) -- Researchers from the University of Michigan have created the first embryonic stem cell line developed in the state and the line is making news as Detroit hosts the World Stem Cell Summit. However, a pro-life group is disappointed by the news because the obtaining of the cells came at the death of an unborn child. Scientist Gary Smith, who derived the line, told the Detroit News that the establishment of the line of human embryonic cells is a "big step forward" because other researchers can work with them.
However, he admitted it is a long way from establishing the line to curing diseases -- if that ever happens because the use of embryonic stem cells in animals still causes the development of tumors and the cells are rejected by the immune system.
The human being who was destroyed for is or her stem cells is known as UM4-6, implying there are more people who were killed at the very earliest stages of their lives to establish the stem cell line. Full story at LifeNews.com
Colorado Poll Shows Personhood Amendment 62 Likely Losing by Large Margin
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll of Colorado voters shows the personhood amendment, Amendment 62, likely losing by another large margin in November. The amendment defines unborn children as persons starting at conception and would draw an almost immediate legal challenge from pro-abortion groups.
A new SurveyUSA poll finds 50 percent of voters still undecided on the amendment. Of those who do know how they plan to vote, 35 percent oppose the amendment while just 15 percent say the intend to vote for it.
This is the second time voters will have been asked to consider the amendment and it went down in defeat in 2008. Colorado voters defeated Amendment 48 by a 73.5-26.5 percentage margin.
Organizers hoped the amendment would fare better this time around in what is shaping up to be one of the most pro-life election environments in more than 15 years. However, because the pro-life community is still split on the strategy behind the amendment, the poll makes it appear it will be defeated again. Full story at LifeNews.com
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